Big River to Benham Falls
Oregon – US
- Class
- I to II
- Length
- 18 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 0.7 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 4,163 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 4,159 Feet
- Typical season
- January to December
Current Flow
Visual or unknown
No gauge reading is available for this run — check it on site.
- Primary gauge
- VISUAL Gauge detail & alternatives
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 700 |
| Average | 1,600 |
| Maximum | 3,000 |
Recommended use
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Packrafting
- Fishing
Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.
Flow history — last 6 days
No gauge history recorded in the last 6 days.
Photos
No photos added for this run yet.
Description
This is another mainly flatwater stretch of the Dschutes. Most of the land surrounding the river has become private over the years so please be respectful to land owners. Fishing and fly fishing remain good on the upper stretches of the Deschutes. Bringing the pole is recommended.
Benham Falls (below the take-out for this run) is a recommended portage (see Benham Falls run for more info on this).
Flow info is currently obtained at the Bureau of Reclamations site located here (http://www.usbr.gov/pn-bin/graphrt.pl?beno_q).
Rapids
No rapids added yet.
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Big River Campground Access | 4,163 Feet | Yes | Yes | Yes | All Vehicles | See access and info here. |
| Put-In | Harper's Bridge Access | 4,163 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | Located on the Spring River road, this is a good put in or take out option to shorten or extend your upper Deschutes run. This is also commonly used as a take out for the little deschutes river. |
| Put-In | Besson Boat Launch | 4,154 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | A small dirt access area on river left. |
| Take-Out | Sunriver Resort Take Out | 4,159 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | River right. Good dirt road access with some dirt ramps and a round-about for larger vehicles to turn around. |
| Take-Out | Benham Access | 4,150 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | The Benham day use and ramp site is on river right just above the Benham Falls. Most boaters should consider taking out here or starting their portage from here. |
Camps
No river camps added yet.
Permit
No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.
Fishing
No fish species have been associated with this run yet.
Points of Interest
External Links & Resources
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Community Run Notes
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