Alternative to Blythe?
 

Been going out to Blythe for about 5 years now usually launching out of McIntyre or at a wash downstream towards Palo Verde. Love it out there, but really have to be careful of water depth, especially late in these season when the weather is perfect (I think it will take a lifetime to truly understand the movement and fluctuations of the river). Current waterflow is looking even lower than normal for this time of year. http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/rivops.html
Maybe others with more experience can offer some input on what's too low....I've always stopped going out when the flow gets below 8000cfs (but never really sure if the actual flow matches the forecast flow)


Wondering if there are any relatively close alternatives with deeper water. I live in LA and keep my boat in Blythe, so I'd be stopping there to pick it up. Never been up to Parker...deeper water up there? I usually head out during the week so I'm doubting that crowds will be an issue, but I certainly prefer to be alone, haha.

Parker is pretty good, especially in the fall. Fall is my favorite time of year out there. You won't have any depth issues at all if you stay south of Fox's bar. During the weekdays, you will have the water mostly, if not all to yourself. We mostly board on the southern-most end of the strip from the bouy line at Bluewater north to the water tanks & back. Make sure to stop in at Badenoch's for breakfast after your early morning run.

thanks for the tip...anywhere to tent camp up there?

Theres a few places to camp. I'm more familiar with the AZ side. You can got to Big Bend State Park or River Island Park, I like River Island as its usually very quiet. There are a few places that you have to know about in terms of shallow water. As Andy said, South of Fox's is plenty deep, above that and you kinda need to know the places to avoid. We usually ride between the dam and Fox's, just because our place is at the Rock Island.

Cool...looking forward to checking it out. How late in the season do you guys ride up there in Parker? Does the water level stay high enough year round?

There are a few times a year when it gets really low, thats mostly so people can do work on their docks/sea walls below the waterline. Other than that, we will ride year round. But in the winter since we are right near Takeoff Point, we just ride the lake. Less things to hit and plenty more space to find your private stretch of glass.