One of my favorite parts of a river trip is the side hikes we take during the day or from camp. These hikes can be up tributary creeks, along the river, or to a stunning viewpoint. This is a list of my favorite hikes on each trip.
Aparejo Point | Middle Fork of the Salmon River
This hike starts at Trail Camp (mile 64) and goes up the Old Aparejo Trail to a viewpoint at Aparejo Point. To find the trail from Trail Camp, head upstream on the Middle Fork Trail for a few minutes and look for a steep trail on the left. This trail climbs a few hundred vertical feet to an initial lookout point with a great view. If you want more climbing and more views, continue up the trail to Aparejo Point.
Runner-up: Johnson Point Hike
Kelsey Creek Adventure Hike | Rogue River
This is a fun trail hike, creek hike, and swim (bring your PFD) that I enjoy while camping at Kelsey Left Camp. It starts by taking a raft across the river to the right bank and scrambling up the hillside to the Rogue River Trail. From there, head upstream to the bridge over Kelsey Creek, cross the bridge, and take the small trail down to the creek.
The adventure hike begins as you scramble down the creek bed and small waterfalls to the confluence with the Rogue River. Once you reach the Rogue River, jump in and float five minutes back to camp.
Runner-up: Devil’s Backbone
Pine Flat to Illinois River Trail | Illinois River
Although there is an official Illinois River Trail, there are only a couple of spots to access it from the Illinois River. One of them is from Pine Flat, a common camp for the first night. We usually camp on the left side of the river, so we start by rafting across the river to the right side. From the right bank, you’ll want to scramble upstream toward Pine Creek, where you’ll find a large backpacker camp and a trail that goes uphill to the Illinois River Trail.
This trail is a solid climb full of switchbacks and wildflowers. At the top, turn left for sweeping views of the canyon or right for more wildflowers and a bridge across Clear Creek.
Runner-up: Trail to Connor’s Place
Lambert Dome | Owyhee River
The Owyhee River has a lot of great hikes, and my favorite is to the top of Lambert Dome. This trail can be accessed from Ryegrass, Pruitt’s Castle, Lambert Dome, and Chalk Basin Campgrounds.
The steep climb takes you through some cool geological formations before reaching the top of the dome for a sweeping view.
Runner-up: Hiking to the canyon rim from Hike Out Camp
Magic Canyon Side Creek | Chetco River
A trip down the Chetco River begins with a brutal 10-mile hike into the river so most people aren’t interested in more hiking after reaching the river. There is, however, a fun and beautiful scramble up a side creek in the Magic Canyon section of the Chetco River on day one.
To find this side canyon, first look to the right for an inviting small creek that tumbles into the Chetco River. This is more of a creek scramble than a hike, so wear shoes that grip well on rock and can get wet.
Runner-up: None. The hike in from Babyfoot Lake was enough.
Tiger’s Nest (Taktsang) | Bhutan
The hike up to Tiger’s Nest is a must-do for all visitors to Bhutan. This 2.6-mile (each way) hike climbs around 2,000 feet to the birthplace of Buddhism in Bhutan. Once you reach the monastery, you can tour some of the temple rooms and take part in a few Buddhist traditions.
The climb can be brutal, but the hardest part for many people is the walk back down. Trekking poles are highly recommended if you have bad knees or balance issues.
Runner-up: Temple of the Divine Madman
