O'Brien's Rogue River Rafting

Merry Christmas to all of you. We hope this holiday season finds you celebrating with the ones you love, sharing a heart full of kindness with friends and strangers, and finding a little time to get out into the fresh air. Enjoy this wonderful season and we will see you in the New Year!

Barbara and family traveled down from Washington State to camp at Indian Mary Park and raft the Rogue River through beautiful Hellgate Canyon. What a super day!

Some of the late summer runs of salmon are starting to jump around in the lower canyons and a few are being caught, but even more are just teasing the fishermen. The Canada Geese have begun practice of flight formation and their honking is now echoing through the canyons. Change is in the air...Welcome to September on the Rogue River!

Well, it finally happened. The mercury settled just below 100 degrees today and the heat wave seems to be broken for a bit. The animals came out to celebrate a change in temperature also. Part of the beauty of Southern Oregon Summers is the heat that we have along the Rogue River. The nights cool off so wonderfully, too.


Families from the Eastern Shoreline visited us on the Rogue: a new graduate from MIT, students of biology and engineering from Connecticut, Environmental Consultants from our nation's capital, who were all joined by Wendy and Juliana of Mill Valley, and Nicole and Brian and the gang from San Diego, California, along with Sarah and Megan from the Pacific Northwest. The combination of strangers from coast to coast, and fans of rafting blended perfectly. Everyone shared inflatable kayaks, the kids rode the bull through some great rapids, water guns were used in good humor, and laughter filled the air.

The Rogue River is the best way to spend time with family!

Jason and Pam came out from Kansas to get married along the banks of the Rogue River. They love the great outdoors, water, sunshine, and sand, and of course, they truly love one another. It was the perfect match.


The drift boat was decorated with Oregon grown sunflowers, purple loose strife, and willow branches from along the edge of the water. A secret little snack was stowed away. A cozy, flowery quilt was set out...then the moment we had all been waiting for: the bride and groom arrived by stretch limousine to Indian Mary Park Boat Landing.


Jason and Pam stepped out into the glorious sunlight and they were stunning. Pamela's dress was creamy white with detailed silver embroidery and Jason was dressed in a complimentary tuxedo. Pamela looked absolutely beautiful and Jason was so handsome. They wore their river water Keen sandals for the perfect look from head to toe.


The Rogue River Special Drift Boat was ready for the wedding party with River Guide Kari, and set course down stream. Traveling through the rugged canyons at Taylor Creek, the bride and groom watched an osprey dive into the water for a fish. Further downstream a great blue heron guided the way past rocky outcroppings, a beaver lodge, salmon jumping and the soothing song of the river currents.


The clean sandy beach was with dappled shade, and waiting at the river's edge was the clergyman, photographer, and Bev of Rogue Forest Bed and Breakfast. The Bride and Groom stepped out of the drift boat barefooted and onto the cool sand to begin setting up the Circle of Gratitude. The ceremony was ever so special and the local families that happened to be floating past witnessed the marriage of Jason and Pamela. River guide Tim was acting Best Man, here at O'Brien's we think he is always the Best Man! He also took photos all along the river route from an inflatable kayak or nearby canyon rocks.


Along with the spectacular service, the humble reverence and hearty congratulations to the newlyweds by friends along the river were both honoring and heart warming. After a toast to the groom and the bride, Pam and Jason continued downstream in the wedding drift boat, now as husband and wife. They ate fruits and cheese and crackers with a little nibble of chocolate. They drank a delightful red wine produced in the Rogue Valley, and soaked in the beauty of the Rogue River.

It was a pleasure to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime day and we wish every happiness to Jason and Pamela. Live simply, laugh often, love deeply.

"Respect the peaks, appreciate the valleys..." and they lived happily ever after!

It took ten inflatable kayaks, two big whitewater rafts, and twenty people to make the perfect recipe of fun and relaxation on the Rogue River! Today's crew included river guides Steve, Damian, Austin and Kari.


Josh's family traded back and forth from the inflatable kayaks to the blue rocket boat. Once stationed on the rocket boat however, the ladies became Warrior Princes! What a battle they put up! There was also a little balancing act and some jousting for the crew.

Clive and Nancy were great company and joined in the activities by combining the use of the inflatable kayak, the raft and amazing skill in squirt gun use! Clive was a water master in his paddling skills and took to the yakie like he had been paddling for years.

Bill, Leslie, Jan and Dan relaxed, visited, and viewed all of the activity. Good friends enjoying good times together. Life doesn't get any better, unless you throw in a lunch along the river bank, gorgeous scenery and another exhilarating water battle or two.

