Marble Creek Rapid is a Class III rapid on the Middle Fork Salmon River in Custer County, Idaho, about 31 to 32 miles down the Middle Fork's wilderness float from Boundary Creek. California Creeks calls it the only major rapid between Pistol Creek and Tappan Falls.
The falls
The rapid forms over a rock ledge; the drop is rated Class III to III+. At moderate flows, there is a chute on the left, a big hole in the center and a sneak route on the right that is hard to reach. Marble Creek comes in from river left close by; a trail follows the creek, and a pack bridge is visible from the water. The rapid sits at about 4,432 feet, in the granite canyon country of the Idaho Batholith.
Getting there
Marble Creek Rapid is reached by boat on the 100-mile trip from Boundary Creek to Cache Bar. 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
Flow is measured at the Middle Fork Lodge gauge. The run is made between 700 and 10,000 cfs, though 700 to 1,000 cfs may be too low for rafts, and up to 12,000 cfs.
On site
Scouting is done from above on the left. A sizable hole forms when the river reads between 3 and 4.5 feet on the gauge scale, and steering clear of it helps avoid a flip. There are many campsites in the area, with Sunflower Hot Springs, a popular stop, just downstream at about mile 33.
Nearby
Ski Jump Rapid is about 0.5 miles away, Pistol Creek Rapids about 6.5 miles, Powerhouse Rapids about 12.6 miles and Haystack Rapids about 21.1 miles. Challis is the nearest town, about 42.2 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.