WILLAMETTE RIVER (Oregon)

General Description & Characteristics -- Western Oregon is a water recreation paradise, with fabulous whitewater rafting and kayaking in the Cascades, sea kayaking in the Pacific Ocean, and cruising for big boats on the mighty Columbia River. But for a relaxing week long canoe camping trip, there is only one choice, the Willamette River. This river starts its journey of nearly 300 miles in the Cascade Range, north of Crater Lake. The many branches and tributaries of the upper Willamette watershed are popular whitewater streams. At Eugene, the Middle Fork and Coast Fork of the Willamette join to form the main stem. Some rapids can be found for the next few miles, but then the Willamette settles down to become a meandering scenic river that is popular for many different forms of water recreation, including canoeing. The current gradually slows as the Willamette makes its way north to Portland and its mouth on the Columbia River.

Portland, at the mouth of the Willamette River, is the terminus of the Oregon Trail; early settlers came here in the 1840s and 1850s, gradually migrating up and settling the Willamette Valley.

Location & Canoeable Mileage -- A canoe camping trip of about 7 days can be made from Harrisburg to the boat ramp at West Linn, just above the lock at Willamette Falls, a total distance of 133 miles.  You can choose a trip of a shorter length by using one of the many public access points along the river.  These are listing in the Oregon State Parks guide (link below).  Other than a few spots of swift current and shallows, there are no serious hazards on this section.

You can continue another on down the Willamette all the way to its mouth, but you will have to negotiate the locks at Willamette Falls. From West Linn to Kelley Point Park at the mouth of the Willamette is 30 miles; here the river runs through the urban and industrial area of Portland. This section is used by commercial and larger recreational vessels, and is generally not recommended for canoeing.

There is always adequate water for canoeing on the Willamette, and the weather is mild year round. Winter and spring are the rainy seasons, and the river will have a higher flow than in the drier seasons of summer and fall.

Interesting Features -- While much of the native forest of the Willamette Valley has given over to agricultural land and towns, a narrow remnant of that forest still lines most of the river. There are several wildlife refuges and state parks along the river's course. Many tributaries join the Willamette along this section, including the Luckiamute, Santiam, Yamhill, and Molalla Rivers.

The many public access points and landings attest to the river's popularity. There are several working ferries and also some historic abandoned ferry sites. There are many small towns along the river, and a couple of cities, including Salem (population near 100,000). In the lower sections of the river, canoes will share the river with larger motorized craft, and near the larger towns the river may be congested, especially on week ends.

Even if you don't canoe down through the locks at Willamette Falls, it's worth a stop before or after your trip. The locks, installed in 1873, comprise the oldest continuously operating multi-lock system in the U.S.

For history buffs, you can read about and visit the sites of several abandoned towns that sprang up and then disappeared as development patterns changed.   See the book, Willamette Landings (below) for an account of these settlements.

Camping -- The Willamette River Recreation Guide, published by Oregon State Parks, shows the location of many parcels of public land along the river, some accessible only by boat. Some of the landings and parks have developed camp sites. There are remote islands and gravel bars which may be available for camping, but some are privately owned, and trespassing laws must be observed.

Additional Information:

Canoeing Information	Willamette River Recreation Guide (click here to open or download the PDF file)  a publication of Oregon State Parks. For a printed copy you can write to Salem Park Hdq. at 1115 Commercial St NE, Salem, OR 97301 or call  1-800-551-6949.  Can also be picked up at the Marine Board in Salem or any of the state park offices in the Willamette Valley.
Canoe Rental/Shuttle Service	Oregon River Sports (Eugene)
River Flow Data	USGS gauges: Harrisburg Salem. If you have trouble obtaining data from these links, click HERE
Parks on/near the River	Willamette Mission, Champoeg, and Molalla State Parks, are on this section of the Willamette.
Towns/Other Locales on/near the River	Portland Salem Oregon City
Books	Willamette Landings: Ghost Towns of the River Soggy Sneakers : A Guide to Oregon Rivers Canoe and Kayak Routes of Northwest Oregon
More Pictures	.
Environmental Issues/Organizations	Willamette Riverkeeper, an environmental organization dedicated to protection of the Willamette River, sponsors canoe outings on the river to raise awareness of the need for citizen involvement in environmental protection issues.
Acknowledgments/Contributors	.
Miscellaneous	Cascade Canoe Club, Lower Columbia Canoe Club, and Willamette Canoe and Kayak Club; these club web sites provide good information about the paddling community in this area.

Northwest Locator Map