Midway through the day, Lisa and family joined the water adventure. It was a great way to spend the day enjoying the wild life and even catching a glimpse of a mink, deer, beaver and many birds. We hope to see you all rafting the Rogue again soon.

Donette and David has a peaceful sleep and delicious breakfast at Rogue Forest Bed and Breakfast. Then it was off to the wonders of whitewater rafting on the Rogue River in an inflatable kayak or 'yakie' and some high rides on the waves in the Blue Rocket Boat.

David and Donette couldn't get enough of the river, Galice, the people and the amazing scenery. They will be back for more and we can't wait to see them again! Thanks for a terrific day.

Sonia, Hal and Stewart were on their way to a wedding, but first things first! A day rafting the Rogue River was the perfect respite for the travelers. It was certainly our lucky day to be joined by such wonderful folks.

Stewart enjoyed hanging, quite literally, around the boat. Sonia paddled the inflatable kayak above the beautiful Ennis Riffle. The riverside lunch was enjoyed near the perfect fishing hole. Stewart tried his best to swiftly capture a young salmon.

Hal rode the bull through the dropping rapids as Stewart referred to them. There was time for a quick dip in the water above Wooldridge. The weather was perfectly blissful, the quiet solitude and the song of the natural river world added to the pure enjoyment of the day. Thanks for joining us.

We look forward to your company again on the Rogue River!

Rogue River Rafting is the best place to be in Southern Oregon in August! The skies are clear and blue, the water is cool and refreshing, the waves are thrilling and exciting and the guides: Tim, Kari, Austin and Alyssa, just love to have fun on the water!



Jessica, Chuck, and Logan, Jim, Tina and Cody, Chris and Chris, JC, Ruth, Jaycee, Marian and Jaimie, and Glen and Cheryl were a fabulous group of rafters. There was inflatable kayaking, family swimming, lunching and munching on the beach, wildlife galore, and riding the waves on the bull!


It was refreshing to watch the interaction of strangers becoming friends, of families making memories, and terrific people smiling and laughing with the spirit of adventure. Thank you for a wonderful day!

Molly, Jack and Ava met up with river pirates and enlisted their parents to help in the actual battle itself! What a crew! They were rowing the blue rocket boat, telling great stories, and riding the front of the boat as if they had always been on the river. Seeing turtles was the icing on the cake!

This delightfully charming family complete with Mary and Jim, booked a Half Day Rogue River Raft Trip as part of a Southern Oregon Vacation. After rafting, a visit to the Oregon Caves was just down the road. Molly promised to send pictures, and Ava and Jack have big plans to write a book about their adventures on the Rogue River.
It was a pleasure to travel on the Rogue with all of you. Come back soon!

Wow! What a day! Three big rafts, ten inflatable kayaks and twenty five people enjoyed the beauty of the Rogue River today. There were some great paddling moments and as always a few swimmers adding thrill and excitement to the day. Water fights galore as the temperatures stretched back into the triple digits were a welcome refreshment.



Oregon whitewater rafting brings families together. Texas, California, Oregon, Washington gathered here for a Full Day Rafting Trip on the Rogue River. The question was asked from one of the young ones: Is there a hole in the river? The answer to that: There is a whole lotta fun in the river! Thanks for a memorable trip.

Brothers and sisters gather together with the kids for a fun day of Rogue River Rafting. The cousins had a blast swimming and the grown up kids had a wonderful time blasting each other with the squirt guns in the morning...at noon...in the heat of the day...well, it was All Day!

The reunion of siblings was a sweet reminder of all of the happy times they have had and that there are many more to share. Thank you Charly, Vic, Bret, and Lisa for bringing the kids and Rafting the Rogue River with us~

Eleven happy kids took their parents rafting today! They wore hats, polka dots, tie dye, flowers, stripes, and great big grins! Ryan, Tyler, Anna, Aiden, Nolan, Matea, Spencer, Hudson, Finley, Emma, and Jackson played in the boats, on the boats, and in the water!



The moms and dads of this delightful bunch of river rafters playing as much as the young ones did and included the inflatable kayaks on their trip. Ryan caught a ride with Austin, Tyler and Anna caught a ride in the waves with Little Mama and Papa, Emma got to tag along in and near Dan's boat, and Spencer loved hanging out with Dad in the little inflatable Yakie!



The beach party at lunch time included all of the top favorites like chocolate brownies, chocolate banana bread and chocolate chip cookies. You can tell the kids LOVE chocolate, but they also enjoyed plopping olives on the end of their fingers! Splashing in the river was thoroughly enjoyed and picking out the very best rock off of the bank topped off the lunchtime activities.

Back on the water to drift and swim and ride the waves finished off the perfect day with this happy bunch of people. Thanks for a terrific day!