Information for rafting the middle Rogue River from White Water Cowboys
The Middle Rogue River is a wonderful place to hone your rafting or kayaking skills. We strongly recommend going on a guided trip for your first time down this section of the Rogue River so you can learn the rapids and the proper boating techniques before taking on the fun rapids like Upper Galice or Argo alone. Orange Torpedo Trips http://www.orangetorpedo.com/rogue_river/near_galice/)offers both half-day and 1-day rafting trips in this section with included lunches, making for a great way to see the river.
If you have been down this section before or consider yourself a river expert looking to enjoy a day running class III rapids, stop in and rent all the equipment you need, including rafts, kayaks and inflatable kayaks while setting up a shuttle for your car with White Water Cowboys at the Rogue River Center right on your way down to the river.
Popular put-in and takeout points:
Robertson Bridge
Not as popular as some of the put-ins further downstream, this is a great place to start your trip if you are still honing your river skills or you just want to start off with some relaxation and beautiful scenery. This is a great place to put in to avoid the crowds at Hog Creek.
Directions: From The Rogue River Center in Merlin, head west on Merlin/Galice Rd. until you reach Robertson Bridge Rd. and take a left. (If you get out of town, you have gone too far.) Follow Robertson Bridge Rd. until it forms a T with Lower River Rd., and take a right). Just before crossing the bridge, see the boat ramp on your left.
Hog Creek
This is the most popular put-in for the 1-day white water section of the Middle Rogue River. Saturdays in July or August around 10 in the morning are sure to be crowded. Putting in here starts your trip off quickly with a spectacular float through the bottom of Hellgate Canyon.
Directions: From the Rogue River Center, take Merlin/Galice Rd. west 5.1 miles until you see the parking lot on your left. The boat ramp here is small, so be ready to go when loading to keep the crowds happy.
Indian Mary Campground
THE place to camp if you are in the area. This well-maintained campground has volleyball, disc golf and plenty of other activities to keep the family entertained. We strongly recommend
making reservations ahead of time. The park has a nice boat ramp and generally has less traffic because of the fee required to enter the park.
Directions: From the Rogue River Center, head west on Merlin/Galice Rd. 7.5 miles until you see the green grass of the park on your right.
Ennis Riffle Boat Launch
A very popular location to launch a float if you're starting a little later in the day. Ennis Riffle boat launch to Argo boat launch, with a few exceptions, is where most of the white water on the Middle Rogue River is located, making Ennis a popular spot to put on the river. Ennis can also be a takeout if you are looking for a half-day option from Hog Creek.
Directions: From the Rogue River Center, head west on Merlin/Galice Rd. 10.3 miles until you see the pull out on your right. The boat ramp is on the upstream end of a large gravel bar. Camping is available on the gravel bar, but minimal facilities exist.
Galice Boat Ramp
This is a small boat ramp nestled in the heart of Galice and is a takeout for people putting in at Hog Creek and looking for a longer half-day or shorter full-day trip. If you use this ramp, plan on crowds and having a difficult time finding a place to park.
Directions: From the Rogue River Center, drive west on Merlin/Galice Rd. 12.1 miles until you see the road down to the river on your right. If you pass the store, you have gone too far.
Alameda Boat Ramp
Due to its location, it's a more popular put-in for the Wild and Scenic Rogue River multiday trip than for use by those rafting the Middle Rogue. It can be a good takeout for rafters not wanting to run the largest rapid of this section, Argo, which lies between here and the following takeout.
Directions: From the Rogue River Center, drive west on Merlin/Galice Rd. 15.3 miles until you see the campground on your right.
Argo Boat Launch
This is a popular place to pull off the river as it is just below the largest rapid in this section. It’s always nice to end with a bang. This is not an improved boat ramp, so plan on carrying your gear across the gravel bar or have a vehicle with some ground clearance to drive across it.
Directions: From the Rogue River Center, drive west on Merlin/Galice Rd. 17.4 miles. The turn into Argo is a sharp 180-degree turn leading down a steep road to the gravel bar at the river.
Grave Creek
The most popular takeout, this location is sure to be crowded on any weekend afternoon in July or August. Because it has a small parking lot, expect to hike up the hill to find your car parked along the road, where you’ll have to wait to get access to the ramp. This is the last place to take out before floating into the Wild and Scenic Rogue River wilderness. Floating below here requires a permit, so don’t float past accidentally.
Directions: From the Rogue River Center, drive west on Merlin/Galice Rd. 19.3 miles to the north bank of the river. Immediately after the bridge, you will see a road on the left leading down to the water.
Regardless of what put-in/takeout combination you choose, you will need to shuttle a vehicle to your takeout. Save time and effort of driving laps or bringing an extra car and just stop in at the Rogue River Center to have White Water Cowboys shuttle your car for you. If you have a large group or no vehicle to carry your rental equipment, we also have van shuttles available. Learn more about
shuttles.
Rapids
If you plan on boating this section of the Rogue River without a guide, you should have sufficient knowledge and skills to read water and navigate rapids up to a class III rating. The rapids of note in this section are Dunn Riffle, Upper Galice, Lower Galice, Chair, Widowmaker, Alameda and Argo. Before your first trip down the river, we strongly recommend you stop in and pick up a copy of
The Rogue River Guidbook: A Comprehensive guide from Prospect to Gold Beach by Matt Leidecker. This great guidebook is available at the Rogue River Center in Merlin on your way down the river.
