Fire - Select a site on level ground, sheltered Getting There:............. fro mhigh wind, and away from heavy brush, How Difficult?........... logs, tree trunks, and overhanging branches. From Priest Lake to the City of Priest River, the Clear the ground to mineral soil. Keep your fire International Scale for Grading the Difficulty Lower Priest River offers diverse opportunities for small. Never leave it unattended. Put your fire of River Cruising Routes: Floating family float trips. The river winds forty-four miles dead out. Take care while smoking on shore. along a southward course from Priest Lake to its Grade I is easy enough for the beginners who confluence with the slackwater of the Pend Oreille Pack in - pack out - Keep the river clean. Pack know the basics of boat handling technique for Priest River River. The river experience includes low wetlands, out everything in a litter bag. Use burnable white water. It is preferable for a beginner to ride rapids, riffles, pools, and meandering, lazy segments containers, if possible. Remove all evidence of in a two-man boat with an experienced partner on adjacent to forest and farmlands. Views vary from any temporary structure when you leave. Grade II water. Additionally, during high water the areas of confinement to panoramas with mountain Leave the river scene undisturbed. Stay well river grades increase, usually one grade. backdrops. back from the river when cleaning camp utensils. Keep soap and detergent out of the I EASY - (Practiced Beginner)Sand banks, bends Topography, vegetation, and seasonal variations river. Dump wash and waste away from camp without difficulty, occasional small rapids with also offer refreshing changes. During late spring, the and the river. Dispose of wet organic garbage waves regular and low. Correct course easy to waters run turbid, swift, and high. During the hot and fish parts as for human waste. Clean fish find; but care is needed with minor obstacles like laziness of summer, the river slows and runs at an away from the river in water you have carried pebble banks, fallen trees, etc., especially on average depth of 2 1/2 to 3 feet. Fall rains and the for the purpose. narrow rivers. River speed less than hard back- release of storage water from Priest Lake cause the paddling speed. river to rise moderately in October during the period Human waste - Select a screened spot at of fall colors and cool temperatures. You should be least 100 feet from the river or camp. Dig a II MEDIUM - (Intermediate) Fairly frequent but able to plan an enjoyable trip by choosing a segment hole no deepter than eight inches. After use, unobstructed rapids, usually with regular waves, and season which match your skills. The major replace the soil and tramp in the sod. Nature easy eddies, and easy bends. Course generally rapids are shown on the map with the respective will do the rest. easy to recognize. River speeds occasionally difficulty ratings. exceeding hard back-paddling speed. Water - Surface or spring water along the river Canoes, kayaks, and inflatable boats are suitable should be considered unfit for human III DIFFICULT - (Experienced) Maneuvering in for floating the river. Inflatable rafts are safest consumption. Boil it vigorously for 3 to 5 rapids necessary. Small falls, large regular waves during high water in spring, fall, and after heavy minutes, or bring water from home. covering boat, numerous rapids. Main current may rains. (Large sizes are less manueverable and smaller swing under bushed, branches,or overhangs. ones are more easily capsised.) After mid-July, all Course not always easily recognizable. Current types of craft may drag bottom im places. Life speed usually less than fast forward paddling jackets should be worn by all individuals floating speed. the river IV VERY DIFFICULT - (Experienced) Long, . rocky rapids with difficult and turbulent passages Campsites - Be a pioneer; don't be a crowd requiring precise maneuvering. Scouting from follower. Camp only on Federal or State land unless shore is necessary and rescue is difficult. Not for you have received prior permission from the private open canoes or kayaks. landowner! Select unused campsites; avoid heavily Priest Lake Ranger District Priest Lake used areas. Use only dead wood for your camp 33203 Hwy. 57 needs. Use camp stoves or charcoal, if possible. Priest River, Idaho 83856 Ranger District (They are nice in wet weather.) R1-02-26 (208) 443-2512 www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/priestlake Idaho Panhandle National Forests Priest Outlet Bay 1 Put In Lake A ccess Points (public):....... 1A The access points to the river are listed and shown Binarch COOLIN on the map in sequence. The time listed after the Rapids access point is an average canoe paddling time Grade III between the access point and the next in the sequence. These times are shown to allow you to develop your own river trips. Dickensheet Information #1 Outlet Campground (Forest Service) 26 Center camping units - If you use this put-in point, it 2 requires about 1 mile of lake paddling and a portage Dickensheet Put In on the south side of the river around the outlet dam. Chipmunk This section of the river contains the most difficult Rapids East Side Road set of rapids, (1½ hours). 57 Grade II #1 A Put in, Unimproved steep trail 3 #2 Dickensheet Campground [limited parking] (State of Idaho) 10 camp units, developed Put In campground and parking. (3 hours) or Take Out #3 White Tail Butte Landing (State of Idaho) Priest Undeveloped parking. (4 hours) #4 Big Creek Undeveloped parking 2 0 2 #5 Saddlers Creek Undeveloped roadside Miles parking. 3 miles of current. (1½ hours) #6 Priest River Park/Mudd Hole [Note] (Corps of Engineers)Developed campground, Summertime Put In beach, and bathhouse; developed parking. flows are or slow thru Take Out Other access points may be available but Whitetail are located on private land and require the to McAbee 4 owner's permission for their use. Caution! Binarch and Eight Mile Rapids are extremely hazardous during high water, Road for other than expert canoeists. Mc Abee Falls Grade II Side Take Out est and Major W Put In River for Eight Mile Rapids 57 Eight Mile Rapids Grade III The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, 5 religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all Put In programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large or print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at Take Out 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Take Out Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 PRIEST Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call RIVER 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity 6 provider and employer. Pend Oreille River.