Rapid Creek

3. Thunderhead Falls: Big Bend to Hiesga (3 miles)

DifficultyII(III)
Length3.6 mi
Avg Gradient50 fpm
GaugeRapid Creek Abv Canyon Lake Near Rapid City,sd
Flow Rate as of 52 minutes
68 cfsbelow recommended
Reach Info Last UpdatedDecember 23, 2009

River Description

This reach does not have a description. If you know about this reach, please tell us about it!


River Features

Put In

Distance: 0 mi

Take Out

Distance: 3 mi
Take Out

JH
John Hopper

Aug 28, 2014


This is a good run for beginners to work on skills and develop themselves into good paddler. Plenty of peel outs, S turns, mid-river eddys and boofs. Some waves, plenty of pools. There is still some wood from the October '13 storm with one sketchy section. You could come out a little scratched up by it, but it would be hard to get into any serious trouble and we will likely have this nuisance tree cut out very soon. There is also one mandatory portage where a large tree completely crosses the river, but there are good eddys on river right making it quite easy to portage. However, this takes you across private property and we really don't know who owns the house or how they'll feel about paddlers making use of their awesome slide/re-entry into the creek. My guess is they'll be cool as are most folks in these parts.