The Payette River System

The Payette River is a major tributary of the Snake River. Its headwaters originate in the Sawtooth and Salmon River mountains at elevations over 10,000 feet. The drainage flows in a southwesterly direction for over 175 miles where it empties into the Snake River near the city of Payette at an elevation of 2125 feet. The Payette River Basin comprises about 3240 square miles.

The Payette River is famous for its whitewater. Kayaking on the lower North Fork from Smith's Ferry to Banks is world-class, easily viewed from state highway #55, which closely hugs its bank, primarily on the west side. The lower North Fork narrows and drops 1700 feet in the 16 miles above Banks, providing nearly endless Class V rapids (see International Scale of River Difficulty). The average gradient is 110 feet per mile with a maximum gradient of 200 ft/mile. The North Fork's flow rate is controlled through the Cascade Dam, completed in 1948, providing relatively warm water from the shallow Cascade Reservoir.

To the east of Banks, the South Fork's Canyon, west of Lowman, is a challenging Class IV run for rafting. Along this trip is a 40 foot Class VI waterfall (Big Falls), which is portaged. The North Fork and South Fork merge at Banks to form the main Payette River, providing a float trip with numerous Class III rapids. The highway on this lower stretch of the river is on the east bank and a scenic railroad, the Thunder Mountain Line, runs above the west side.