Taylor Creek

Flows:  The virtual gauge is a ballpark estimate only, a visual assessment is necessary.  See photos tab for visual gauge.

It is difficult to get perfect flows, shoot for the online gauge to be hitting 900 cfs around noon the day you run the creek for these perfect flows.  Then check the visual gauge upon arrival at the take out, the '0' unit mark is the minimum enjoyable flow, though it has been run lower (down to -3').  High water is dangerous, it is not clear at what level the run is too high to be run safely.

Description: This is a small stream near Merlin, OR in the Rogue Valley.  The nature of the run is tight and adventurous. The stream-bed is quality class IV, but there is wood in inconvenient, potentially dangerous locations.  Parts of the run can be blind, and a couple spots are gorged in.  At most flows the next eddy is nearly always visible from the previous one, and where they are not scouting is nearly always an option.  Low flows make the run manky, but it's easier to deal with the wood.  High flows make it hazardous.  Be smart and cautious if you do the run.  It's not a long run, so if you go slow the first lap and enjoy it, a second lap would be practical.

Directions: Taylor Creek crosses under Galice Road at the Morrison Lodge, about 8.5 miles west of Merlin.  This bridge is the take-out and where the gauge is lcoated. NF-25 parallels the creek on river left; the Taylor Creek trailhead is three miles up this road from the take-out and leads down to the creek.

Trip Reports:

Rogue Kayakers: Exploratory flows (-3')

Into the Outside: Low floatable (-1')

Sundance Kayak School: Perfect flows