What should you consider when you are considering a river trip?

Where to begin?

Consider your group or who you will be inviting to go with you rafting. Are they young, robust outdoor adventuring types? Do you have a group of widely varying ages? Is this a Cub Scout, elementary school or collection of younger kids?

Are you - personally - seeking adventure? Or just sunshine and getting splashed? Are you looking to feel relaxed or exhilarated or something in between?

Are you a confident, competent swimmer unafraid of Washington’s notoriously not-warm waters? Or is a dog-paddle the best you can muster under the best of circumstances?

Is time an issue? Like is the river trip just going to be one of many adventures you are planning for a weekend? Or is the river trip the main reason you are fleeing the confines of the city and you’d like the time on the water to go on for as long as possible?

Maybe you want to spend more than a day on a river? Overnight river trips where you camp along the river are rare in Washington but we have a gem of a river in north central Oregon we would love to introduce you to where you can spend as many as five days and four nights soundly sleeping beneath the stars.

If an overnight trip of any length appeals to you, perhaps a trip with a theme would appeal to you even more. A trip of all women including your guides. A trip dedicated to geology and astronomy taught by respected masters of the subjects. A trip where yoga and wholistic meals are the focus. A trip that you can bring your non-aggressive, well-socialized best friend along, aka Fido.

Of course, there are also overnight trips just for family or friends groups, individuals or couples, who just want to ditch their cellphones and get away from it all. Kick back at camp and watch the ‘world’ slip by in the magical form of water.

Whether you want to challenge big water and test your mettle, or just relax and enjoy the sun on your face, you can choose brief half-day river trips, or a more leisurely unhurried, whitewater runs, or multi-day raft trips on one of several rivers in the Washington Cascades or in the northern reach of the Oregon Cascades.