3. River Bridge to North Fork Park

This run is best in the summer when all else is too low. The spring-fed water is cold and clear all year long most years and the run is more fun at low water. The fun consists of riverwide ledge drops, bedrock rapids and bolder gardens. Not fun consists of a one mile flat paddle to the take-out. The first drop is a riverwide ledge with a notch on the right. It is usual to run the notch. Endos may be had here. When you're done, look back. If you could have run the ledge, the water is high. If the water is high, the second ledge (a quarter mile farther) is sticky and its a good idea to find the sneak on the left. With this one exception, all rapids on this run are easier to run, sneak, or portage on the right. After the first cabin, the river slows down and just before the head of the reservoir is a last big drop. It consists of a gravel slide on the right of the island and nice class IV on the left. At medium water a nice play wave forms at the top left side of the island. Just below this wave is a full river sweeper which can be easily boofed even at low flows. Because the log is under water it is not easy to see. Do not try to boof this log while upside down or swimming. Logistics: To reach the take-out, take Oregon State Highway 62 to Prospect. At Highway 62 mile 45.2 take the 0.4 mile spur road to North Fork Park, a public day-use area on the reservoir maintained by PacifiCorp as a requirement of their hydropower license. To reach the put-in, head north on Oregon State Highway 62 and at mile 49.1 turn left on USFS 6210 toward River Bridge Campground. Head 0.9 mile to the river and put in at the bridge.