Feather, Middle Fork

2. Quincy-La Porte Road to Milsap Bar (Devils Canyon)

Reach banner
DifficultyV
Length33 mi
Avg Gradient68 fpm
GaugeFeather River at Merrimac
Flow Rate as of 2 hours
573 cfsbelow recommended
Reach Info Last UpdatedOctober 12, 2025

River Description

History:

The Devils Canyon run on the Middle Fork Feather is the undisputed king amongst moderate Class V California overnight self support classics.

The Middle Fork Feather was one of the original rivers designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968.

In October of 1968, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act pronounced, 'It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dams and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes.'

The entire Middle Fork downstream from the confluence of its tributary streams one kilometer south of Beckwourth is protected under the act, broken down as:
Wild — 32.9 miles; Scenic — 9.7 miles;
Recreational — 35.0 miles;
Total — 77.6 miles.

The Run: The run passes through three distinct canyons of very different geology, slowly increasing in both volume and difficulty. Most groups choose to do the run over three days, but two day trips is quite possible, especially at higher flows. However, given typically stable and warm California weather in late spring and an abundance of spectacular camp sites on beaches or airy granite benches no one in general is in a hurry to get it finished.
Day one is typically comprised of Class IV read-

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River Features

Put-in

Distance: 0 mi

Cleghorn Bar

Distance: 12.1 mi
Access Point
Cleghorn Bar

A high clearance 4x4 trail comes down the South canyon wall to a riverside camp. Possible low water putin or emergency access/egress. See this website for more details.

Butte Bar Footbridge

Distance: 14.6 mi
Access Point
Butte Bar Footbridge

Pacific Crest Trail Footbridge crosses river, foot path access to canyon rim North and South. Possible emergency access/egress. See this website for more details.

Franklin Falls

Class: VDistance: 15 mi
Waterfall / Large Drop
Franklin Falls

Franklin Falls is a 10 foot waterfall with a shallow rock cluster just down stream and a mean looking hole. There is an eddy river left some distance upstream that should be caught to scout this drop, class IV water continues to the lip and a small eddy right just above can be caught but is not a good scouting or portage option. The drop can be portaged left with a seal launch of a high bed rock shelf.

Stag Point

Distance: 17.1 mi
Access Point
Stag Point

A prominent river feature, Stag Point is a sharp right hand bend in the river with large beach with bedrock and pebbles right and cascading creek entering river left. Topo's show 4x4 access river left downstream of the creek here though this has not been visually confirmed from the river. Possible emergency access/egress? See this website for more details.

What Dreams Are Made Of

Class: VDistance: 19.4 mi
Rapid
What Dreams Are Made Of

What Dreams Are Made Of is located as the river bends sharply left then right entering a short but fierce looking gorge with tall vertical walls river left. Initial bolder garden moves allow an eddy and beach to be attained river right at the apex of the first bend and the next larger drops can be scouted from here. Having run these drops, eddy left to scout the remaining right turn rapid. At high water this sequence is very pushy with large holes and scouting becomes harder. At lower water the beach on the top right makes for adequate camping.

S Turn

Class: IV+Distance: 20.9 mi
Rapid
S Turn

Small cliff faces loom right and left and the river make a sharp right hand then immediate left hand turn. A small rocky island close to the left shore divides the current at the entrance to the rapid and can be negotiated either side depending on flow. A large hole can lurk in the main drop and again the line is dependent on flow. At higher flows this rapid has a more radical appearance pillowing dramatically on the cliff at the outside of the left hand turn.

Hartman Bar Footbridge

Distance: 22.25 mi
Access Point
Hartman Bar Footbridge

The Pacific Crest Trail footbridge crosses the river at Hartman Bar and there is well developed but heavily littered camping here. Emergency access/egress possible both North and South. See this website for more details.

Eat The Meat

Class: VDistance: 26.7 mi
Rapid
Eat The Meat

Eat The Meat is a short punchy double drop with vertical cliff right and flat bedrock area left which offers an easy portage and good spectating.

