3. Clarno to Cottonwood

The John Day is one of the great river trips of the West which takes you down one of the lower 48's longest undammed rivers. Designated a Wild and Scenic River, the 70 mile section from Clarno to Cottonwood passes through remote canyon country with great camping and spectacular scenic vistas. This section is closed to jet boat use at all times (areas upstream and downstream are open to jet boats from October to April). Good weather and dependable flows make May and June the most popular time to float the river. Outside of the spring run-off you'll want to pay close attention to the river gauge as it usually too low to boat. The river has less challenging rapids than nearby rivers like the Deschutes or Grande Ronde but the spectacular scenery makes this a great river trip with opportunities for hiking and exploring the canyons. Two named rapids are Clarno Rapid and Basalt Rapids. Clarno is 5 miles from the put-in and rates class III/IV with some big waves and a hole to avoid at high flows and rocks to navigate at lower flows. As long as you are paying attention, the rapid is easy to scout from river left. Marking the entrance to the canyons where you leave the ranch land, Basalt Rapids is class II. Most of the ranch country comes in the first few miles but there are parcels of private land along the length of the river. The river is popular for fishing with the largest populations of wild spring chinook salmon and summer steelhead remaining in the Columbia River system. Smallmouth bass and channel catfish are non-native but support a vibrant fishery in the lower river. Regs/Permits/Etc.: The BLM requires an online permit year round, a river toilet for overnight trips, and a fire pan for having fires outside the annual fire ban season. Visit Recreation.gov for day use permits and overnight permits. For further regulations and information visit the John Day BLM website.