Sacramento
5) Balls Ferry to Tehama
| Difficulty | I-II |
| Length | 52 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Sacramento R Ab Bend Bridge Nr Red Bluff Ca |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 10800 cfsrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | October 30, 2023 |
River Description
Best for canoers wanting scenery and quiet. Class I quickwater and 'weird water' hydraulics given the high water volume. Takes you through the Sacramento River Bend Outstanding Natural Area (and Area of Critical Environmental Concern) managed by the BLM. Good spot to see many river otters and king salmon. Learn more about the efforts to make a section of this a federally-protected Wild and Scenic River here and here.
River Features
Take Out
Put In
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportNot many other rivers were up, so we decided on a leisurely 3-day, 2-night float on the middle Sac in a borrowed canoe. We came upon over a dozen otters at one point and saw our first king salmon burst out of the water in front of us, massive and shining in the sunlight. Camped within a short hike of the high precipice of the Sac River Bend Area, which had terrific sunset views.