Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers Boater's Guide

The river corridor between Minam, Oregon, and Heller Bar, Washington, includes the lower ten miles of the Wallowa River and the lower eighty-one miles of the Grande Ronde River. Public lands in this river corridor are managed in part by the Bureau of Land Management, National Forest Service, and the states of Oregon and Washington.

Each year the area receives thousands of visitors seeking the beauty and diverse outdoor recreation opportunities that the rivers offer. Where road and trail access is most limited, well-prepared whitewater boaters travel the river using a variety of specialized watercraft. A typical float trip begins at Minam on the Wallowa River and lasts two to three days, "taking out" on the Grande Ronde River downstream. Shorter or longer trips are possible with proper planning. Other popular river access points include Wildcat Bridge, Mud Creek, Palmer Junction, Troy, State Line, Cougar Creek, Boggan's Oasis, Shumaker, and Heller Bar.