The Deadwood Dam is scheduled for repairs at the end of this summer and is scheduled to cease releases on August 22nd.  That means 0-cfs so get all your Canyon and Staircase fun in before then because the South Fork is going to be the lowest it has been in a VERY long time.

Bronco Billy had one of the biggest hits on the South Fork during high water.

Where are you from: San Diego and Colorado.

How Long have you been paddlin: off and on before Tren was born.

What was your first impression of the park?

I was pretty impressed, I got there on the day the Jackson’s were there for one of the Opening Compeititons, …the parking lot was packed, the log gates over the entrance were grand, and I was slack-jawed by the visitor’s center and the landscaping.

Did any of the features seem big/small/trashy?

The top feature seemed a bit sticky when I first looked at it, though when I got in it it was friendly and fun. It seems like it has some places that are more retentive than others and it will get your attention, but I liked it.

Were they?

the smaller wave on river left is perfect for learning to spin and front surf. If you flip the wave is deep and the water is nice and warm. All of the park has great eddy service and lots of room so you are not slamming into 10 of your best friends in the eddy.
There is also a very small, very friendly wave just underneath the Welcome Center that is perfect for working on skills and really great for people who are new to playboating. Someopne should nickname it the Girlfriend Wave….as in perfect for teaching your girlfriend how to surf and spin. Or boyfriend.

How crowded was the park? I have never been there more more than a handful of people.

How was access to the features and ammenities? Easy and nice. Lots of parking, lots of space to unload your stuff, and dry your gear. Best of all, everything (including really nice bathrooms) is FREE!

What was your favorite part of the park? A really pretty place with easy access to some great and varied park n play. Plus it seems that it will have great park n play later in the season when lots of other park n play is done or filled with townies on boogey boards.

What was your least favorite part of the park?

The get out, but that will be remedied when they install the bridge to the middle island. Wish they would have installed some slalom gates, but one can’t have everything.

The reviewer doing her best motorboat impression while spinning in the hole.

For more info checkout the Kelly’s Whitewater Park website that includes a pretty cool webcam!

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Normally there is a large beach for lunch

Bridge above Deer Creek on the South Fork

Thats a lotta wata!

There are three major forks the North Fork, the South Fork and the Main Payette. The Main Payette, which begins when the North and South forks converge at Banks, Idaho, is the staple for many recreational boaters from the Boise area during the summer months. The South Fork of the Payette consists mostly of class III and IV rapids with two main sections. The North Fork is home to 15 miles of continuous class V whitewater, one of the most difficult whitewater challenges in the US. The North Fork also has one of the most scenic sections, the Cabarton Run (class II-III).

Camping and lodging is abundant on the shores of both the South and North forks.Camping and lodging is abundant on the shores of both the South and North forks.This site is provided as a service by Cascade Raft and Kayak. All the information included in this site is recommended from our experience. Please enjoy our site and if you have any additional questions or would like to requests any additions to the site please contact us.

If you are looking for roll session dates and times please look on the event calendar to the right!

The Main Payette got its yearly makeover-

In a cleanup effort spearheaded by the Forest Service with a handful of volunteers and small army of the Jr. kayak instructors from Idaho River Kids, the Main Payette from Banks to Beehive got a second good scouring (the first one coming naturally during the extreme high water this season) with a few rafts full of trash for their efforts.  Tires, wires, and diapers were all on the list of refuse that was cleaned off the banks of the river.

With the banks of the river shiny and new let all make an effort to keep it clean!