Rogue River Itinerary

Most of our Rogue River rafting trips last 4 days, but we can customize trips to be 3 to 5 days for private groups. We follow a general itinerary, but know that every group has different wants and needs. Our guides take pride in knowing how to tailor each trip with different activities, side hikes, lunch spots, and campsites.

“[The] Rogue has the greatest collection of wildlife I’ve seen in a river trip…osprey, eagles, salmon, otters, bears, turtles, ducks, crayfish, salamanders, deer, and even snakes.” – M. Busch, Davis, CA

Day 1

Our trip begins at Galice Resort at 9:00 AM the morning of your trip. Here, you’ll meet the head guide and start packing your things in our waterproof dry bags. When everyone’s packed and ready, we’ll get in a van and head a few miles downstream to the put-in.

The first few miles give us a chance to teach the intrepid souls in the inflatable kayaks how to maneuver their craft. After stopping for lunch we enter the “wild” section and leave civilization behind. The first rapids, Grave Creek Rapids, thrill the rafters and challenge the kayakers.

Our next major rapid is Rainey Falls, which most guests choose to hike around. After Rainey Falls it’s smooth floating to camp. We arrive early enough to put up tents, perhaps take a short hike, a brief swim, relax on the beach, or delve into a book before dark. We serve hors d’oeuvres followed by a hearty dinner.

Riverside Camping (L,D)

Days 2 & 3

These are full days on the river. Coffee is ready by 7:00 AM and breakfast is served around 8:00 AM. After fueling up for the morning, we pack up camp, load the boats, and hit the river. We often go hiking along one of the side creeks.

On Day 3 we stop for lunch above Mule Creek Canyon and prepare for the best whitewater of the trip. At Mule Creek Canyon the river plunges through a narrow canyon with sheer rock walls. When the whitewater lets up we have a chance to enjoy the spectacular beauty. After a break comes Blossom Bar, an extremely tricky maze of rocks, and then relaxed floating through more beautiful scenery until we arrive at camp.

Riverside Camping (B,L,D)

Day 4

We begin Day 4 like the others with morning coffee and a hearty breakfast. We spend half a day on the river and reach the take-out point at Foster Bar around noon. The three hour van ride back brings you to your car in Galice.

Riverside Camping (B,L)

Camp Life

Guests often ask us what to expect after we get to camp each afternoon. This video gives a glimpse into the camping, hiking and off-river fun that our trips offer.

Human History

The Rogue River canyon is rich in history. The Indians earned themselves the nickname ‘Rogue Indians’ as they fought hard against the onslaught of miners and settlers who came in search of gold in the 1850’s. The river, first called ‘The River for Rogues,’ eventually became the Rogue River.

Among the colorful, cantankerous lot of settlers was Dutch Henry, who lived near Horseshoe Bend in the 1870’s and was suspected of murdering four men over a ten year period. Jimmy Coe, who lived near Black Bar in the 1920’s, was actually James Johnson, an escaped prisoner from Florida. We often visit the cabin of Zane Grey, the author of potboiler westerns, who spent summers on the river. His Rogue River Feud takes place on the river, and his Tales of Freshwater Fishing did much to give the Rogue its national reputation for fall Steelhead fishing.

Where is the Rogue?

The Rogue begins in the Cascades of Central Oregon and works its way west to the southern Oregon coast. Our Rogue River rafting trip is on the mildest and most spectacular segment of the river, 38 miles, as it cuts through coastal mountains on its way to the Pacific. The Rogue was among the eight original river segments designated Wild and Scenic by the U.S. Congress, giving it the nation’s highest tribute to a river and protection from any further encroachment by man.

Whitewater

The Rogue is a Class III river: moderate rapids with plenty of action but not too wild for inflatable kayaks. The morning of the first day is a great warm up, with smaller ripples. Later we face Upper and Lower Grave Creek Falls, where everyone gets wet. At Rainey Falls, the guides run the rafts through the Middle chute while the kayaks are either portaged or run down the fish ladder.

Day two includes Tyee, Wildcat, Upper and Lower Black Bar Falls, Horseshoe Bend, and Telephone Hole. On Day three we encounter the best whitewater, culminating with Mule Creek Canyon and Blossom Bar – a well known Class IV boulder strewn challenge. Because the entrance to the rapid is impossible to see from the water and an early miscue has major consequences, we will scout this one from the rocks above, then portage the kayaks around the first section. After Blossom Bar comes Devil’s Staircase, which is not as tricky but definitely demands our attention.