Oregon whitewater - Row River, Central Cascade Range, Lane County Lane county, Wildwood Falls to Dorena Reservoir section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS III     7 miles   I live about one mile above the Wildwood Falls area on the Row River. The most important thing I can add to your river description is that every year there is a death at Wildwood Falls due to people's lack of experience with the terraine, waterfalls, swimming, boating, etc, (sometimes a year goes by and there is no death here, but that is rare). The most common cause of death or serious injury to people is getting in the water when the water is too high. Because the falls have a nice round diving basin, and a small concealed cave behind it, people are drawn     to the falls before the water level is really safe in the late spring and early Summer. It is safest in July through late August. The cave is a source of drowning because people go into it easily with the force of the water but cannot get back out because the water pushes then back into the cave, and then they run out of air. There is also a lot of submerged debris that snag boaters and swimmers alike. These full sized logs and branches catch people's legs, arms, and smash their heads with the force of the waterfall pounding them and the debris then drags them down in the undertow below the falls, churning below the surface of the water. Local Cottage Grove Rescue divers (30 min. from the falls) have also died in recent years at Wildwood Falls in attempts to drag dead bodies out, because of the debris and undertow. It seems   like a very docile place to swim and is a very popular place in the summer (approx. 150-200 people every day). BUT anyone going in the water in June are really asking for trouble unless the water level is really low and calm. If the water is still high or even at a moderate level weeks after the last heavy rain, logs and branches that wash down from the Umpqua National Forest logging operations many miles up river get trapped at the first big basin, Wildwood Falls, and thrash about under the water, pulling down anyone who gets in. I have personally seen people drown because they slipped from the rocks, or dove in and hit debris, or because they were wearing sandals and fell into the water when it was at a moderate level in June, never surfacing, all infront of atleasty 30 people who were also in the water near them but at the outskirts of the falls basin, or were onlookers. In these situations, no one is able to get near the base of the falls because of the force of the water at Wildwood Falls. So, please, if you are promoting this beautiful, narrow, not very deep stretch of river, with it's rapids and scenic beauty, do so responsibly and mentions the safety tips I offer here...people need to be extra careful with Wildwood Falls, wear the appropriate gear (helmet, good shoes, life vest...and not go into the Wildwood falls basin before July. And bring plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Anyone attempting to navigate the actual falls in the fall, winter or spring after the water level is up is asking for a serious situation and statics show a probable death. The thrashing debris in the basin below Wildwood Falls is not that obvious. The high water looks exciting, a thrilling ride for experienced boaters. Please advise people of this fact. These deaths and serious injuries are avoidable if people are smart about their fun. I live at the original Wildwood Lodge by the falls and see it every year for the past 25 years. A friend of mine, an experienced and licensed River guide for N.Calif. and Oregon paddled it and had a lot of fun, but she says it can easily be rated as level 3 rapids. Thanks, Amanda Wilcox Says Amanda Wilcox This stretch of Row River in Oregon is 7 miles long and is a class III section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. The scenic beauty of Oregon and the water flowing gracefully down Row River are reasons enough to come here and paddle. The river winds through the Central Cascade Range and you get great scenery. There are some good sections to paddle in this river system, the Wildwood Falls to Dorena Reservoir section is one of them. The nearby hotels are a bit away from the river, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. There's camping available near Row River. This stretch is mid length, suitable for an afternoon trip. The put-in location is a short drive from Eugene-Springfield, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way this area has a large number of paddling rivers. Getting your paddling muscles activated and a chance to spend some time outdoors have a lot of people coming here. If you've been out of state whitewater rafting and kayaking you might find the rivers here more demanding, so you'd better keep in mind that many of the sections here are not safe for beginners. Briefly about the general area: Row