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Rogue River, OR
Rogue River 3-Day Lodge Trip
3 days / 2 nights
America's great family vacation
Lodge Trips
Class I
Class II
Class III
Class IV
OVERVIEW
America's great family vacation
America's great family vacation, three days of Rogue whitewater with a hot shower and a real bed every night.
3 days / 2 nights
Duration
5
+
Min Age
Lodge Trips
Trip Style
DATES
Upcoming Dates
Mon
23
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Wed
25
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Fri
27
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Highlights
Best Parts of The Trip
- Class II to IV whitewater Run Class II to IV rapids by day and walk around the one Class V, Rainy Falls.
- Hot shower and a bed A hot shower and a real bed every night at Black Bar and Paradise lodges.
- Movie night and tattoos Movie night on the big Paradise deck, plus custom temporary OTT tattoos.
- Bears, osprey and eagles Watch for bears, osprey and eagles along the banks of the canyon.
- Lodge cooking Hearty, home-cooked lodge dinners, like Thanksgiving dinner at Black Bar.
- Historic Rogue River Ranch Day 2 includes a history stop at the Rogue River Ranch or the Zane Grey Cabin.
INSIDER TIP
From Our Guides
Roll your clothes and use packing cubes to save space in your dry bag. If you’re in a kayak, the sooner you fall out the better. Our guides will get you back in your boat in seconds, and it removes the fear so you can just focus on the fun!
Your boat
Boats on This Trip
ITINERARY
Day by day
Day 1
After orientation, launch from Almeda and navigate 21 named rapids through Marble Canyon. After a mandatory portage around Rainy Falls (Class V) and a Mediterranean wrap lunch, tackle Wildcat, Russian, and Black Bar rapids before arriving at Black Bar Lodge for the night.
Miles covered
12.5
miles
rogue-river-3-day-lodge-trip
1
Day 2
Today features 15.5 miles of river. Paddle splashy Class IIs and stop for history at the Zane Grey Cabin or the Rogue River Ranch. The afternoon culminates with the tight, swirling technical run of Mule Creek Canyon and the famous portage and paddle at Blossom Bar (Class IV) before arriving at Paradise Lodge.
Miles covered
15.5
miles
rogue-river-3-day-lodge-trip
2
Day 3
Enjoy a hot breakfast and a relaxed morning on the water. Paddle through two final Class III rapids and a handful of fun splashy sections, reminiscing on the journey before arriving at the Foster Bar take-out between 2:00 and 3:00 PM.
Miles covered
10.4
miles
rogue-river-3-day-lodge-trip
3
Inclusions
What's Included
Guides and gear
- Guides and all river gear
- PFDs, helmets and dry bags
Where you sleep
- Black Bar and Paradise lodges
Meals
- Lunch Day 1 to lunch Day 3
- Coffee and pastries at our Merlin shop on launch morning
- Beer or wine, 3 drinks per person per night, and you are welcome to bring more
Getting there
- Shuttle to the put-in
Extras
- Movie night on the Paradise deck
- Custom temporary OTT tattoos
- Raw photos in your inbox three days after you get home
Bring or rent
- Water shoes like Chacos, Astrals or Keens (no Crocs)
- A dry pair of shoes for the lodge
- A comfy sweatshirt or sweats for mornings
- Bug spray
- A carabiner for your water bottle
From $1,599
BOOK NOWACCOMMODATIONS
Lodge Trips
Nights are a mix of historic lodge rooms and guided riverside camps, depending on the launch.
Rogue River
Lucas Lodge
Sadie Lucas built this lodge around 1912 on a ranch where the Illinois River meets the Rogue, and her family has welcomed guests for seven generations since. Your last night on the river ends here with a prime rib dinner served family style.
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Owyhee River
Owyhee Camps
Desert canyon camps on the Owyhee, set below rimrock and red rock spires that light up at sunset.
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Lower Salmon River
Lower Salmon Camps
Every camp is a big white sand beach with a good swimming hole, and your tent is up before you arrive.
See the full stayMain Salmon, River of No Return
Main Salmon Camps
Big sandy beach camps under the pines. When you pull in, your tent is already set up, your sleeping pad is in it and your dry bags are stacked and waiting.
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Snake River in Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon Camps
Riverside camps below the walls of Hells Canyon. Your tent is up before you arrive, and evenings start with a cold drink under the shade tarps.
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Rogue River
Rogue River Camps
Riverside beach camps on the Rogue. Your gear boater runs ahead so camp is ready when you pull in, with tents up and dinner served family style.
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Rogue River
Paradise Lodge
Paradise has the big deck where we do movie night, with lodge cooking and a real bed. Every room has its own hot shower and private bathroom.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Black Bar Lodge
Black Bar sits right on the water. You pull in at the end of Day 1 to a home-cooked dinner and a real bed, and every room has its own hot shower and private bathroom.
See the full stay
Food & Drink
What To Expect During Meal Time
Enjoy guide-prepared Mediterranean wraps, deli spreads, and fresh fruit for lunch. Dinners are hearty, home-cooked lodge meals (like Thanksgiving dinner at Black Bar). Mornings begin with coffee at 6:00 AM, followed by hot breakfasts like Canadian bacon and pancakes. Dietary restrictions are fully accommodated.
Meeting Logistics
Where & When To Meet
Meet at the Redwood Garden Inn in Grants Pass at 5:00 PM PT the night before your trip for a pre-trip orientation. The morning of your launch, arrive at the OTT Shop in Merlin by 8:00 AM PT for coffee, pastries, and river orientation before heading to the Almeda put-in.
Want your car waiting at the takeout? Whitewater Cowboys can shuttle it for $250.
