Sign in to generate an AI timing estimate for this run.
Whitewater timing varies with scouting, portages, and group pace. Use as a planning baseline.
Description
After hiking over the mountain pass this run begins as a beautiful meandering stream in the middle of an area enjoying a famously high concentration of Grizzlies. The rapids begin small and very manky.
Soon however your hard work will be rewarded with two highly entertaining and sometimes highly commiting gorges. The second gorge's difficulty is very dependeant on flow, as are all box canyons.
With no one around except you and the whitewater this run has an exceptional ability to make an expedition kayaker feel isolated and alone even at the door step of a National Park that see's almost 3 million visitors annually. It's a little slice of pie you'll want to taste.
Put In:
From Big Timber drive south about 52 miles up the main Boulder road (Hwy 298) to Sheep Creek trailhead. Please remember to leave the subaru at home and take your high-clearance 4WD vehicle for the last five miles of the dirt road, or better noted, steep wide trail.
From the Sheep Creek trailhead, hike 3.4 miles on Forest Service Trail 257 to the top of the pass (beautiful!). Then hike 6.4 miles on FST 12 down the middle fork to the confluence of the west fork in Bull Moose meadows for a total of 9.8 miles. Do Not forget the bug spray. The confluence is wonderful but the last few miles up until then are intense without it.
Take Out:
The last few miles are in Yellowstone National Park, do not paddle this stretch. You are not missing anything as it is fairly flat. When you reach the park boundary simply exit the river and use the trail to hike to the road. You can set a long shuttle, or have someone pick you up at the Hellroaring Trailhead. Soak in one of the many hotsprings and then head home!
Difficulty Classes
I EasyII NoviceIII IntermediateIV AdvancedV Expert/ExtremeVI Unrunnable