Fish Creek

This is an adventurous class V run, one of the hardest creeks Oregon has to offer.  Lots of scouting and portaging, with the runnable rapids outweighing the portages.  It has been called Oregon's version of the Clear Fork Cowlitz, and has a lot more class V whitewater than most runs in Oregon, with challenging rapids coming back to back until a point where powerlines cross the creek.  While Canyon Creek has been incorrectly labelled as Oregon's 'only class V run' by Portland area boaters, Fish Creek has harder rapids, and more of them.

The run further stands out as unique, by having a reliable season in the spring with one of western Oregon's few expert level snow fed kayaking runs.

The put in and take out are both at bridges.  The put in road (NF 3701, accessed off Hwy 138 via the Watson Falls turn off) would have snow on it regularly, but gets plowed to within 1 mile of the put in due to the Toketee State Airport being at that location.  After a short warm up below the put in bridge, the first of the forest service logjams is encountered, and can be portaged left.  Just visible downstream is Go-Fish, the first class V rapid that can be scouted or portaged on the left.  More rapids continue as downstream progress is made, eventually easing to III-IV.  Around 1 1/4 mi into the run, a left bend in the river leads to an ominous horizon line of rock and wood as the creek enters the 'Flocked Gorge'.  It is advised to get out on the right, walk up to a bench of land on that side, and hike for about 10 minutes until the terrain guides you back down to the creek.  The Flocked Gorge is the most conveluted part of the creek, and doing the low hassle portage saves time and stress.  If you decide to bring your boat into the gorge, be prepared for a class V-V+ experience.

Once below the Flocked Gorge, plenty of class IV and V boulder gardens await, many should be scouted.  Interspersed throughout the boulder gardens are bedrock ledges and ramps that take co

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