TRAVEL
Getting there
Fly into Medford or drive to Grants Pass the day before launch. Overnight trips start with a night-before meeting.
Meeting point
Redwood Garden Inn, then Merlin shop
5:00 PM the night before at Redwood Garden Inn, Grants Pass. Launch morning 8:00 AM at the Merlin shop, 210 Merlin Rd.
How to get there
Fly into Medford (MFR)
About 40 minutes by car. Rentals are at the airport.
Drive I-5 to exit 61
Overnight parking is available in the shop lot, including RVs.
Stay in Grants Pass
Stay in Grants Pass the night before. We can pick up at Grants Pass hotels.
Airport transfer
Hotel pickup in Grants Pass is free when arranged. On the 4-day camp trip, OTT can also do airport transport.
For groups under 7, Uber or Lyft from Medford is usually cheaper than an OTT airport run.
CONDITIONS
What to expect
Weather
May and June bring mornings in the 40s and 50s, highs in the high 80s and cool nights.
July and August heat up fast, with 60s and 70s in the morning, 90s and up by midday, and warm nights in the 70s and 80s.
Whitewater Levels
The river begins the season with high, cold, powerful flows and transitions by late August into lower, highly technical, warm water rapids that require precise maneuvering.
Seasonal Variability
From vibrant green landscapes and cooler flows in May/June, the canyon transitions into hot, sunny days and technical, warm water paddling in late August.
PACKING
What to Bring
Water shoes (Chacos/Astrals/Keens, no Crocs!), a dry pair of shoes for the lodge, a comfortable sweatshirt/sweats for mornings, bug spray, and a carabiner to clip your water bottle to your boat.
REVIEWS
What guests say
POLICIES
Cancellation timeline
90+ days out
Full refund of the trip payment
Minus any non-refundable permit fees.
30–89 days out
50% refund
Date changes may be available if space remains.
Under 30 days
No refund
Weather holds are reviewed case by case.
Refunds depend on how far out you cancel. Weather holds are handled case by case.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to bring my own bedding and towels?
On lodge trips, no. Bedding and shower towels are supplied, and you get a hot shower and a real bed every night.
On our guided camp trips, bring your own sleeping bag, or rent a sleep kit from us with a sleeping bag and a pack pillow. We bring the tent and the pad, and on the Rogue the cot too. A small pack towel is a good idea.
On a Row Your Own you bring your own sleep kit and chairs. We bring the kitchen and the toilet.
Will I be able to use my phone or the internet?
No. There is no cell reception in the canyon and no internet at the lodges. Camp trips are phone-free. Plan on a few days without it.
How are dietary restrictions handled?
The answer is yes. Tell us at the pre-trip meeting or when you book. The lodges are very accommodating, our camp menus adjust for allergies and gluten-free, and on the North Umpqua we pack plant-based options and gluten-free chips and cookies.
I use a CPAP machine. What do I do?
Bring a portable battery for it. Black Bar turns the generator off at 10 PM and it is not back on until 7 AM. A marine battery works great, a car battery works too. We put it in a dry bag and keep it dry.
Do I have to carry my bags up to the lodge?
No. At Black Bar the beach climb is a bit of a walk, so the guides run a fire line, pass the bags up to the little Suzuki and drive them to the lodge. Most people grab their one personal bag on the way up. At Paradise there is a gear tram that takes everything to the top, then a short walk up the trail.
What should I keep handy during the day?
Put the things you want during the day and do not want wet, like your phone, sunscreen and chapstick, in the day bag. It stays on the paddle raft so you are not digging through your lodge bag. Clip a carabiner on your water bottle so you can hook it into your kayak or raft, and wear a sun shirt.
Can I kayak Mule Creek Canyon and Blossom Bar?
Mule Creek Canyon is the guides' call. They have watched you paddle 21 named rapids on Day 1 and they know who is going to fall out where, so the strong paddlers go back in the kayaks and everyone else rides the paddle raft through. At Blossom Bar the kayaks always walk around the picket fence (it is a quick scramble) and get back in right below it to paddle the rest of the rapid. The paddle raft runs the whole thing.
Can I fish on the trip?
On Rogue lodge trips, if there is time, yes. Bring your pole and get your Oregon fishing license first. Fair warning, between getting to the lodge, showering and dinner there is not a huge amount of off time.
In Idaho, bring a rod, your own tackle and an Idaho license, which you can buy in Riggins or online. On the 2-Day, fishing is from the oar raft only. The Hells Canyon fishing trip includes all spin tackle.
What do I do with my medications?
If you take something during the day, keep it out and hand it to your guide. It rides in the communal day bag on the big raft so nothing gets lost. Evening medications just go in your dry bag and you will have them at the lodge or at camp.
If you have an allergy that can cause anaphylaxis, bring at least one EpiPen and let your guide know before we launch.
Are the guides trained in first aid?
Yes. Every guide holds a Wilderness First Aid certification, and there is at least one Wilderness First Responder on every trip.
What if I need basic first aid or hygiene products?
Every trip carries a first-aid kit and a trauma kit, plus a guest self-care box with band-aids, lotion, aloe, sunscreen, menstrual products, Pepto, nail clippers and over-the-counter meds. We also carry poison oak soap. Every guide holds a Wilderness First Aid certification and there is at least one Wilderness First Responder on every trip.
MORE TRIPS
Our Most Booked Trips
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4 days
|
Class
Hike the Rogue River Trail with a daypack, sleep in the lodges, and let the raft carry everything else.
|
3 days
|
Class
Run the Rogue River Trail lodge to lodge with a light vest while the raft carries your bags.
