Where is the best white water rafting in Oregon?

We%26#39;ve got two weeks in Oregon, from Portland to the coast, down to Redwood and then up to the Merlin/Ashford area then on to Crater Lake and the Columbia River Gorge. Along the way, we want to go white water rafting: Something thrilling but not too thrilling, maybe a Class 3. We just want a day trip. I was thinking about the Rogue, but then heard that the Klamath was prettier. Any suggestions for river/trip/outfitter/location? Also, good spots for kayaking? Thanks!

Where is the best white water rafting in Oregon?

The Snake, Minam, Deschutes, N and S Umpqua and the Rogue all offer very good white water rafting. My personal favorite is the Rogue, puting in at either Merlin or Galice, west of Grants Pass, though Hells Canyon (Snake River) is VERY scenic and also the deepest river gorge in North America. While we have not personally used an outfitter, Galice Resort is a favorite of several friends of mine.

http://www.galice.com/

For kyaking, it depends on what you%26#39;re after. One of my favorite paddles is the Nehalem River estuary. It%26#39;s an easy paddle with lots of varied wildlife and beautiful scenery. Just about all the major rivers along the coast offer one or more kayaking tours.

BTW, Galice Resort also offers kayaking on the Rogue.

Where is the best white water rafting in Oregon?

How about combining both the white water and kayaking in one trip? Orange Torpedo has one day trips on both the Rogue and Klamath: http://www.orangetorpedo.com/. We did a trip with them years ago, and I%26#39;d bet they%26#39;re still a reputable outfitter.

The Klamath is great, but it%26#39;s Class IV+ or Class V. The Deschutes and Rogue are scenic and enjoyable, thrilling might be an overstatement, but a good family outing.

Right across the Columbia River on the Washington side is the White Salmon, Wind, and Klickitat rivers. The White Salmon is probably perfect for what you%26#39;re looking for - Class IV, wild and scenic. The Wind is more technical, a Class V, so you might not want that, though it%26#39;s a beautiful river. The Klickitat is less beautiful, but also less technical at Class III+.

A lot will depend on when you%26#39;re coming - many of the good rivers dry up during the summer. All of the above are great for Kayaking - also the Sandy, Clackamas, White River, etc. Just depends on how technical of a river you%26#39;re looking for.

Thanks for the replies. This helps immensely. How does the White Salmon compare to the Umpqua for rafting/scenery/crowds?

I have not yet been on the Umpqua but only the North Umpqua has been designated a Wild and Scenic River by the BLM/USFS. The White Salmon is a Wild and Scenic River. I%26#39;ve heard the North Umpqua is beautiful, though, and a solid Class II-III with one Class IV drop.

The White Salmon can be run all year - we ran it in August. It%26#39;s COLD though. There%26#39;s a great Class V Drop at Husum Falls, but that%26#39;s optional. You can walk around it if you don%26#39;t want to run it.

River Drifters, All Star Rafting, Blue Sky Outfitters, ZooRaft, Oregon Peak Adventures, River Riders and Wave Trek are a few of the companies that run it.

Wind River Cellars has a winery close by that you can relax at and do some wine tasting after your trip.

For the best ride, make sure to ask how many people will be in a raft - the fewer the better. More than six is too many, in my opinion, though many companies put 8 or 9 in a raft.

Hi Ann,

I was just joining this post and was curious about your trip - what you ended up doing and with what outfitter?

Hells Canyon Adventures, located in Eastern Oregon, offers one day white water rafting trips that start at Hells Canyon Dam and travel down the Snake River. At the end of the day you return upstream via jet boat. It%26#39;s a pretty cool trip!