California whitewater - Smith River - South Fork, Coast Ranges, Del Norte County

Del Norte county, Big Flat Campground to confluence with Middle Fork section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS III-V     13 miles
  This section of Smith River - South Fork in California is 13 miles long and it is classified as a class III-V section by American Whitewater. The average whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be a bit harder to master in this state than those in other states, so keep in mind that many of the rivers here are not very forgiving. If you're coming from Crescent City North it's not a long drive at all to the starting location, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. This river system has a few good paddling
    stretches and the Big Flat Campground to confluence with Middle Fork section is one of them. Whitewater paddling here in the Coast Ranges is a great experience. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but you'd better reserve
in advance because these hotels fill up quick. The campgrounds here at Smith River - South Fork are pretty good. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking there are not so many other good spots for that around here. Getting your paddling muscles activated and spending some quality time in nature have a lot of people coming here. The natural beauty of California and the cool fresh water are reasons enough to come here and paddle. This stretch is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so why not pack your camping stuff too.

Briefly
 
about the general area:
Smith River - South Fork is a relatively wet place ordinarily with much precipitation; the month with most of the rain is December; the driest month is July. Summertime highs at Smith River - South Fork ordinarily tend to be in the 60's with night lows in the 50's. Daytime highs during the wintertime are in the 50's; winter nights come with lows in the 30's to Smith River - South Fork.
So many cool things in the Coast Ranges, just tremendous. Going for a hike on the Paradise Trail is always a great adventure; there are good spots to explore along the French Hill Trail.

Smith River - South Fork, Big Flat Campground to confluence with Middle Fork road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: III-V
Length: 13 miles
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 41.69166
Longitude: -123.92871

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 41.79533
Longitude: -124.05465

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Current weather conditions at Smith River - South Fork, Coast Ranges, California
WXPort

Local climate location: CRESCENT CITY 17 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Super 8 Motel - Crescent City, Crescent City
11 miles away
* Located at the south end of Crescent City on Redwood Highway 101 across from Crescent City Harbor. 49 spacious rooms in a quiet, relaxed setting, some with harbor views. Walk across the street to ex...

Anchor Beach Inn, Crescent City
13 miles away
Anchor Beach Inn offers amenities to suit all travelers needs. Whether you are here on business, pleasure, or a little of both. We offer a complimentary continental breakfast, indoor jacuzzi, g...

Best Western Northwoods Inn, Crescent City
13 miles away
Retreat to this Crescent City, California hotel and experience comfortable accommodations near Redwood National Park and the Pacific Ocean. Welcome to the Best Western Northwinds Inn where guests w...



OTHER_INFO
  Coast Ranges Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Coast Ranges.

Coast Ranges Outdoors Info
Complete outdoors info for the Coast Ranges.

All California Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in California.
Books about whitewater paddling on Smith River - South Fork, California
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Smith River - South Fork, California.
Find a whitewater outfitter in California

Whitewater Basics
If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.
Outdoors Recreation Near Crescent City North, California
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Crescent City North, California, the metro area neareast to Smith River - South Fork. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Smith River - South Fork.
 Whitewater Near Smith River - South Fork:
Goose Creek, Del Norte County , 6 miles away, Class V - 5.6 miles long (Saddle Road to South Fork Smith confluence)
Smith River - Middle Fork, Del Norte County , 8 miles away, Class II-V - 22 miles long (6 Miles Above Patrick Creek to South Fork Road)
Hurdygurdy Creek, Del Norte County , 9 miles away, Class V - 7.7 miles long (Bear Basin Road to Big Flat Road)
Smith River - North Fork, Del Norte County , 9 miles away, Class III-V - 13 miles long (Low Divide Road to Gasquet)
Klamath River, Humboldt County , 23 miles away, Class II - 36 miles long (Weitchpec to Klamath Glen)
Redwood Creek, Humboldt County , 29 miles away, Class III - 25 miles long (Lacks Creek to Orick)
 Ski Areas Near Smith River - South Fork:
Mt. Ashland, Oregon , 90 miles away, 1150 vertical feet
Mount Shasta, California , 125 miles away, 1390 vertical feet
Willamette Pass, Oregon , 166 miles away, 1563 vertical feet
Mt. Bachelor, Oregon , 198 miles away, 3365 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Smith River - South Fork:
Super 8 Motel - Crescent City, Crescent City , 11 miles away
Anchor Beach Inn, Crescent City , 13 miles away
Best Western Northwoods Inn, Crescent City , 13 miles away
Quality Inn & Suites Redwood Coast, Crescent City , 13 miles away
Front Street Inn, Crescent City , 14 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Smith River - South Fork:
Hiouchi Hamlet RV Resort, Crescent City, 6 miles away
Big Flat Campground, Del Norte County, 6 miles away
Red Alder Campground, Del Norte County, 8 miles away
 Trails Near Smith River - South Fork:
Paradise Trail, Del Norte County , 0 miles away, 7.6 hiking miles, 1561 feet elevation difference
French Hill Trail, Del Norte County , 5 miles away, 2.2 hiking miles, 2021 feet elevation difference
Elk Camp Ridge Trail, Del Norte County , 12 miles away, 8.7 hiking miles, 2616 feet elevation difference
Summit Valley Trail, Del Norte County , 13 miles away,  14.8 hiking miles, 3955 feet elevation difference
Hope Creek Trail, Humboldt County , 16 miles away, 2.6 hiking miles, 500 feet elevation difference
Crea Trail, Humboldt County , 18 miles away, 3.1 hiking miles, 688 feet elevation difference
Zigzag Trail, Humboldt County , 18 miles away,  1 hiking miles, 521 feet elevation difference
 National Parks Near Smith River - South Fork:
Redwood National and State Parks, Crescent City - CA , 12 miles away
Oregon Caves National Monument, Cave Junction - OR , 33 miles away
 Lakes Near Smith River - South Fork

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Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater