About River Drifters
River Drifters
The Deschutes River originates high in the Cascade Mountains at Little Lava Lake. The river carves its path through 250 miles of eastern Oregon before flowing into the Columbia. The ‘Lower Deschutes’ refers to the 100-mile section from the mouth of the Deschutes to Pelton Dam (near Lake Billy Chinook). The Lower Deschutes River offers a beautiful desert canyon filled with sagebrush, osprey, incredible basalt rock formations, and plenty of exciting rapids.
River Drifters offers a number of trips on the Lower Deschutes, from half-day to five-day vacations. One of the more popular Deschutes trips is the full-day trip. You’ll cover more than 14 river miles in about five to six hours. There are numerous class III+ rapids on this section of the river. Some of the exciting rapids that we will run are Wapinitia, Boxcar, Surf City, Oak Springs, White River, and Elevator Rapids.
River Drifters also offers a half-day trip for those who can set aside just a few hours. The Lower Deschutes River is perfect for families and first-timers, and even those who have been rafting for several years.