Clarno to Cottonwood Bridge, John Day + Blue Mountains Area, Oregon, US

www.outdoorproject.com MADE BY: Brian Haber CONTRIBUTOR: Halvor Tweto LAST UPDATED: 09/27/2019 - 9:17am © The Outdoor Project LLC NOTE: Content specified is from time of PDF creation. Please check website for up-to-date information or for changes. Maps are illustrative in nature and should be used for reference only. John Day River: Clarno to Cottonwood Bridge, John Day + Blue Mountains Area, Oregon, US

Adventure Description by Halvor Tweto | 06/04/2013 The John Day River is the longest undammed river in Oregon and one of the longest in the United States. From its headwaters to its convergence with the Columbia River just east of the John Day Dam, this river stretches for 281 miles through Central Oregon’s arid environment, and 147 miles of the river are protected as Wild and Scenic.

Much of the John Day’s flow originates at the 9,000-foot level, where Strawberry Mountain snowmelt forms the headwaters of the river. Flows diminish significantly by mid-summer after the primary melt and once regional irrigation demands begin in earnest. Low flows can limit floating possibilities to all but the smallest watercraft. May and June are thus the most popular months to float the John Day River. Though the flows were just fine for our trip at the end of May, at 1,900 cfs the water was already down to levels more consistent with mid-June floats.

Between Clarno and Cottonwood there are 92 campsites shown on the John Day Recreation Guide published by the BLM. Most of these sites are obvious and obviously good; Halvor Tweto | 06.04.13 others would require a great deal of imagination and flexibility from users, either because of size, flows, or vegetation. We’ve tried to indicate where more workable campsites exist. Campsites are first-come, first-served, which means you may Highlights find yourself cruising the banks at the end of a long day looking for a place to camp, especially during the river’s more AVERAGE GRADIENT: 11.00 ft/mi (2.08 m/km) popular months. Also note that the campsite selection is thin in ROUTE CHARACTERISTICS: CHARACTER: Gorge the ten miles leading up to the Cottonwood Bridge take-out. DAYS: 5 Because the few springs along this section of river are intermittent and the river itself receives such heavy agricultural GAUGE URL: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?14046500 use, you may want to carry your own drinking water if you OVERALL DIFFICULTY: III have that option. MOST DIFFICULT RAPID: Class III There is really only one significant named rapid on this stretch, MOTORS ALLOWED: No Clarno Rapid. This Class III rapid caused some trouble for a PARKING PASS: Not Required few canoes that launched at the same time as our trip. There PERMIT REQUIRED: Yes is a great scout and portage option on river left just above the rapid. Aside from Clarno Rapid, the river is consistently Class II PERMIT SELF-ISSUE ON SITE: Yes when there is any whitewater at all. PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Spring PUT-IN LOCATION (LAT, LONG COORDINATES): Clarno The many splendid features that make this river one of Oregon’s great floating opportunities are really too plentiful to RECOMMENDED MINIMUM FLOW: 37.16 ft (11.33 m) detail. Our highlights: watching Oregon’s geological history SUITABLE FOR: Kayaks unfolding around us in the form of elaborate basalt formations, SHUTTLE REQUIRED: No rushing to start a fire (only legal before June 1) as black clouds TAKE-OUT LOCATION (LAT, LONG rumbled above us, floating by clusters of wary bighorn sheep as they nimbly negotiated the riverside scree, applauding a COORDINATES): Cottonwood Bridge cloud cluster’s almost choreographed performance around a TOTAL DISTANCE: 70.00 mi (112.65 km) rising moon, listening to children’s coyote howls echoing down TYPICALLY MULTI-DAY: Yes the canyon, and then to the close imitation erupting back at us from a nearby but invisible roaming pack.

For permits and seasonal regulations for this and other www.outdoorproject.com MADE BY: Brian Haber CONTRIBUTOR: Halvor Tweto LAST UPDATED: 09/27/2019 - 9:17am © The Outdoor Project LLC NOTE: Content specified is from time of PDF creation. Please check website for up-to-date information or for changes. Maps are illustrative in nature and should be used for reference only. segments of the John Day River, check the BLM website.

Getting there (from Portland):

- From Portland, take I-84 E/US 30 E toward The Dalles - Take exit 104 for US-97 toward Yakima Bend - Turn right onto US-97 S/Sherman Hwy - Continue to follow US-97 S - In approximately 55 miles, turn left onto D St - Take the 2nd right onto OR-218 E/State Hwy 218 E - In approximately 22 miles turn left into the Clarno boat ramp parking lot www.outdoorproject.com MADE BY: Brian Haber CONTRIBUTOR: Halvor Tweto LAST UPDATED: 09/27/2019 - 9:17am © The Outdoor Project LLC NOTE: Content specified is from time of PDF creation. Please check website for up-to-date information or for changes. Maps are illustrative in nature and should be used for reference only.

