Elk Creek

Elk Creek drains the western side of the Marble Mountain Wilderness Area, including Marble Mountain itself, and flows westerly to join the Klamath River at Happy Camp. It is yet another beautiful Klamath Mountains stream and if offers superb boating with varied character.

The put-in is at Sulphur Springs where there is a trailhead for the hike further up Elk Creek (where's there's more whitewater) and a campground that is uniquely situated on the far side of the creek from the road and accessible via a footbridge.

The run alternates between bedrock rapids and bouldery sections with a few microgorges thrown in. Overall difficulty is class IV. Recent wildfires have increased the amount of wood moving through the system, so be alert for wood, as always.

The lower reach downstream of Fivemile Bridge and the rapid right below the bridge (near milemarker five on Eld Creek Road) is an easier class II and III section all the way to the Klamath River.

If you don't plan on continuing downstream on the Klamath, take out at Curly Jack Road in the populated zone along lower Elk Creek. There is another Forest Service campground near here too, and it makes an easy place to stay after a day of boating. The bike shuttle back to the top is recommended.

Stick around and paddle Clear Creek and Indian Creek, the other two streams that flow into the Klamath in the greater Happy Camp area. It's even possible to paddle Elk Creek, continue on the Klamath to the Wingate Bar River Access, and re-set shuttle for Clear Creek and paddle it that same day or the next.

Flows

There is no gage on Elk Creek but Indian Creek (opposite side of the Klamath River) has a gage that correlates very roughly to Elk Creek. The hy

...