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Washington
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| Wenatchee |
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State
most popular raft trip through renowned Wenatchee apple region has
big waves and roller coaster rapids. Family rafting options during
the mid-summer.
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| Methow |
|
Hugh
waves, big holes, and powerful hydraulics provide everyone with a
fantastic and memorable whitewater ride.
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| Tieton |
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A
fairly intense and exciting whitewater run made possible by water
releases from Rimrock Dam near Mount Rainier. Previous rafting
experience is recommended.
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| White
Salmon |
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Wild
and Scenic River with challenging spring and early summer
whitewaters mellow for families and beginners during the mid-summer.
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| Klickitat |
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Fairly
challenging rapids, beautiful scenery within canyons are a
significant part of the wilderness river experience. Mild water
trips are available in the summer.
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| Nooksack |
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State’s
northernmost raft trip has both intermediate whitewaters and flat
stretches for enjoying views of Mount Baker and the rural
countryside.
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| Suiattle |
|
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Excellent
one-day trip for anyone wanting a mellow introduction to whitewater
rafting near Glacier Peak Wilderness Area.
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| Sauk |
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Early-season
rafters often return to enjoy summertime water levels that are ideal
for inflatable kayak trips.
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| Skagit
(Upper) |
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Adjacent
to North Cascades National Park, a scenic beginning level whitewater
favorite of first-time rafters. Popular with families and groups
during summer months.
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| Skagit
(Eagle Float) |
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Classic
float trip for anyone wanting
to see bald eagles in their winter habitat.
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| Skykomish |
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State’s
most technically demanding whitewater trip, with plenty of
excitement for experienced rafters.
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| Elwha |
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Excellent
opportunity to experience mild whitewater and enjoy a small portion
of Olympic National Park’s beauty.
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| Hoh |
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Mild
water raft trip through the scenic Olympic rain forest can be
enjoyed by nature lovers of all ages.
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|
Oregon |
| Klamath
(Upper) |
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Lots
of exciting and challenging whitewater in remote canyons make this a
popular raft trip offering by both Oregon and California outfitters.
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| Rogue
(Wild) |
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World-renowned
Wild section includes not just first-class whitewater, but heavily
forested canyons with abundant wildlife, wild flowers, and
fascinating folklore.
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| Rogue
(Recreation) |
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Great
introductory half-day, one-day or two-day trips for families,
seniors, and inexperienced rafters.
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| Illinois |
|
Infrequently
rafted because of its short season, this Rogue River tributary in an
outstanding wilderness river experience.
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| North
Umpqua |
|
In
addition to exciting paddle raft trips, inflatable kayak trips are
very popular during the low-water summer months.
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| McKenzie |
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Ideal
for first-time river runners and families as well as experienced
rafters wanting mild whitewater thrills.
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| Deschutes
(Upper) |
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Short,
but exciting trip near Bend can easily be run twice in a single day.
Can be enjoyed by families in summer months.
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| Deschutes
(Lower) |
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States
most popular river section near Maupin, offers both single-day and
multiday trips through semi-arid canyons.
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| Grande
Ronde |
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Moderate
summer waters make this northeast Oregon-southwest Washington raft
trip a favorite multiday adventure for families and seniors.
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| Snake
(Hells Canyon) |
|
Hell’s
Canyon, the last major whitewater stretch of the lengthy Snake
River, features a popular multiday trip through North America’s
deepest canyon along the Oregon-Idaho border.
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Melting snows in the
Cascade Mountains and spring rains tumbling through steep valleys at
lower elevations are the source of almost all-recreational
whitewater activity in both Washington and Oregon.
Five rivers flowing down the eastern slopes
of the Cascades give rafters the advantages of the warmer and drier
climate of eastern Washington:
- The
Wenatchee River, the state's most popular commercial raft trip,
with its powerful waves attracts mostly adventure-seeking guests
in the spring. Families can also enjoy the Wenatchee during
lower and warmer early-summer whitewaters.
- The
Methow River’s
 large and powerful waves excite both beginning
and experienced rafters.
- The
Tieton attracts thousands of rafting enthusiasts each September,
when water releases from Rim Rock Dam result in exciting and
continuous Class II-III+ rapids.
- The
White Salmon and Klickitat, popular Class III-IV tributaries of
the Columbia, offer exciting whitewater in the spring and milder
family trips in the summer.
Western Washington has a number of
exciting whitewater rivers:
- Four
rivers in the North Cascade's—the Nooksack, Sauk, Suiattle,
and Skagit—provide an excellent choice of Class II-IV
whitewater thrills within three hours of Seattle. The Skagit,
easiest of these, offers summertime family and youth rafting
trips and a popular eagle-watching float trip each winter.
- The
Skykomish, close to Seattle, is the state’s most technically
demanding commercial whitewater trip, with plenty of excitement
for experienced rafters.
- The
Elwha River, a scenic and fun river on the northern Olympic
Peninsula, and the Hoh River, whose mild waters pass through the
Olympic rain forest, is enjoyed by nature lovers of all ages.
The following are favorite Oregon
whitewater rivers:
- The
well-known Rogue River in southern Oregon serves up multiday
rafting and half- and one-day family-oriented trips. Nearby, the
Illinois River, an infrequently run Rogue tributary,
unquestionably offers one of the most outstanding wilderness
river experiences in the Northwest.
- Many
outfitters promote the Klamath River Gorge trip as California
and Oregon's best all-season Class III-IV+ rafting trip.
- The
North Umpqua, which flows through scenic southern Oregon
forests, continues to be a popular river for rafts and
inflatable kayaks.
- The
McKenzie River, a scenic tributary of western Oregon's
Willamette River, provides exciting family raft trips within a
drive of two and one-half hours from Portland.
- The
Deschutes River in central Oregon, the state's most popular
river, offers both single-day and multiday trips through
semi-arid canyons.
- The
Grande Ronde, whose very moderate waters flow through the Blue
Mountains in northeast Oregon to the Snake River along the
Washington-Idaho border, is a perfect multiday river trip for
families with young children.
Hell’s Canyon, the last major
whitewater stretch of the lengthy Snake River, features a Class
III-IV multiday trip through North America’s deepest canyon along
the Oregon-Idaho border.
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