Grande Ronde River: Itinerary & Trip Highlights Northeast Oregon   3 or 5 days May - July Class II+        Book a Grande Ronde River Rafting Trip Grande Ronde Rafting Trip Schedule & Prices

First morning

We meet at 9:00 AM on the day your trip begins on the riverbank adjacent to the Minam Store in Minam, Oregon. Minam is approximately 35 miles northeast of La Grande, and roughly 260 miles east of Portland. (Please have your breakfast before our meeting time, and arrive in your river clothes.) Look for our boats, and for a vehicle sporting the O.R.E. logo. We'll show you how to pack your things into our river bags, and you'll park your vehicles nearby. Then, after a short safety and orientation briefing, which will include instruction on paddle and rowing techniques as needed, we'll be on our way downstream.

A typical day

Each day is a bit different. But a typical day on the river begins with freshly brewed coffee around 7 AM, and breakfast by 8 AM. After breakfast we’ll pack our bags and load the boats. Then, after a brief orientation to the day’s adventures, we’ll head downstream.

We’re on the river between three and five hours per day. Along the way we stop for a riverside picnic lunch. We may also stop to scout rapids, or to take a short hike up scenic side streams. We usually arrive in camp by mid to late afternoon, and while the guides prepare hors d’oeuvres and dinner, you’ll have time to hike, fish, read, or nap.

Last day

3 Day: We typically arrive at Powatka Bridge, our take-out point, between 1:30 and 3 P.M.. Once we’ve unpacked, you’ll board a van or bus for the ride back to Minam. (On small trips, we will completely de-rig the boats, and our guides will accompany you back to Minam. On larger trips, you will say good-bye to the guides when you leave the take-out, as they will stay behind to finish de-rigging.) The ride takes about two hours thirty minutes, and is an exceptionally scenic drive. We arrive back in Minam between 4:30 and 6:30 PM.

5 Day: We typically arrive at Heller, our take-out point, around 3 P.M.. Our shuttle service will have shuttled your car to Heller Bar, so once we've unpacked, you’ll be on your way.

Trip Highlights

For the first ten miles of our journey we'll be floating the Wallowa River, the Grande Ronde's biggest tributary. (The Wallowa is actually the larger of the two rivers in terms of flow, but the Grande Ronde, being the longer river, gets to keep its name past the confluence.)

The Wallowa is clear, swift and steep. Most of the rapids we encounter are class II, with several class II+ to III rapids: Minam Roller, Redrock, and Vincent Falls. (Rapids are rated I through VI. Class I indicates the smallest rapids, while VI indicates steep, turbulent, dangerous rapids and waterfalls.)

Below the confluence the pace slows, but several long class II+ rapids remain, including Sheep Creek and Martin's Misery.

We camp in beautiful meadows dotted with ponderosa pines and fragrant mock orange. Our camps are good places to fish, bird watch, or hunt for wildflowers -- all rewarding pastimes on the Grande Ronde. Take a walk, and you may see columbine, sego lily, lupine, shooting stars, or monkeyflower growing along the river, and golden eagles, pileated woodpeckers, western meadowlarks, and evening grosbeaks in the sky above.

Weather and Climate  

The weather in the Grande Ronde River canyon is usually very pleasant. Warm days are likely, especially late in June. However, due to the river's relatively high elevation, cool weather is always a possibility. The river water itself is quite cool.