| Difficulty | III+(IV) |
| Length | 9.1 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Drift Creek (siletz) |
| Flow Rate as of 47 minutes | 21 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 24, 2026 |
This is one of the outstanding runs on the Oregon Coast range that flows through a beautiful forested canyon. At recommended flows the heart of the run is class III with one class IV drop, but be on the look out for wood hazards. It is generally at optimal flows during the winter boating season after a good rain event.
The preferred run begins at the Drift Creek Camp, a retreat center in the Siuslaw National Forest. The first mile and a half is easy class II warm up. As you enter the first gorge section, the gradient picks up and the class III fun begins. If flows are over 1,000 cfs expect this gorge to have class IV push.
After a couple of initial rapids, you come to a horizon line and a class IV rapid. You can pull out for a scout on river right. You have options to go down the right or left channel at the entrance. You finish the second half of the rapid by continuing on down the left hand side.
The run continues with a couple more fun class III rapids before the gorge opens up a bit and the gradient tapers off. Soon the action picks up again and you will encounter more class III rapids interspersed with easier sections of class II.
The whitewater finale comes as you approach a boulder garden rapid. An entrance drop requires you to navigate among a few boulders before you reach a good eddy on river left where the river descends over a bit of a horizon line. It's a good idea to scout the landing zone on this one which is easy to do from river left. The preferred line is a chute to river left between two large boulders, but you need right angle to avoid a rock that is in the runout from the chute.
This rapid continues with one more fun boulder garden stretch that is easy to boat scout before the gradient flattens out. Soon riverside homes come into view and it is a couple of miles of flatwater paddling to the take-out.
Logistics: Just south for Lincoln CIty turn off onto Drift Creek Ro
...Just south for Lincoln CIty turn off onto Drift Creek Road at Highway 101 mile 119. Stay right at mile 1.5 on South Drift Creek Road and arrive at the old covered bridge crossing at mile 2.0. The covered bridge is now gone but Drift Creek County Park provides convenient river access on the upstream river left side of the new bridge.
Dec 13, 2023
Priscilla and I took my sister down who has been learning to hard shell kayak. This was the hardest run she had done and she portaged a number of times. The only obnoxious portage ended up being the final boulder garden, the route around ended up being through tall brush, devils club and criss-crossed debris but she got through it. No swims or rolls and lots learned. There was one piece of bad wood just below the first class IV that we all portaged.
Mar 16, 2015
We found the run to be more entertaining than we had expected, with quality whitewater. We also ran an upper stretch from Drift Creek Falls down to the normal put in. I had mentioned being low low on fishing tackle, so Lucas grabbed a bunch of lures out of the trees on the lower part of the run for me.