(208) 806-1218

Middle Fork Salmon Weather and Water Levels

Middle Fork of the Salmon River Flows

Here’s some helpful tools we use to plan unforgettable trips on the Middle Fork of the Salmon.

Anticipting the Middle Fork of the Salmon River flows can be quite difficult. The free flowing Middle Fork of the Salmon is unlike any other river in the United States. As it journeys 104 miles through the Frank Church Wilderness from its origin near Stanley, ID  it transforms from a small stream into a powerful river, culminating at its convergence with the Main Salmon. The growth of the river is powered by nearly 100 tributaries flowing into the river along its decent of nearly 4000 vertical feet. Because there are no dams upstream, the Middle Fork of the Salmon River flows are compltely dependent upon the melting snow pack in the surrounding mountains. This wildness is exceedingly rare for a river in this day and age.

Depending on snowpack and air temperatures, June is normally whitewater rafting time only. July brings warmer water and air temperatures as well as the beginning of prime dry-fly fishing season. As water levels continue to drop through August and September the river loses some of its wild temper, unveiling increasingly ideal condtions for dry-fly fishing. Below are some tools we use to check on the weather and water flows on the Middle Fork of the Salmon. You may find these online resources helpful in planing your Solitude River Trip. As always, if you have any questions feel free to contact us.

 

River Flow Resources

USBR samople graph

United States Bureau of Reclamation

Snow to Flow relationship for Middle Fork Salmon at Middle Fork Lodge

Our favorite tool by far is the United States Bureau of Reclamation’s “Snow to Flow Relationship for Middle Fork Salmon at Middle Fork Lodge” page. This page allows you to overlay 40+ years of SWE (Snow Water Equivalent) and river flow data to see what snow pack and runoff looked like each year.

NOAA Hydrologic Forecast chart

National Weather Service

Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service – Middle Fork Salmon River

This site forecasts water levels on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. While it can be a good referecnce of overal trends, forcasts are often highly unreliable and innacurate.

USGS Gauge

United States Geologic Survey

MF Salmon River at MF Lodge Gauge

This is best tool for checking realtime flows on the Middle Fork. Water levels on the Middle Fork are often refered to in “Feet” rather than Cubic Feet Per Second (CFS). This page will display the level of the river in Feet by default but can easily be changed to CFS.

USDA Idaho Snotel Map

United States Department of Agriculture

Idaho SNOTEL Map

This page shows current Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) across the entire state of Idaho. Think of SWE as snow pack.

Weather Resources

Idaho Whitewater Rafting

Middle Fork of the Salmon River Weather Forecasts

We reference two forecast locations for our Middle Fork Salmon River Trips.

For an idea of weather of the first 1-3 days of the trip we will look at the forecast for Stanley, ID – NOAA Weather Forecast for Stanley, ID

For an idea of weather on days 3-6 we will look at the forecast for Salmon, ID – NOAA Weather Forecast for Salmon, ID

Our Trips 

summer fly fishing in a wooden drift boat on the middle fork of the salmon river in idaho

Middle Fork Salmon Fly Fishing |

Our professional, Orvis Endorsed fishing guides will show you why the Middle Fork is a world renowned fly fishery.

Duration

6 days/5 nights

Dates

Late June – Sept

$4950

per angler

rafters enjoying the summer weather on the middle fork of the salmon river.

Middle Fork Salmon Rafting |

Our professional river guides will show you why the Middle Fork is one of the world’s premier multi-day whitewater adventures.

Duration

6 days/5 nights

Dates

June – September

From $3250

per person

“This was my first time using dry flies. Being able to see a cutthroat come up to the surface and take the fly is a blast! The “Solitude experience” was priceless. Willi and his crew are tops.”

Dan L, Texas

Contact Details

Solitude River Trips

P.O. Box 696 |  Salmon, ID 83467
+1 (208) 806-1218
solitude@rivertrips.com

           Orvis Endorsed since 2003

salmon river float trips