Smoky Hill River
Logan / Ellsworth Co. · 540 mi · Class I
4.54CFS/ 4.71 ft
Below Optimal
→Stable
Optimal: 100–1000 CFS · USGS #06863500
⚡Flow data is live from USGS·Rapid classifications and CFS ranges need community verification··Know this river?
540 mi
Length
Class I
Difficulty
100–1000 cfs
Optimal
380 cfs
Avg Flow
342 cfs
Hist. Median
#06863500
USGS Gauge
Castle Rock Badlands · Monument Rocks National Natural Landmark

A 540-mile journey from the high plains of western Kansas to Junction City, where it joins the Republican to form the Kansas River. The Smoky Hill passes near Castle Rock and Monument Rocks — dramatic chalk formations rising from the prairie. One of the great undiscovered expedition rivers of the Plains.

Trip sections
Upper Smoky Hill — Logan Co., 80 mi, chalk bluffs and badlands
Hays to Ellsworth — 100 mi, wider prairie river
Lower Smoky Hill — Ellsworth to Junction City, 120 mi, deeper channel
Outfitters
Castle Rock Outfitters
Western Kansas river access and shuttle service
72-Hour Flow Forecast
NOAA NWPS
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10-Year Flow Patterns
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Data Quality

River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and trip sections may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level. If you spot an error, use the Improve This River button at the top of the page — your local knowledge is what makes this atlas accurate.