Haystack Rapids is a Class III rapid on the Middle Fork Salmon River in Valley County, Idaho, a boulder field just below the Flying B Ranch at about river mile 68 of the Middle Fork's wilderness float. RiverTrips pairs it with Bernard as one of the river's more technical stretches.
The falls
Below the Flying B, the river runs through a busy boulder field. The rocks are massive, with the namesake boulder standing well above any real haystack and surrounded by smooth, pale boulders. At high water the run brings big wave trains and large hydraulics at the bottom; at lower water the moves get tighter and harder. The rapid sits at about 3,625 feet, in the granite canyon country of the Idaho Batholith.
Getting there
Haystack is reached by boat. The standard Middle Fork trip runs 100 miles from Boundary Creek to Cache Bar, dropping 2,700 feet, and usually takes six days. A permit from Salmon-Challis National Forest is required year-round, and launches from May 28 to September 3 are allocated by lottery on Recreation.gov. Fees are $4 per person per day, or a Salmon Rivers Season Pass, plus a $6 reservation fee. From August 8 to September 15 each permit is limited to 12 watercraft to protect spawning salmon.
When to go
The runnable range spans 700 to 10,000 cfs on the Middle Fork Lodge gauge: 700 to 1,000 cfs is low and may be too little for rafts, 1,000 to 5,000 medium and 5,000 to 10,000 high.
On site
A drowning took place at Haystack on July 25, 1995: a raft wrapped on a rock and a passenger became entangled in a loose line. Keep loose lines stowed.
History and name
The name comes from the big waves that stand up here at high water.
Nearby
Jack Creek Rapids is about 2.3 miles away, Porcupine Rapids about 10.7 miles, Redside Rapids about 12.3 miles and Cliffside Rapids about 17.2 miles. Challis is the nearest town, about 40.8 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.