Hood River

One of Oregon’s Most Spectacular Rafting Trips: The Hood River

One of our guides’ favorite rafting runs in the Columbia River Gorge: the Hood River’s West Fork and Main sections! These two sections combine for 15 miles of Class IV-V (water level dependent) rapids through spectacular Pacific Northwest wilderness. The lush, temperate forests characteristic of the Cascade Range glow with every shade of green, from the Spanish moss dripping from giant Ponderosas to ferns growing from wet canyon walls. The river’s headwaters in Mt. Hood National Forest are protected under America’s Wild and Scenic Rivers list, ensuring its scenic and remote qualities for future generations.

Whitewater Rafting Trip in Oregon’s Mt Hood Wilderness

While many visitors hit the trails and historic lodges within the Mt. Hood Wilderness, few venture down the rivers. Mt Hood’s summit is the most visited snow-capped mountain in America. On a raft trip, however, the crowds disappear, leaving you and your river guide to experience the great outdoors in the most pristine way.

A Full Day of Pacific Northwest River Adventure

The trip will meet at our headquarters on the White Salmon River to gear up (we provide wet suits, splash jackets, neoprene booties, PFDs, and helmets). From our headquarters, we shuttle you to the put-in for the West Fork of the Hood River. We first descend the 6.5 miles of the West Fork Hood all the way to Punchbowl Falls, a cauldron formed from Mt Hood’s ancient volcanic eruptions.

After enjoying lunch around the waterfall and portaging rafts below, our river will join the Main Fork and East Fork Hood to spend the afternoon on the Main Hood River. The next 7.5 miles of big water fun will be an exciting change from the morning’s steep boulder garden rapids. String these two sections together, and you get one continuous whitewater roller coaster.

The Perfect River Level on the West Fork of the Hood River

A trip down the West Fork of the Hood River depends on Mother Nature. This trip opens up during the spring rainy season, pending water levels. Join our “Water Level Alert” list to receive notifications when the river can be run throughout the spring. We also find that when levels on our Wind River Rafting trips are too high, the West Fork Hood River is perfect.