South Santiam River

Non-technical, but extraordinarily beautiful river gorge. Great way to cool off on a hot summer's day - or possibly a rest day between technical outings. Consider wearing a PFD or have your flotation dialed as there are some very long stretches of swimming. There is lots of jump potential along the way. It's something of a non-technical water park. Helmets are a good idea for safety as the rock surfaces can be extremely slippery. Slipping and banging your head is no fun.

If you don't have a shuttle, walking the road is feasible. The shoulder is pretty wide, except for one short narrow section. Takes ~40min. From Sweet Home, follow Hwy 20 east for ~14.5mi and turn off left/north into Cascadia State Park. On entering the park, bear right and park in the West Picnic Area. Head back out and continue east on Hwy 20 for 2.2mi. Turn off left onto Moose Mountain Rd. Go 0.1mi to the bridge and continue just a bit further to find a place to park on the left. A short easy trail leads down to the river from here. Either suit up at the cars or down on the gravel bar.

Head downstream. Hike along one side or the other, rock-hop, wade, body-surf, or swim. The canyon walls soon close in to become a narrows which come and go for the next two miles. There are a large number of mandatory swims; some are quite long. Be sure you have your flotation dialed. PFDs recommended for weaker swimmers. There are many beautiful water features, water-worn rock formations, and miniature arches. There is lots of jump potential. There are two obstacles of note: Special note: this canyon is likely dangerous in high flow. It is best visited on a hot summer day when the current is slow and weak. Even in late summer, the current can be pushy where the river gets funneled through narrow openings.