Ninety-six miles of fun!  From one to six days...Class III River!

We KNOW you'll have a GREAT Time.

The Deschutes River

Current Flow:  Moody Rapid / Near the mouth
Current Flow:  Near Madras

TRIP OPTIONS

	DAYS	LENGTH	DESCRIPTION	WEEKDAYS	WEEKEND
Upper  Deschutes	2-3	52 Miles	Put in at Warm Springs and finish with     the Maupin run	$125 per  person/day	$135 per  person/day
Deschutes	1	12 Miles	Maupin Run - The Most Popular Trip!	$65 per person	$75 per person
Deschutes	1	17 Miles	Maupin Run plus a wrap around Shears Falls for 5 more scenic miles	$75 per person	$85 per person
Lower Deschutes	2-3	44 Miles	Put in below Shears Falls and finish at the Columbia River	$125 per  person/day	$135 per  person/day
Deschutes	5-6	96 Miles	The WHOLE nine yards!	$105 per  person/day	$115 per  person/day

 

• Day trip prices include: 3% BLM fee, Deschutes Boater Pass($8 per person on peak weekends), invasive species tag, lunch, river shuttle, and city park docking fee.
• Overnight prices include the above:  Tents and sleeping bags can be rented for $10 each per trip(FAQ Deschutes).
• Complimentary NHR water bottle on overnight trips(water included;).
• If needed or requested:  wetsuits, splash jackets, wet socks.
• Group discounts for 12 people or more. Call for price quote click here.
• 1/2 day trips possible on Maupin Run.

 

UPPER DESCHUTES (pictures)
On the  2-3 day raft trip through the 52 mile upper section of the Deschutes River you will be putting in on the Warm Springs Reservation.  The first day is a relaxing float through the deep canyons that tower over you and magnificent red rocks that gleam in the sunlight while the desert sun is basking you in warmth. The first major rapid is Trout Creek Rapid.  After this we typically have launch at the day use area of Trout Creek Campground. The left bank of the river is tribal land and the right bank is privately owned or managed by the Bureau of Land Management.   

Along the way you will be able to see an array of wildlife.  River otters that swim near the boat, deer on the bank, great blue herons, hawks, osprey, and many other assorted water foul.  There are also thousands of interesting plants, many of which only thrive in this dry high desert climate.  For those who call themselves fishermen, there are trout, steelhead and salmon, along with some bass and white fish.  

After having a gourmet dinner in the evening, you can enjoy the view that only a few have had the pleasure of seeing.  From canyon wall to canyon wall, up river and down, all that you can see when you look up is a blanket of stars.  With the lack of light(except the moon at times acting as a lantern) or air pollution, the stars look like diamonds ready to be plucked from the sky.  The light of the moon will guide you to your tent, where you'll be sung to sleep by the crickets after a hard day of fun.  

In the morning after eating a hearty breakfast and packing up the gear, the fun starts again!  The canyon narrows as we go through the Mutton Mountain Range and the river quickens it's pace. The rapids get bigger and more frequent with names such as White Horse, Buck Skin Mary and Four Chutes.  Depending on your trip length this brings you to the section of the river that is the most popular in Oregon "The Maupin Run".  This 12 miles of river has some of the biggest thrills of the whole trip(see below).  Let us know how N.H.R. can customize your trip to give you the best possible day on the river.

MAUPIN RUN (pictures)
More people come to this section of the Deschutes River than any other river in Oregon.  It is also in the top 5 of any river in the U.S.  One of the reasons is the warming of the desert sun along with great summer flows.  Another reason is that this 12 mile stretch has the highest density of rapids on the Deschutes. You will enjoy such rapids as Upper Wapinitia, Rodeo, Cyclops and Box Car before having a catered lunch break at the City Park in Maupin.  

After lunch you can show the pirate in you by enjoying water fights with rafts that dare to float near you.  Just as your lunch gets settled, it's back to whitewater with the rapid of the day - Oak Springs.  After the thrill of the ride we can stop at White River for a natural water chute which is about .3 miles up stream.  If you're not water-logged yet, we can let you out to float through Swimmers Rapid.  Lower Elevator finishes up the trip with a big rolling wave train that goes from bigger to smaller.  

At 3 rapids during your trip there will be pictures taken of your boat that will make your trip ever-lasting(NHR has a special discount for being a client at one of the picture shops so be sure to ask).  The trip ends at Sandy Beach where there will be a shuttle van waiting to take you back to your vehicle. Let us know how N.H.R. can customize your trip to give you the best possible day on the river.

LOWER DESCHUTES    
One to 3 day trips on the lower Deschutes River start about ½ mile after Sherar’s Falls.  The Falls can be seen from the road on the way to the put-in for your trip.  This 44 mile trip with its varied terrain goes from rolling hills to vertical canyon walls.  These canyon walls protrude hundreds of feet into the air with unique formations.  As you drift along, you can see images of faces in the rocks(according to Marlin, one of NHR's guides).  Along the whole trip you will have the opportunity to see whitetail deer, antelope, river otters, and a large assortment of birds. Osprey can also be seen diving into the water for fish or nesting in the trees and cliffs near the banks of the river.  In the early 90’s the Bureau of Land Management in joint effort with the US Forest Service started the reintroduction project of the Big Horned Sheep.  These sheep come down from the plains to drink and feed on the lush vegetation along the river.  This section provides the best look at the old railway bed on river right, left behind from one of the last fierce battles in the U.S. between companies for the rights to have a railroad in Central Oregon (click here for more info).

The first day starts out fast with Trestle Hole, Wreck Rapid and Thread the Needle.  This is a great way to start your trip when your excitement and anticipation is high. The rest of the morning and early afternoon will be mellow which allows you to relax and take in your soundings.  After lunch, you will have the opportunity to stretch your personal boundaries with the green wall cliff jump.  This jump rock has 3 levels of height from 10 to 40 feet high.  At the end of the day, after setting up your hotel room (tent), you will enjoy a gourmet meal.  Next, you can watch the sun set against the red rock walls of the canyon. This is a sight that few get the pleasure to see. At night, with little to no light, or air pollution the blanket of stars and the Milky Way dot the sky like you have never seen before.  This is something you will not want to miss before you retire for the evening.  

After eating a hearty breakfast get ready for the days adventure, the best rapids lay ahead.  Washout Rapids is a class III rapid, and is a good ride in a raft(but even better in a P.F.D).  After some play time at Washout, we’ll move on to Gordon Ridge Rapid and then Colorado Rapid(Grasshopper). Colorado is one of the most exciting rapids on the Deschutes River with its large wave train.  One mile after Colorado there are the Rattle Snake Rapids. Ending the trip is Moody Rapid and is the last notable rapid before seeing the I-84 bridge and the Columbia River.  This section is known for it’s vast rugged beauty, hot dry dessert air, fun rapids, and long calm stretches.  This trip will leave you with fond memories of the time you had, and a longing to return next year.  Let us know how N.H.R. can customize your trip to give you the best possible day on the river.

• Dry bag size for overnight trips click here
• What To Bring Rafting click here