Whitewater Rafting Trips and Oregon River Information
Guided Whitewater Rafting Trips
River Description / Natural History
The McKenzie river drains one of the largest and tallest watersheds in Oregon. The Three Sisters Wilderness Area, famous for towering mountains, glaciers, and unique volcanic phenomena, serves as part of the McKenzie watershed. Waterfalls, lava fields, and idyllic scenery are features of the McKenzie river watershed.
Rainwater and snowmelt from the Sisters and other area mountains percolate down through the porous volcanic bedrock as the runoff disappears quickly into the earth's crust. However, about 20 miles above the most popular whitewater rafting stretch the water is forced up by a giant lava tube and emerges as the Great Springs near Clear Lake. From here the McKenzie travels overland for 91 miles before reaching the Willamette river. During the middle 30 miles of this reach the river serves up fun and playful class II and III rapids in a rich alpine and deciduous forest.
Like its southern cousin the Umpqua river, the McKenzie features crystal clear water. It also hosts steelhead salmon and trout galore. Fly fishing is a common activity on the McKenzie as is white water rafting. The river from Olallie Campground to the town of Blue River is known for its constant gradient class II-III rapids. At the end of this stretch Redsides Rapid beckons kayakers and rafters to tackle its powerful double wave and hole drop. Below Blue River the McKenzie slows, and becomes a pool and drop river with several class II-III rapids. In this stretch the most challenging rapid on the McKenzie, Marten's, is encountered. Located just above a common take-out point, Marten's serves as a great finale to many rafting trips on the river.