Hanson Bar

Distance: 27.5 mi
Access Point
Hanson Bar

Somewhere river left at the end of a long green water stretch and approaching a right turn and rapid lie's Hanson Bar trail. This trail taken heading downstream goes to the canyon rim and heading upstream countours somewhere above but close to the river until the former site of  Kennedy cabin, some 0.7 miles upstream of Eat The Meat from where it again ascends to the canyon rim. This is a possible emergency access/egress point. See this website for more details.

Portage

Distance: 28.7 mi
Portage
Portage

The Portage starts immediately after a large rapid (that some may also portage). A large still pool and huge river left cliffs announce its arrival and a well trodden trail commences on the right at the top end of the pool, traversing up through the forest.  Resist the temptation to descend too early as the trail becomes less defined, and finally scramble down granite ledges to a perch over looking the last drop of the portage. The Portage rapid has been run at low water but is a very serious proposition.

Helicopter

Class: VDistance: 29.75 mi
Rapid
Helicopter

Helicopter is a boisterous must run rapid where the river channel constricts, dropping steeply between a large vertical cliff on the left and a field of sieved out boulders on the right. Giant 500 foot granite slabs to the left, sometimes with a cascading waterfall appear just before it. A small beach and scramble above on the left affords a scouting opportunity. Three rowdy holes must be punched before a right turning airplane turn finale.

Grand Finale

Class: VDistance: 31.15 mi
Rapid
Grand Finale

Grand Finale, the last large rapid has a committing long class IV lead in via small pools on the left followed by a powerful move to ferry out into the outwash of a hole to avoid being pushed into the cliff on the left. It can be portaged easily on the right but only if you stop before entering it. Those who run the left entry moves will have to run the main drop.

Milsap Bar Take-out

Distance: 32.95 mi
Take Out
Access Point

more wood will be filtering through the boulders of the middle

helicopter overflight is prevalent
access remains a challenge

MD
Mareike Delley

Jun 25, 2019


Hey! I just wanted to leave this here as a notice. We met Misty from Berry Creek and she drove our shuttle for a 2-day trip on a weekend. She said she would be interested to meet more kayakers, and also, she is super nice and knows the area (if roads are open, detours....)so if you need a shuttle driver, this is her contact: Mistymcdivitt@yahoo.com
1(530)990-0102

Eric Henrickson
Eric Henrickson

May 17, 2007


Notorious AW member Eric Nies adds some joy to his life.

Greg Hoskins styles a manky drop near the end of Devil's Canyon
Greg Hoskins on Spine-Friendly Seal Launch below portage in Devil's Canyon
Jay Ditty in Helicopter
Devil's Canyon Portage
Popular Day 2 Campsite in Devil's Canyon

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Untitled

May 17, 2007


Eric Nies Style Helicopter Rapid

Eric Henrickson
Eric Henrickson

May 16, 2007


Greg Hoskins approaching Franklin Falls
Greg Hoskins boofing one of the many fine drops in Franklin Canyon
Jay Ditty enters a complex drop on Middle Fork Feather
Jay Ditty styling a complex drop
Jay Ditty heading downstream from Franklin Falls
Yet another quality drop in the Middle Fork
Old Log Dam on the Feather
Main line at the old log dam on the Middle Fork
Campsite in Devil's Canyon
Franklin Falls on Middle Fork Feather
Side stream entering Devil's Canyon

Eric Henrickson
Eric Henrickson

May 15, 2007


First night postpriandial bliss by the campfire

IB
Ian Buckley

May 16, 2004


Keith Kishiyama running Grand Finale, the last class V rapid of the Devils Canyon run

IB
Ian Buckley

May 16, 2004


Keith Kishyama launching the boof in Slide rapid, Devils canyon.
Recovery of a paddle after 2 boaters accidentally boated into mandatory portage section

IB
Ian Buckley

May 14, 2004


One of the many spectacular camp sites for finishing day1 of the Devils Canyon run. Located high on the left after a steep boulder bar rapid leads into and abrupt right turn in the river. It has great trout fishing.

RB
Ratt Boy

Jan 1, 1900


Photo courtesy of and copyright by Brett Valle. Check out his excellent stuff in Boof.com.