The mighty Rogue River flows 215 miles from its headwaters in Crater Lake National Park to the Pacific Ocean in Gold Beach.
In 1968, an 84-mile stretch of the Rogue River was designated as a National Wild & Scenic River by the US Congress, which means that it is protected from development and other forms of disturbance that could degrade its natural and scenic qualities. This designation recognizes the river's exceptional values, including its outstanding scenery, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities.
Our trips take you through 43 miles of the Wild & Scenic section of the river, stopping at 3 comfortable riverside wilderness lodges along the way. All trips include 3 hearty meals and all of the gear and instruction you need to catch those pesky half pounders!
Where We Drift
Your Adventure Awaits
Big Fish Stories
Embark on a thrilling journey as you take in the scenery, the wildlife, and the adrenaline of the experience. Make sure to save your “Big Fish” pictures and stories for the dinner table each night.
Unforgettable Memories
Create lasting memories and stories to share. Immerse yourself in the thrill of the Oregon wilderness. Along the way, you might spot a black bear, bald eagle, river otter or salmon and steelhead trout who make their home along this incredible river.
Expert Guides
Benefit from the knowledge and expertise of our professional guides. Our guides are all trained to navigate the waters of the Rogue to make your trip enjoyable and safe.
Migrants on the River of No Return
Big-shouldered Tim leaned back—you may want to put
the camera down: a five-pound steelhead shook and hurt
and beat the line to family: drift boat, river, and guide—
fingerlings in the Rogue, caught in the triangle like pinecones
until we beached at Illahe Lodge to a meal of thanks
and our questions washed to the sea floor, having swung,
nymphed, and twitched the eddies and crags of
this metamorphosed canyon, each of us bluer than ice
in the morning cold when the sunlight crested the sugar pines
to the mayfly, the floating green line, the wrinkled waist of
river winding down, winding down, and what the guide
would not say—you may never catch a thing but the boat
will cuss you with fresh, aluminum corners and sometime
when the smell of bacon rises from the kitchen at dawn,
you think the world has tipped to Ernie and Coleen, father
and daughter proprietors of the Illahe, and we pulled the drapes
to stars in the deep night, one lost solar system like this,
turning and turning into the boil of water and sky and time
without the lungs of worry and wait and wishing it were
otherwise. This is the Rogue without us—we were only
here to watch the bear eat the buck in the grass, the otters
roll in the sand, and turtles pop from rocks. Like filaments
of desire—we were quick, cool, unearthed from this place
for the squint of a second when the steelhead swam from our hands.
— Shaun Griffin, Nevada Poet Laureate, Drift Guest October 2024
“Fishing is not an escape from life, but often a deeper immersion into it.”