0 1.0 mi. 2.0 mi. John Day River Mile 109 to Mile 94, OR NORTH

SEE ADJOINING MAP Hiking Trail MILE 93 TO MILE 66 NORTH POLE RIDGE 4WD Trail M 94 WILDERNESS Pack Trail STUDY AREA Paved Rd (major) Paved Rd (minor) Forest Rd (major) M 95 Forest Rd (minor) Featured Route

M 96 Trailhead Butte Creek Parking

M 97 Restrooms TO FOSSIL Vault Toilet

M 98 Picnic Area

Picnic Shelter M 99 Ranger Station ENLARGE Historic Landmark Long Hollow Creek

Vista / Viewpoint M 100 Waterfall

Boat Put-in/Take-out M 101 Swimming

Campground M 102 Recommended Campsite

Deep Creek Potential Campsite

M 103 Showers

Shelter Big Lake x2 LOWER CLARNO (III-IV) M 104 Cabin

Rotten Yurt Lake M 105 Potable Water UPPER CLARNO (III) Cliff Jumping M 106 Hot Spring

Horseback Riding

M 107 Wildlife Sorefoot Creek Beach

M 108 River Distance Marker The Buttes EL 3,020 JOHN DAY Peak

218 M 109 FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL One Mile Grid TO THE DALLES MOUNUMENT CLARNO TO JOHN DAY HWY

ENLARGE www.outdoorproject.com MADE BY: Brian Haber CONTRIBUTOR: Halvor Tweto LAST UPDATED: 09/27/2019 - 9:17am © The Outdoor Project LLC NOTE: Content specified is from time of PDF creation. Please check website for up-to-date information or for changes. Maps are illustrative in nature and should be used for reference only.

0 1.0 mi. 2.0 mi. John Day River Mile 93 to Mile 66, OR NORTH

M 66 SEE ADJOINING MAP Hiking Trail MILE 65 TO MILE 40 4WD Trail PALISADES Pack Trail Paved Rd (major) M 67 x2 Paved Rd (minor) LOWER JOHN DAY M 68 Forest Rd (major) WILDERNESS STUDY AREA Forest Rd (minor) Featured Route x2 Trailhead M 69 Parking M 71 M 70 Restrooms

Jackknife Canyon Creek Vault Toilet

M 72 Picnic Area

Picnic Shelter M 73 Richmond Rd Ranger Station M 74 ENLARGE Historic Landmark M 75 x2 HORSESHOE BEND M 76 Vista / Viewpoint THIRTYMILE Waterfall M 77 x3 WILDERNESS STUDY AREA Boat Pit-in/Take-out

M 78 x2 Swimming

Campground M 80 M 79 Recommended Campsite

M 81 Potential Campsite x2 M 82 Showers

Thirtymile Creek Shelter

M 83 Cabin M 84 Yurt

Pine Hollow Creek Potable Water

M 85 Cliff Jumping

x2 Hot Spring M 86 Horseback Riding M 87 Wildlife

M 88 Beach x2 River Distance Marker NORTH POLE RIDGE M 89 Peak WILDERNESS M 91 STUDY AREA One Mile Grid x2 BASALT RAPIDS (II+) x4 SEE ADJOINING MAP M 90 MILE 109 TO MILE 94 M 93 M 92

0 1.0 mi. 2.0 mi. John Day River Mile 65 to Mile 40, OR NORTH JS Burres Day Use Area Hiking Trail TO WASCO 4WD Trail M 40 Pack Trail Paved Rd (major) COTTONWOOD BRIDGE Paved Rd (minor) M 41 COTTONWOOD Forest Rd (major) STATE PARK Forest Rd (minor) BIG EDDY Power Lines M 42 Featured Route M 43 Trailhead

Parking

206 M 44 Restrooms M 45 Vault Toilet ENLARGE M 46 Picnic Area

M 47 Picnic Shelter M 48 ENLARGERanger Station ENLARGE M 49 Cottonwood Rd Historic Landmark

M 50 Devils Canyon Creek Vista / Viewpoint

Waterfall

M 51 Boat Ramp

M 52 Swimming

Campground TO CONDON M 53 Recommended Campsite x3 Ajax Rd M 55 Potential Campsite LOWER JOHN DAY M 54 WILDERNESS STUDY AREA Showers Ferry Canyon Creek

M 56 Shelter

Cabin M 57 Yurt x3 Potable Water

M 58 Cliff Jumping

Hot Spring M 59

Horseback Riding HOOT OWL ROCK M 60 Wildlife M 61 Beach

River Distance Marker

Peak M 62 M 63 M 65 One Mile Grid M 64 SEE ADJOINING MAP MILE 93 TO MILE 66

ENLARGE