Oregon whitewater - Zigzag River, Central Cascade Range, Clackamas County

Clackamas county, Tollgate to Sandy River section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS III-IV     3.2 miles
  The Tollgate to Sandy River section of Zigzag River is 3.2 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class III-IV section. The rivers for whitewater rafting and kayaking here in Oregon are often tougher than in other states, so keep in mind that a lot of the rivers here are not suitable for beginners. There's camping available near Zigzag River. The starting location is a short drive from Hood River, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. There are nice comfortable hotels here, but do book a room before
    you come because it is a very popular destination. The wonderful Oregon scenery and the playfulness of the water beats anything. Zigzag River doesn't have a lot of paddling stretches, the Tollgate to Sandy River stretch is the only one. This is a bit of a short stretch so you'd
better be prepared to walk your kayak back to put-in a few times. Getting some good exercise and just hanging out with mother nature will make you glad you came. The beauty of the Central Cascade Range is a great plus for this river. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking around here you'll find a large number of good spots.

Briefly about the general area:
For the duration of the days of summer, highs commonly are in the 70's at Zigzag River; the nighttime is quite cooler of course, frequently in the 50's. High temperatures through the
 
wintertime are normally in the 40's while Zigzag River overnight low temperatures through the winter are in the 30's. A large amount of rainfall falls at Zigzag River; the month with most of the rain is December, and the driest month of the year is July.
Whohoo, so many exciting things in one place! The Central Cascade Range rocks! Good hiking is available along the West Zigzag Mountain Trail. Hiking is a popular thing to do around Zigzag River; Flag Mountain Trail is a good local trail, and Crutcher Bench is something you shouldn't miss if you're here.

Zigzag River, Tollgate to Sandy River road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: III-IV
Length: 3.2 miles
Average Gradient: 108 fpm
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 45.3255
Longitude: -121.9088

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 45.34859
Longitude: -121.9444

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Current weather conditions at Zigzag River, Central Cascade Range, Oregon
WXPort

Local climate location: HEADWORKS PTLD WTR BUR 11 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Whispering Woods (Vri), Welches
3 miles away
Whispering Woods is a resort destination east of Portland which opened in 1981 with 42 condominiums. The second phase of 24 additional condominiums opened in 1992. The resort offers a clubhouse with a...

Resort at the Mountain, Welches
3 miles away
The Resort at The Mountain is the premier Northwest golf and ski resort located in the Highlands of Oregon just an hour east of Portland at the western base of Mt. Hood. The Resort features 160 gues...

Mount Hood Inn, Government Camp
11 miles away
At the Mount Hood Inn we offer our guests the finest accommodations on the mountain. With our modern facilities and friendly local staff we are able to give you the attention and service you have com...



OTHER_INFO
  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 Zigzag River, Oregon
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Zigzag 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 Hood River, Oregon
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Hood River, Oregon, the metro area neareast to Zigzag River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Zigzag River.
 Whitewater Near Zigzag River:
Sandy River, Clackamas County , 2 miles away, Class IV - 4.5 miles long (McNeil Campground to Lolo Pass Road)
Sandy River, Clackamas County , 8 miles away, Class II-III - 13.5 miles long (Lolo Pass Road to Marmot Dam)
Little Sandy River, Clackamas County , 10 miles away, Class -blank- - 10 miles long (Bridge on FS 14 to SE Marmot Road)
Clackamas River - Oak Grove Fork, Clackamas County , 14 miles away, Class III-V(V+) - 5 miles long (Lower Five Miles to Clackamas River)
Roaring River, Clackamas County , 14 miles away, Class III-IV - 3 miles long (Road 4611 to Roaring River Campground)
Clackamas River, Clackamas County , 16 miles away, Class III-IV - 8 miles long (June Creek Br. to Collawash River)
Clackamas River, Clackamas County , 16 miles away, Class -blank- - 9.2 miles long (Collawash River to Three Lynx Power Station)
Hood River - Lake Branch, Hood River County , 16 miles away, Class IV-V - 3 miles long (3 miles above West Fork to Confluence with West Fork)
Sandy River, Clackamas County , 18 miles away, Class III-IV - 6.5 miles long (Marmot Dam to Revenue Bridge)
Collawash River, Marion County , 19 miles away, Class IV - 5.5 miles long (Mile 5.5 bridge to Two Rivers Picnic Area)
 Ski Areas Near Zigzag River:
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, Oregon , 12 miles away, 1500 vertical feet
Timberline Lodge, Oregon , 15 miles away, 3590 vertical feet
Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon , 18 miles away, 2777 vertical feet
Cooper Spur, Oregon , 23 miles away, 500 vertical feet
Hoodoo, Oregon , 45 miles away, 1035 vertical feet
Mt. Bachelor, Oregon , 67 miles away, 3365 vertical feet
White Pass, Washington , 73 miles away, 1500 vertical feet
Crystal Mountain, Washington , 84 miles away, 3100 vertical feet
Willamette Pass, Oregon , 85 miles away, 1563 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Zigzag River:
Whispering Woods (Vri), Welches , 3 miles away
Resort at the Mountain, Welches , 3 miles away
Mount Hood Inn, Government Camp , 11 miles away
Best Western Columbia River Inn, Cascade Locks , 16 miles away
Columbia Gorge Motel, Cascade Locks , 16 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Zigzag River:
Pioneer Tollgate Campground, Clackamas County, 2 miles away
Bighorn Campground, Clackamas County, 4 miles away
Mount Hood Village, Welches, 5 miles away
 Trails Near Zigzag River:
West Zigzag Mountain Trail, Clackamas County , 2 miles away, 6.4 hiking miles, 3016 feet elevation difference
Flag Mountain Trail, Clackamas County , 2 miles away, 1.6 hiking miles, 924 feet elevation difference
Plaza Trail, Clackamas County , 4 miles away,  6.2 hiking miles, 3149 feet elevation difference
Arrah Wanna Trail, Clackamas County , 4 miles away, 5 hiking miles, 3154 feet elevation difference
Bonanza Trail, Clackamas County , 4 miles away,  7.8 hiking miles, 3516 feet elevation difference
Hambone Trail, Clackamas County , 5 miles away, 7.2 hiking miles, 1286 feet elevation difference
Cool Creek Trail, Clackamas County , 5 miles away, 4.3 hiking miles, 3377 feet elevation difference
 National Parks Near Zigzag River:
Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford - WA , 68 miles away

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater