Grande Ronde

This is a classic multi-day trip in northeastern Oregon popular in late spring and it
makes a great trip to share time with friends and family on the river. There are other sections on the
Grande Ronde but this one is especially popular because it flows through a remote and forested
wilderness canyon designated as a Wild and Scenic River. Just upstream the river flows through
agricultural lands and small communities and downstream of the take-out in Troy the river enters a
more arid landscape making shade harder to find. The scenery on this run is characterized by basalt
terraces and open forests that provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Sightings of elk, deer, and even the
occasional bear are common. Campsites are available in forested groves along the river. On a weekday you
may have the river to yourself but you can expect competition for campsites on the weekends. This 45
mile run takes about 9 hours of float time at medium flows and although you can easily run the river in
two days, it is common to take 3 days and enjoy the great riverside camping and hiking
opportunities.

The run starts out on the Wallowa River shortly after its confluence with the Minam River at the Highway 82
bridge. A railroad serving a local excursion train runs along river right for the first 10 miles of this run
until you reach the Grande Ronde confluence. This first segment down the Wallowa contains good
continuous class II along with 3 of the 5 named rapids on the run. The first rapid is the Minam Roller
which can be a fun surf spot. The next significant drop is the House Rock Rapids where a large
boulder sits midstream with an easy route down the left hand side . A short distance downstream
you will come upon Blind Falls Rapid. There is a good route down the center that avoids the blind ledge

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