Best Whitewater Rafting Near Portland, Oregon

While there is no whitewater rafting within Portland city limits, the Pacific Northwest offers a wide variety of river rapids, many of which offer incredible whitewater rafting very near Portland, Oregon. It only takes a quick road trip from Portland to get to Wet Planet’s headquarters, where almost of our trips begin. We have several whitewater rafting excursions near Portland, OR, to choose from, with various skill levels and scenery. See below for a list of our whitewater rafting trips near Portland.

Wet Planet is located about 1 hour and 15 minutes east of downtown Portland, OR, just north of the Oregon state border. With the exception of the Tieton River trip, all of our local river trips begin and end at the Wet Planet Whitewater headquarters. There, you’ll find everything you need to complement an already incredible whitewater rafting experience: private parking, changing rooms, a retail shop, photos of your trip, and the Wet Planet Espresso Bar.

View directions to the Wet Planet Whitewater headquarters here.

a group of people rafting under a large tree that has fallen across the white salmon river

The White Salmon River

The White Salmon River flows from the glaciers on  Washington’s Mount Adams all the way to the Columbia River Gorge. Perfect for beginner and advanced rafters, the White Salmon River’s exciting Class III-IV rapids tumble through the basalt canyons all season long, making it raftable at any time during the season. Protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the White Salmon River epitomizes the lush and wild character of the Pacific Northwest in one exciting rafting adventure. Just 1.25 hours from Portland, Oregon, this incredible river adventure is a favorite for both Oregon locals and visitors to the area.

a group of rafters rafting the klickitat river at the base of a large rock

The Klickitat River

The Klickitat River is on the eastern flank of the volcanic Mt. Adams and provides one of the longest, most remote wilderness rafting trips in the Portland area. The river provides plenty of beautiful Pacific Northwest scenery, including thick pine forests, steep canyons, basalt cliffs, twisted lava formations, and scrub oak forests. We offer a full-day rafting trip with lunch on the river’s banks halfway down the Klickitat River.  This trip meets at the Wet Planet Whitewater headquarters, 1.25 hours from Portland.

four rafters paddling their way through choppy river waters on the hood river

The Hood River

The West Fork and Main Sections of the Hood River in Oregon combine for 15 miles of Class III-IV rapids through spectacular Pacific Northwest wilderness, creating one of our guides’ favorite rafting runs in the Columbia River Gorge. The river’s headwaters in Oregon’s Mt. Hood National Forest are protected under America’s Wild and Scenic Rivers list, ensuring its scenic and remote qualities for generations to come. Take note that trips down the West Fork depend heavily on water levels and rainfall, making Spring rainy season your best bet for a rafting trip down the West Fork. This trip meets at Wet Planet Whitewater headquarters, 1.25 hours from Portland.

a group of rafters with their paddles up as they go over rapids on the tieton river

The Tieton River

The Tieton River charges through the scenic Yakima Valley from the Rim Rock Dam. Scheduled dam releases each September ensure that the Tieton River will never fail to provide the continuous, action-packed whitewater trip that our guests have come to love. Since the water released from the dam is warm, you can enjoy this Class III+ roller-coaster even when outside temperatures have started to drop. Our meeting point for Tieton River trips is at our private base camp near Yakima, WA – about 3.5 hours from Portland.

Plan Your Portland Rafting Adventure – Reserve Online or Call Us Today!

We offer these trips and more whitewater rafting near Portland, Oregon. You can easily reserve online for any of the river trips near Portland, Oregon. Find your trip and reserve online now.

You can also give us a call to book over the phone or talk to a live person. You can find the answer to many questions on our FAQs page, but we’re always happy to hear from you if you have other questions.