3 - Rough Creek Bridge to Torrey's Hole River Access

Known as 'Sunbeam Run' or 'Day Stretch' by many local paddlers, this run starts as high as the Rough Creek Bridge although many put in below Sunbeam Dam at the confluence of the Yankee Fork where it joins the Salmon River. The run ends at the Torrey's Hole River Access boat ramp. Several alternate access points allow you to customize your run for the time and skills of your group. The more advanced run begins with the 3.5 miles from Rough Creek Bridge down through the old Sunbeam Dam. It includes a fun boulder garden called 'Shotgun' (IV), which is extremely boney at low water and filled with holes at higher water, and 'The Dam' (IV) which is a single big hole at the old Sunbeam dam site that is normally run right or center-right, depending on how big of a hit you want. Those looking for a little less action, and the standard put-in for the lower range of flows, can begin their trip at the Yankee Fork River Access or Elk Creek Access. Both access points have a raft slide to faciliate access to the water utilized by local outfitters running day trips. The stretch below the Yankee Fork has two class III rapids, the first being 'Piece of Cake' located about a mile below the Yankee Fork. 'Piece of Cake' can be extremely boney at low water and gets fairly washed out at high water. It is normally run entering left-of-center moving towards center. The second class III rapid is the 'Warm Springs Gorge' or 'The Narrows' located approximately 3.5 miles below the Yankee Fork. This short gorge of approximately 1/2 mile in length has fun read-and-run class III with the potential for a long swim if you have issues at the top. An optional kayaker take out below this gorge involves a short hike up to a pullout on the highway (44.253060, -114.667942). Those looking for easier access continue on down to Snyder Springs or Torrey's Hole access. As an alternative put-in during the spring, the Yankee Fork is a fun add on which provides approximately 3 miles of continuous class III+(IV) starting north of Sunbeam at the Pole Flat Campground.