Wyoming · Jackson, WY

Snake River float season

Gauge 13018750 on the Jackson Hole valley floats, South Park to Astoria. Scenic braided channels beneath the Tetons where drift boats, rafts, and canoes share the water with moose and bald eagles.

driftboatraftcanoekayak Fullest: May–Jul Leanest: Dec–Feb
Snake River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1k 5k 10k 15k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Snake River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Jackson gauge, the Snake River runs fullest May–Jul and leanest Dec–Feb. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past June days at this gauge ran above 9,400 CFS; the February median is 1,230 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 1,240
February 1,230
March 1,380
April 2,005
May 5,820
June 9,400
July 5,260
August 3,970
September 3,360
October 1,640
November 1,425
December 1,330

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1976 — 50 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 30,200 CFS, in June 1997. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

More Wyoming float rivers

Common questions

When is the Snake River usually at its fullest?

At the Jackson gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is May–Jul, with the single highest monthly median in June (about 9,400 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.

What is a typical summer flow on the Snake River?

The July median at this gauge is about 5,260 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.

Is the Snake River safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 50 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 13018750 (SNAKE RIVER BELOW FLAT CREEK, NEAR JACKSON, WY), chosen because it best represents the Jackson Hole valley floats, South Park to Astoria. Daily records here reach back to 1976.

Data: USGS gauge 13018750, approved daily records 1976–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.