Section 1
Service Creek to Clarno
A 48-mile Class II–III trip commonly planned for three to five days.
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Oregon river guide
Service Creek, Clarno, and Cottonwood multiday sections
A free-flowing desert river with flexible section choices, long wilderness miles, excellent camps, and a trip calendar governed by runoff, heat, and wind.
River miles
48 or 70 popular multiday miles
Typical trip
3–10 days by section and flow
Difficulty
Class II–IV
Permit
Online permit required year-round in the Wild and Scenic section
Section 1
A 48-mile Class II–III trip commonly planned for three to five days.
Section 2
The principal Class III–IV feature; low-water passage and scouting require special attention.
Section 3
Seventy remote miles commonly planned for four to ten days, strongly dependent on flow and craft.
Section 4
Cottonwood to McDonald Crossing offers additional desert canyon travel; McDonald is the final public takeout before Tumwater Falls.
Put-in
Service Creek or Clarno
Takeout
Clarno or Cottonwood Bridge
Common season
Spring runoff; lower section also popular in fall
Current conditions
Use the linked official gauge or flow source before departure
Fossil
Clarno-side fuel, lodging, and limited food
Condon
Cottonwood-side staging and lodging
Prineville
BLM office and major regional resupply
Online permit required year-round in the Wild and Scenic section
Trip leader, group size, equipment, camping, fire, launch, and access rules may change. Carry the issued permit and the current agency stipulations.
Snowpack and rainfall—not a regulating dam—drive speed and season.
Groups can match trip length to Service Creek, Clarno, or Cottonwood access.
Basalt, wildlife, fishing, and broad camps define the corridor.
Checked against the linked managing-agency guidance on August 3, 2026. Conditions, access, permits, and provider availability can change; confirm before departure.
TripForge
Keep crew, boats, meals, gear, permit files, shuttle contacts, and launch checks together.