American, South Fork

A boat launch area is located at the downstream end of the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park on river left that is available with a parking fee. The park has several different parking areas and entrances. The entrance furthest downstream has signs for boat launching. Turn off the highway then turn left to the launching area.

Gremlin's comes after a couple of class I rapids that start the run and a brief pool. This rapid is wide and fairly long, with a slight bend to the left. The best features tend to be right of center. The rapid ends with a breaking wave that tends to be better for surfing and enders the lower the flow, and is a great spot for rolling practice.

This was the biggest rapid (class IV) in the section until the floods of 1982-83. The river bends to the left and affords a view of motor homes and travel trailers lined up above the river on the right bank. The river continues curving to the left as it splits into two channels and drops down a wide rapid. The left channel features a shallow ledge that can be avoided on either side (going left is the easiest line in the rapid). The right channel is longer and more technical. Several large guard rocks at the bottom right offer targets for those without boat control or for those looking for extra fun maneuvering.

This access has a very limited amount of parking near the bridge, but it can be used as a put in or take out on river left or right within the bridge right of way. Private resorts are located on river right.

Henningson Lotus Park extends for over a half mile on river left from the Highway 49 bridge downstream. It is an easy and very popular access point with a wide beach and a big area for beginners to practice in the slow current. Play fields, picnic areas, and hiking trails serve a diversity of users. A developed boat launching area with a large parking lot is at the downstream end of the play fields. The site requires a fee to park a car.

Just below the large pool in front of the beach at Henningsen Lotus Park, an island separates the left and right flows. The left channel is most straightforward. It consists of a large, smooth tongue leading past the the island towards a pyramid shaped rock (the fang) downstream. It can be boofed on either side or avoided. Options to avoid the fang are either to eddy out to the right below the island or to go around the left of the fang. The latter choice will require the paddler to move right aggressively after the fang to avoid low hanging branches. The right channel consists of a series of 1-2 foot ledge drops. A small reversal is located at the top of the channel on the right. Once below the reversal, the ledge drop is graded with the biggest on the left and smallest on the right. The ledges become a sizable hole at higher flows.

This family-owned campground is available to the public with easy access boat access to the river on river left,  30 camp sites throughout the shaded grounds, dedicated RV sites with hook ups, and cabins. The campground is a popular destination for the whitewater community and a great option for those traveling to the river for a weekend or a few days. Barking Dog is accessible for park and play from Camp Lotus.

Great surf wave! The river funnels into a steep breaking wave. The wave provides a challenge to beginners trying to stay upright as they punch through. It provides a wonderful challenge to playboaters trying to surf and do acrobatic tricks.

Boaters who want to park and play can pay a day use fee to park at Camp Lotus. From there they can paddle downstream to this play spot, then paddle back upstream when they are finished playing.

Below Barking Dog, far river right, is a good pillow boof at standard flows (1200-1800 cfs). For paddlers learning to boof here, keep in mind that the hole formed by the pourover can be sticky. To the left of the hole, there's a fast subsurface current that helps with flushing any capsized paddlers within the hole. Some affectionately call this the 'underwater jet ferry'.

The section begins with a bushy island (go right) and a gentle sweep to the right then to the left then back to the right. Along the way there are numerous waves and rock formations on the right and middle. Local clubs consider this section an opportunity to measure one's eddy-catching skills. Depend on flow, upwards of 25 eddies can be had.

The last rapid before Greenwood Creek is long (at least 1/4 mile), technical, shallow, somewhat hazardous, and very interesting.  Swimmers should expect a long, bumpy, painful ride.

This is a sizable wave train that can be safely run as a swimmer. At standard flows, the second and third wave troughs are excellent surf opportunities. There are large eddies on both river left and right to help attain back to the surf waves. The wave train is also an excellent place to practice rolling in choppy water with minimal consequence. The wave trains gets washed out at flows above 3000 CFS.

This takeout is administered by Bureau of Land Management and accessed from Highway 49 at mile post 27. The parking is just off the highway but it is an approximately 300 yard hike up from the river to the parking area on a dirt trail.