Kayaking Rogue River: Hellgate Canyon & Nugget Falls
You paddle two sections of the Rogue River in different craft, building from calm pools to a 10-foot waterfall.
Kayak and paddle-raft the Rogue River near Ashland in a single day: start in an inflatable kayak through Hellgate Canyon's pools and Class II rapids with guide instruction, break for lunch at the pub, then join a paddle raft team through the steeper Nugget Falls section, which ends at Tilomikh Falls. The morning and afternoon sections let you try both solo kayaking and group rafting without choosing one or the other. Children from age 12 are welcome.
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The experience
The morning starts in Hellgate Canyon, where you paddle your own inflatable kayak through the quiet pools at the bottom of the gorge. Your guide teaches you the strokes and shows you the line through the Class II rapids, but you do the paddling yourself. The guide is there to coach, not to paddle for you. This section builds your confidence and gets you comfortable in the boat before the afternoon ramps up the difficulty.
Mid-day the group comes off the water for lunch served at the pub, with ladder golf and time to rest between the two paddling sections. Then you load into an air-conditioned van for a short drive to the Nugget Falls put-in. This afternoon section is bigger water: you climb into a paddle raft and paddle as part of a team through heavier whitewater. The rapids build in intensity and culminate at Tilomikh Falls, where the river drops over 10 feet in a combination of two plunges.
The full day runs about 10 hours from start to finish. You'll need at least a moderate level of physical fitness for the paddling and the Class II to heavier rapids, and the activity is not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy.
What’s included
- Inflatable kayak and paddle raft for both sections.
- guide instruction in paddling technique and river lines.
- lunch at the pub.
- ladder golf games.
- air-conditioned van transport to the afternoon put-in.
Before you book
Prices and times updated 28 days ago
Operated by Orange Torpedo Trips
Is this one for you?Book this if you want to try both kayaking and rafting in one day without committing to either alone. The progression from solo kayak to team raft lets you build skills in the morning and test them in bigger water by afternoon.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years). Children under 12 can't be included in the booking.
What's the difference between the morning kayak section and the afternoon raft section?
The morning Hellgate Canyon section uses inflatable kayaks you paddle solo through calm pools and Class II rapids with guide coaching. The afternoon Nugget Falls section uses a larger paddle raft where you paddle as part of a team through bigger, more intense whitewater that builds to Tilomikh Falls.
Do I need kayaking experience to paddle the Rogue River?
No prior experience is required. Your guide teaches you the paddling skills and shows you the line through the rapids before you paddle through them yourself. The morning section is designed to build your confidence before the afternoon's bigger water.
What happens between the morning and afternoon paddling?
The group comes off the water for lunch served at the pub between the two sections. You'll have time to eat, rest and play ladder golf before loading into the van for the short drive to the Nugget Falls put-in.
What makes Tilomikh Falls special?
Tilomikh Falls is the culmination of the afternoon section: a combination of two drops that plunge over 10 feet total. It's the biggest whitewater moment of the day and marks the end of the paddle raft section.
Kayaking Rogue River: Hellgate Canyon & Nugget Falls
10h · EN
from US$ 149 per person
5.0022 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider