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Methow River

 

 

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Methow River Rafting Outfitters


Nearby Cities and Towns
Mazama
Twisp
Winthrop

More Washington Rafting Rivers
Cispus River
Elwha River
Green River
Hoh River
Methow River
Nisqually River
Nooksack River
Sauk River
Skagit River
Skykomish River
Suiattle River
Tieton River
White Salmon River
Wenatchee River
Yakima River


Photo courtesy Blue Sky Outfitters

In the heart of the Okanogan Valley, on the Cascade Loop, just north of Lake Chelan and south of the Old West town of Winthrop, the Methow River is an Eastern Washington gem. The Methow flows out of the North Cascades National Park and journeys through farmland and orchards along its way to the Columbia River. The Methow River is loved for its big water, rollercoaster waves, long rapids, and (usually) sunny, hot, dry Eastern Washington weather. The best water levels are in May and June.

The commercially rafted part of the river is a class 3 to 4 section, usually the last 15 miles or so of the river before it flows into the Columbia River at Patreos. It’s a great stretch for beginning to intermediate rafters. Most trips start off in calmer water with mostly class 1 and 2 rapids, making for a good warm up. The real action starts with Engle’s Slide, a class 3 rapid. The most challenging section of the river is next, a class 4 drop named Black Canyon. Here Black Canyon Creek flows into the Methow and the river narrows within the canyon while dropping quickly in elevation, creating fantastic waves and The Black Hole. Directly following is the ledges of Staircase with its powerful waves. The action continues with Corner Rapids and Another Roadside Attraction.

The river description above courtesy of Blue Sky Outfitters.

 

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Washington Whitewater: The 34 Best Whitewater Rivers
by Douglass A. North
March 1992, revised edition, Paperback, 304 pages, (guidebook)
All the information you need before running a river: maps, river flow data including recommended ranges, directions to the put-ins and take-outs, and river logs identifying various rapids and hazards.
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Washington Boating and Water Sports
by Terry Rudnick
April 2000, Paperback, 550 pages.
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Camping! Washington: the Complete Guide to Public Campgrounds for RVs and Tents
by Ron C. Judd
May 1999, Sasquatch Books, 288 pages (non-fiction)
Facilities and ratings for more than 600 Washington campgrounds, by a Washington native.
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