River is a relatively wet place commonly with much rain; the month of November is the wettest with most of the rain, and July on the other hand is the driest. Throughout the days of summer at Row River temperatures are usually in the 80's. When the night sets in temperatures drop down into the 40's. The winter comes with highs in the 40's; during the dark hours in the wintertime at Row River temperatures fall to the 30's. Row River, Wildwood Falls to Dorena Reservoir road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: III Length: 7 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 43.7 Longitude: -122.81781 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 43.74929 Longitude: -122.89511 Paddler input for Row River, Oregon: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Row River, Central Cascade Range, Oregon Local climate location: COTTAGE GROVE 17 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Moonstone Village Green Resort, Cottage Grove 13 miles away Village Green Resort is located off Interstate 5, in Cottage Grove. The resort is six miles from the covered bridges, and approximately 30 miles from Eugene Airport. We are less than a mile from two g... Comfort Inn Cottage Grove, Cottage Grove 14 miles away Holiday Inn Express COTTAGE GROVE, Cottage Grove 14 miles away Welcome to the Holiday Inn Express in Cottage Grove.We are conveniently located in the Willamette Valley 30 miles south of Eugene just off I-5 at exit 174.We offer a free Continental Breakfast, an ind...   Central Cascade Range Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Central Cascade Range. Central Cascade Range Outdoors Info Complete outdoors info for the Central Cascade Range. All Oregon Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Oregon. Books about whitewater paddling on Row River, Oregon List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Row River, Oregon. Find a whitewater outfitter in Oregon Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Eugene-Springfield, Oregon Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Eugene-Springfield, Oregon, the metro area neareast to Row River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Row River.   Whitewater Near Row River: Sharps Creek, Lane County , 5 miles away, Class II-III - 7 miles long (7 mi above Layng Ck confluence) Layng Creek, Lane County , 5 miles away, Class IV - 5 miles long (Rujada Campground to Wildwood Falls) Row River, Lane County , 10 miles away, Class II-III - 5 miles long (Dorena Dam to Scaling Station Bridge) Fall Creek, Lane County , 12 miles away, Class I-II - 5 miles long (Fall Creek Dam to Willamette River) Brice Creek, Lane County , 13 miles away, Class IV-V - 5 miles long (Champion Creek to Cedar Creek Campground) Willamette River - Middle Fork, Lane County , 13 miles away, Class II - 10.8 miles long (Dexter Dam to confluence with Coast Fork Willamette) Champion Creek, Lane County , 15 miles away, Class IV-V - 1.1 miles long (Gorge 1 mile above Brice Creek to Brice Creek) Winberry Creek, Lane County , 17 miles away, Class III+(V) - 4 miles long (South / North Fork Confluence to Forest Service bridge) Brice Creek, Lane County , 17 miles away, Class IV-V - 4.5 miles long (Parker Falls to Champion Creek) Canyon Creek, Douglas County , 18 miles away, Class III-IV - 9 miles long (Confluence with Pass Creek to Steamboat Creek)   Ski Areas Near Row River: Willamette Pass, Oregon , 57 miles away, 1563 vertical feet Hoodoo, Oregon , 76 miles away, 1035 vertical feet Mt. Bachelor, Oregon , 83 miles away, 3365 vertical feet Mt. Ashland, Oregon , 83 miles away, 1195 vertical feet   Hotels Near Row River: Moonstone Village Green Resort, Cottage Grove , 13 miles away Comfort Inn Cottage Grove, Cottage Grove , 14 miles away Holiday Inn Express COTTAGE GROVE, Cottage Grove , 14 miles away Comfort Inn & Suites Creswell, Creswell , 14 miles away Super 8 Creswell/South Eugene, Creswell , 15 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Row River: Happy Eagle Lodge and RV's, Dorena, 4 miles away Baker Bay Park, Dorena, 6 miles away Dexter Shores Mobile Home and RV Park, Dexter, 10 miles away   Trails Near Row River: Teeter Creek Loop, Lane County , 6 miles away, 1.8 hiking miles, 491 feet elevation difference Eagles Rest Trail, Lane County , 11 miles away,  4.4 hiking miles, 1570 feet elevation difference Silica Trail, Lane County , 11 miles away, 3.3 hiking miles, 2595 feet elevation difference Rock Creek Trail, Douglas County , 11 miles away,  4.6 hiking miles, 663 feet elevation difference Pass Creek Trail, Douglas County , 12 miles away, 3.9 hiking miles, 1839 feet elevation difference China Creek Trail, Lane County , 13 miles away, 1.5 hiking miles, 992 feet elevation difference Leach Camp Trail, Douglas County , 13 miles away, 1.1 hiking miles, 1608 feet elevation difference   National Parks Near Row River: Crater Lake National Park, Crater Lake - OR , 65 miles away