Whitewater Rafting Trips and River Information
Rogue River Rafting Guided Trips
River Description / Natural History
Rogue voyages are the oldest and most famous river trips in the Northwest. As early as the 1920s, Hollywood stars and presidents paid local guides to carry them through the canyon for fishing, sight seeing and whitewater thrills. The Rogue quickly developed a legendary reputation as one of the West's greatest adventures. In this era, Glen Wooldridge became one of the original river guides. Much of the river's illustrious boating history is recounted in his book, A River to Run.
Before the 1900s, the Rogue was home to the Takelma and Tutuni tribes. These nomadic people moved from the coast to the mountains subsisting on the river's abundant population of salmon and steelhead. Early exploration by French trappers brought conflict, and the French began calling the tribes "coquins," or rogues. The river then became known as "La Riviere aux Coquins," which was later shortened to the Rogue River.
White settlement in the Rogue valley boomed after the discovery of gold in the canyon. The lower Rogue, where our trip takes place, remained wild and untamed. The lure of precious metal, though, did bring new comers. Most were hermit miners who worked along the many side creeks. Some were packers or pioneer families who made a living offering services for the miners. The gold rush put pressure on local resources and by the late 1800s the Takelma and Tutuni were gone.
Much of the Rogue's mysterious charm resides in it's lush surroundings. The dense forest is one of the oldest, most diverse forests in the country, where ancient forces still hold sway. Huge pine and fir trees mix with dramatic madrones, maple, mock orange and a myriad of wildflowers. The lower canyon has dozens of side creeks with fern-lined grottos and some of the most spectacular swimming holes anywhere. The entire canyon is virtually covered in green
The Rogue wilderness is also home to abundant wildlife. Deer are very common, as well as black bear and Osprey. Bald Eagles have recently reestablished a permanent home in the canyon. The Rogue has long been famous for strong salmon runs, and a patient observer can still sight one leaping the main drop at Rainie Falls or cooling off at the mouth of a side creek. A very sharp eye might spot an elusive ring-tailed cat or lone coyote.
Geologists surmise the Rogue was already cutting it's westerly course when the coast range was uplifted. As the mountains formed, the river continued west, dropping into new cracks in the earth. In these places, such as Mule Creek Canyon, the river narrows to a little as ten feet across. Rafting this slot is a thrill!
The narrow confines of the lower Rogue canyons create some of the best whitewater in the west. Never fierce, the Rogue is always fun. Most rapids here are boulder-choked mazes of whitewater, with large, calm pools beneath. On several stretches of our run, the rapids come one right after the other. Tyee, Wildcat and Slim Pickins rapids lead to Black Bar Falls. The adrenaline-building mile before Mule Creek Canyon leads to the famous Blossom Bar. This is paddle-boating and inflatable kayaking paradise, as the Rogue offers great rapids for all skill levels.
Written by Bill Cross, from Western Whitewater