# John Day - clarno to cottonwood



## rd01 (Feb 11, 2016)

As low are you are comfortable to go. I have personally ran an 18' boat at 500cfs and the winter steelhead trips that some guides run from Thirtymile to Cottonwood at nearly 300cfs. Mid June should have plenty of water 600-1500cfs I would imagine (unless we had some complete moisture shut off and record high temps for 3 months).


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## Rightoarleft (Feb 5, 2021)

1,200 cfs at Service Creek is generally considered to be cutoff for rafts. But as with most rivers, the minimum flow is determined by boat, how light you pack, experience, skill and level of ambition. Regardless, mid June is not low water. And of course there will be wind. How else is the sand supposed to get in your supper? Have a great time and don't pet the snakes.


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## Norcalcoastie (Jan 4, 2019)

We floated it last year at 2200cfs on June 15-19th. We had 2 loaded rafts (like stupid loaded; my kitchen box weighs 100#), a 14' and a 16'. No issues with flow at all. Get up early to get a campground and beat the w-word.


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## rowingo (Mar 20, 2018)

ssriess said:


> Any suggestions on the lowest flow with 13 to 16 foot rafts? Would love to try for a mid June trip this year but worried about the flows....and wind. Thoughts?


Last year, over solstice (end of June), a 14' Maravia with cooler/drybox gear for 2+ people, easy peesy, no issues of any sort with suitable flow. Service Creek stretch (2 nite/3 day), flows were in 1000-ish range, zero winds!


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## cheeze (Jan 7, 2021)

It's a beautiful trip. In 2017 I ran this stretch around 4th of July. Flow was 950cfs at service creek gauge and falling. The rubber rafts in the group were fine but we cracked a hole in the bottom of a drift boat in the afternoon when the sun was low. A lot of rocks start to peek out in the zone between Clarno rapid and Thirtymile creek.
The wind can be strong especially in the afternoon.


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## bcavallidds (3 mo ago)

ssriess said:


> Any suggestions on the lowest flow with 13 to 16 foot rafts? Would love to try for a mid June trip this year but worried about the flows....and wind. Thoughts?


 I have run from Clarno 11 times with a fully loaded 14 ft Sotar- the lowest flow being 330 cfs- at this flow Clarno was painful and over the 70 miles we had to get out and push 21 times, but it was doable. At 330 cfs, next time I would launch from 30 mile. The next lowest flow, 500 cfs, was much cleaner and would recommend- one advantage is there will be very few people on the river so much less competition for camps


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

I've done this also, bcavallidds
The post is from 2021


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