Canyon Run (Lower Bridge to Billy Chinook Res.)
Oregon – US
- Class
- IV- to IV+
- Length
- 15.5 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 38.4 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 2,539 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 1,971 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 | 1,200 |
| Maximum | 2,000 |
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
Canyon Run is a fun Kayak run when the water is flowing. Unfortunatley that doesn't happen fequently since most of the Deschutes above Billy Chinook Reservoir is used for irrigation. This can be run year round but look for really raining periods or pre-farming season to get the most water in here.
There are several access points to shorten or lengthen this run (see accesses). One downfall of this run is you will have about a 2 mile paddle out on the reservoir. No one said that a little paddle excercise ever killed anyone though.
For the most part this run is characteristic of a pool drop rapid river in a nice canyon. Most everything can be portaged if you are intimidated by anything. See the rapids section for info on the Falls and their portaging.
Flows are currently obtained from the Bureau of Reclamation site here (http://www.usbr.gov/pn-bin/graphrt.pl?culo_q).
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Falls | V+ | 700–2,000 | Big Falls is a mandatory portage due to the rocky nature of the riverbed here. Going over the falls would typically not be fun. |
Portage river right. |
| 2 | Steelhead Falls | IV+ to V | 700–2,000 | These falls are about 15 feet in height. You can run the drop on the left hand side of the falls. Running straight down the middle would most likely give you a beat down. Scout or portage. |
The scout and portage trail is on river right. |
| 3 | Squaw Creek Rapid | IV- to IV+ | 700–2,000 | Up until this point the river has been running in a pool drop fashion from Steelhead falls. Squaw creek rapid changes the game some. The river makes a right hand turn where the creek enters on the left and the action starts. The river narrows here and scouting is difficult. If you are in kayaks, take the opportunity to ferry out behind a rock or in an eddy to do some boat scouting. This rapid is very long and continous. Several large holes exist towards the bottom portion of the rapid. |
Scout from boat. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Lower Bridge | 2,539 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | See access info here. |
| Take-Out | Jordan Bridge Take Out | 1,971 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | After your flatwater paddle, the first bridge you come to is your take out. Maybe you'll get lucky and get a motor boat to offer you a tow. Nothing like a little kayak water skiing. Getting to the take out by car can be challenging. Head west from Highway 128. You'll have to cross another inlet arm of the reservoir before arriving at the Deschutes arm of the reservoir. See google maps for best directions. The Billy Chinook Airport is also nearby here so you could use that as a way of finding the takeout. Take out does not have a ramp. A small dirt lot with walk on/off access only. |
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.
External Links & Resources
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Community Run Notes
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