Length: 15.3 miles (including 11 miles on the North Fork)
Flows: 300 to 800 cfs at put in
Gradient: 105 ft/mi on the creek (100 80 125 105), 58 ft/mi overall
Put-in: End of Road 18N09
Take-out: Mary Adams River Access
Shuttle: Long
Diamond Creek is a nice trip to do when you un-gnar friends are paddling down the Wilderness Run on the North Fork Smith and you want to run some challenging rapids in a remote canyon before you meet up with them on the North Fork. It’s also a great way to avoid the gearfest at put in for the North Fork of the Smith put-in with a big group. The only downside is that you’ll be doing alot more driving than they will.
Logistics
This is another run where you have several options for put in and you should buy a good map. One option is to take Highway 199 from Gasquet to the Patrick Creek Road (County Road 316) and hang a left. Take this for 11 miles and take a left on road 4402. After 6.5 miles you will hopefully see a road turn off to the left which is 18N09. Pretty soon you will see the North Fork of Diamond Creek on your right and fairly large sized rocks in the middle of the road. Follow the road until it ends at the creek. The last few miles (down from the intersection of 18N09) is not maintained and depending on wind and snow and Brad (bradcamden@earthlink.net) or anybody else being there yet this year. You may also need a chainsaw!
Another option for driving which is very beautiful and much longer is to put in is to follow the normal course to the North Fork put in and continue past Brown’s Flat on Wimer Road. You’ll pass road 206 on the left after 3.5 miles and cross a bridge across the North Fork of Diamond Creek in another five or so miles. About two or three miles after the North Fork of Diamond Creek Bridge you’ll see road 18N09 on the right. This is the same 18N09 described above in which you will be very happy if your car/truck/van has high clearance and 4wd. Put in is at the end of this road down by the creek.
The River
You’ll have the chance to run Diamond Falls which is fun triple drop at the beginning of the run or you can put in below it. The first couple of miles are actually pretty wide open and over many gravel bar rapids. The last couple of miles are in a semi-gorge with some bedrock rapids. You’ll reach the North Fork of the Smith and wait for your rafting friends before you paddle into Redwall Gorge and the rest of the Wilderness Run of the North Fork