7 Mile Bridge to South Santiam River

Canyon Creek is one of the challenging creeks in Oregon. Steep, continuous drops with undercuts and log hazards make Canyon Creek an excellent run for expert boaters. Unstable geology also makes Canyon Creek one of the more dynamic creeks in Oregon with rapid configurations changing every few years after big flood events. Only a couple of the big rapids can be scouted beforehand so consider carefully before committing to the run. The first half mile of the run is flat with several logs and gives no indication of the intense rapids found farther downstream. The first major rapid, Chocolate Chips, consists of a tricky ledge drop at the top and a narrow slot into a hole at the bottom. Scout/portage on the right. Another 100 yards downstream is the beginning of Chicken Little, a long, complex boulder garden that often contains wood. Several sharp ledges and steep boulder gardens follow Chicken Little, including Demon Seed where most of the current slams into an undercut boulder on the right. Shortly after Demon Seed boaters reach Terminator. Terminator starts with a tricky lead-in section followed by the crux move which consists of making the thin line through a narrow slot on the right to avoid a dangerous sieve on the left. Scout/portage on the right. Immediately below Terminator is a very steep boulder garden, Day of Judgement. Day of Judgement sits adjacent to an active landslide area and has changed dramatically several times over the years. It often contains sieves and undercut rocks with challenging moves. Most boaters choose to portage Day of Judgement. Scout/portage on the right. More steep rapids continue for another mile before the gradient decreases and the rapids become smaller and less frequent. Be on the lookout for a steep drop near the middle of this flatter section. Osprey Rapid can be scouted or portaged on the right. The mile above the take-out contains many fun class 3-4 rapids set in a beautiful canyon and is a great way to end the day after the challenging rapids upstream. There are several online resources with descriptions and photos, although they can be rather dated. The upper section and lower section are described here. Also, see the description on Jason Rackley's excellent Oregon Kayaking website. Flow estimate here: Between 400 and 600 cfs is ideal for a first time run, though it can be run higher, or as low as 200 cfs. The rapid known as Day of Judgement was altered circa 2007 and is now commonly portaged.