American
1. Lodgepole Campground to Hell's Crossing
| Difficulty | II-III+ |
| Length | 8.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | American River Near Nile, Wa |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 381 cfsrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | March 7, 2026 |
Projects
The Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests encompass more than four million acres and are jointly managed with headquarters in Wenatchee, Washington. The rivers flowing through these forests are essential to the whitewater paddling community—both as close-to-home runs for Washington residents and as classic objectives for paddlers traveling from across [...]Read More
River Description
While there are a couple rapids on this run, much of it is low gradient that includes some sections of braided channel with massive log jams. One rapid is worth checking out if you happen to be in the area and want a quick whitewater fix. From Lodgepole Campground it's only a short distance down to a fun class IV drop behind the DOT site. The rapid is a two pitch drop with a couple of fun holes to punch. Be sure to scout as there could be log hazards in play.
River Features
Lodgepole Campground Put-in
The Forest Service Lodgepole Campground, the put-in, is located at Highway 410 mile 76.7. Access is available on the upstream river left side of the bridge.
DOT Rapid
A fun rapid if you're in the area for a 'park and huck'. Located at USGS river mile 13.4.
Hells Crossing Campground Take-Out
The Forest Service Hell's Crossing Campground, the take-out, is located at Highway 410 mile 83.5. Alternativley you can just hike back up to the road from anywhere on this run.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportWe went to check out this run on May 27th, 2007. We encountered some massive log jams and ended up walking along the road in several spots. Gradient is probably too low in spots for this to ever really clean up and probably best to just start at Hell's Crossing and continue on down onto the Bumping/Naches if you're looking for a longer run.