North French Creek, WY

Gauge Information

River Description

North French Creek starts near Snowy Range Pass as small rivulets of icy cold water. As these coalesce downstream and away from Hwy 130 they pick up enough flow to float a creek boat. Then North French Creek returns to the road and follows Hwy 130 for several miles down toward Saratoga. A significant majority of this distance is uninteresting flat and filled with beaver dams. However approximately 1 to 1.5 miles of the roadside whitewater is continuous downstream action. There is no real difficulty to the rapids but the boater must be aware that strainers are possible. North French Creek does have a steep wilderness run after it turns away from Hwy 130 but there is a diversion part way down the run that steals most of the water. Thus it is rarely run to my knowledge.

I think there were 2 eddies on my first run down this little creek.  The whitewater is continuous to say the least.  The run is short but it was great fun to scream down the mountain like a rollercoaster.  The run can be made longer by hiking in about 1/8 of a mile to the stream as it meanders across a meadow and turns right to drop down into the whitewater.  Beware of trees.  During my runs I have not had any bad strainers but they could easily fall across this stream.  The whitewater is really class III but it is nonstop.