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THE ATLAS · WHEN TO GO

Every river has a month it is worth flying for

And eleven it is not. This is a straight answer to the only question that matters when the water is a plane ride away: is the month you can take off the month this river is any good? Twenty years of federal streamflow and water-temperature records, scored the same way for every river, with the reasoning shown.

The most useful thing a page like this can tell you is don’t bother.

LOADING THE MAP…

COLOURED BY AUGUST · ZOOM IN FOR SMALLER WATER

GOING WELL RIGHT NOW

Worth booking for August

THE WHOLE ATLAS

58 rivers, by drainage

Columbia12

Destination water

Regional rivers

Rock CreekMT
1. January: 57 out of 100
2. February: 65 out of 100
3. March: 71 out of 100
4. April: 77 out of 100
5. May: 45 out of 100
6. June: 55 out of 100
7. July: 71 out of 100
8. August: 94 out of 100
9. September: 96 out of 100
10. October: 71 out of 100
11. November: 70 out of 100
12. December: 59 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST SEP · WORST MAY · NOW: GO

Missouri10

Destination water

Colorado9

Destination water

Regional rivers

Taylor RiverCO
1. January: 71 out of 100
2. February: 71 out of 100
3. March: 71 out of 100
4. April: 71 out of 100
5. May: 69 out of 100
6. June: 32 out of 100
7. July: 68 out of 100
8. August: 71 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 78 out of 100
11. November: 71 out of 100
12. December: 71 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST OCT · WORST JUN · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Small water

Crystal RiverCO
1. January: 71 out of 100
2. February: 71 out of 100
3. March: 71 out of 100
4. April: 71 out of 100
5. May: 34 out of 100
6. June: 34 out of 100
7. July: 40 out of 100
8. August: 71 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 71 out of 100
11. November: 71 out of 100
12. December: 71 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST JAN · WORST JUN · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Sacramento4

Destination water

Delaware3

Destination water

Susquehanna3

Destination water

Great Lakes2

Destination water

Tennessee2

Destination water

Connecticut2

Destination water

Farmington RiverCT
1. January: 71 out of 100
2. February: 71 out of 100
3. March: 57 out of 100
4. April: 44 out of 100
5. May: 71 out of 100
6. June: 71 out of 100
7. July: 71 out of 100
8. August: 71 out of 100
9. September: 59 out of 100
10. October: 70 out of 100
11. November: 71 out of 100
12. December: 49 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST JAN · WORST APR · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Small water

Swift RiverMA
1. January: 71 out of 100
2. February: 71 out of 100
3. March: 71 out of 100
4. April: 71 out of 100
5. May: 58 out of 100
6. June: 70 out of 100
7. July: 71 out of 100
8. August: 71 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 71 out of 100
11. November: 71 out of 100
12. December: 71 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST JAN · WORST MAY · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Great Basin2

Destination water

Arkansas1

Destination water

Arkansas RiverCO
1. January: 60 out of 100
2. February: 68 out of 100
3. March: 76 out of 100
4. April: 90 out of 100
5. May: 55 out of 100
6. June: 44 out of 100
7. July: 40 out of 100
8. August: 71 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 83 out of 100
11. November: 72 out of 100
12. December: 62 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST APR · WORST JUL · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

St. Lawrence1

Destination water

Ausable River (New York)NY
1. January: 71 out of 100
2. February: 47 out of 100
3. March: 48 out of 100
4. April: 41 out of 100
5. May: 39 out of 100
6. June: 71 out of 100
7. July: 71 out of 100
8. August: 55 out of 100
9. September: 65 out of 100
10. October: 71 out of 100
11. November: 71 out of 100
12. December: 71 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST JAN · WORST MAY · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Santee1

Destination water

Davidson RiverNC
1. January: 46 out of 100
2. February: 71 out of 100
3. March: 71 out of 100
4. April: 71 out of 100
5. May: 71 out of 100
6. June: 71 out of 100
7. July: 71 out of 100
8. August: 60 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 71 out of 100
11. November: 71 out of 100
12. December: 71 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST FEB · WORST JAN · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Rio Grande1

Destination water

Rio Grande (New Mexico)NM
1. January: 71 out of 100
2. February: 71 out of 100
3. March: 71 out of 100
4. April: 33 out of 100
5. May: 33 out of 100
6. June: 23 out of 100
7. July: 71 out of 100
8. August: 71 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 71 out of 100
11. November: 71 out of 100
12. December: 71 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST JAN · WORST JUN · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Chesapeake1

Regional rivers

Gunpowder FallsMD
1. January: 71 out of 100
2. February: 71 out of 100
3. March: 36 out of 100
4. April: 71 out of 100
5. May: 71 out of 100
6. June: 71 out of 100
7. July: 71 out of 100
8. August: 71 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 71 out of 100
11. November: 71 out of 100
12. December: 71 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST JAN · WORST MAR · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Pacific1

Destination water

Kenai RiverAK
1. January: 61 out of 100
2. February: 61 out of 100
3. March: 60 out of 100
4. April: 61 out of 100
5. May: 72 out of 100
6. June: 76 out of 100
7. July: 76 out of 100
8. August: 95 out of 100
9. September: 86 out of 100
10. October: 74 out of 100
11. November: 64 out of 100
12. December: 63 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST AUG · WORST MAR · NOW: GO

Rogue1

Destination water

Rogue RiverOR
1. January: 48 out of 100
2. February: 64 out of 100
3. March: 60 out of 100
4. April: 93 out of 100
5. May: 94 out of 100
6. June: 71 out of 100
7. July: 37 out of 100
8. August: 37 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 95 out of 100
11. November: 75 out of 100
12. December: 69 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST OCT · WORST AUG · NOW: PICK ANOTHER MONTH

Potomac1

Small water

Savage RiverMD
1. January: 59 out of 100
2. February: 62 out of 100
3. March: 65 out of 100
4. April: 83 out of 100
5. May: 86 out of 100
6. June: 71 out of 100
7. July: 64 out of 100
8. August: 65 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 87 out of 100
11. November: 66 out of 100
12. December: 63 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST OCT · WORST JAN · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Mississippi1

Destination water

White River (Arkansas)AR
1. January: 71 out of 100
2. February: 71 out of 100
3. March: 71 out of 100
4. April: 68 out of 100
5. May: 66 out of 100
6. June: 71 out of 100
7. July: 71 out of 100
8. August: 71 out of 100
9. September: 71 out of 100
10. October: 68 out of 100
11. November: 52 out of 100
12. December: 71 out of 100
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
BEST JAN · WORST NOV · NOW: GO, WITH CAVEATS

Flow and water-temperature statistics come from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Information System; air temperature and precipitation normals from Open-Meteo. Scores are computed from those records, not from anyone’s opinion, and every river page shows the inputs behind its own numbers. A median is a description of twenty years, not a forecast of your week.