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Rogue River
 Sometimes, being on the Rogue River is like being in a National Geographic Special. . .
Otter, deer, bear, heron, salmon and osprey are abundant and we often have front row seats for spectacular events: leaping fish, diving birds, browsing deer, and playing otters. There’s whitewater too, and we always have front row seats for the exciting Class II and III rapids in either of our stable oar rafts, social paddle rafts or daring inflatable kayaks.
Add incredible side streams with some of the best swimming holes anywhere, picturesque campsites surrounded by the diverse flora and fauna of Southern Oregon’s Cascade Range, interesting human history including Zane Grey’s cabin, and water that is perfect for swimming and you end up with perhaps the best family vacation adventure to be found.
These whitewater rafting trips begin and end in Grants Pass, Oregon a convenient drive from California.
"All aspects were above excellent. We could
not have had a better time."
Becky Mock
"I can't say enough about your guides. They all really helped make the trip one of the greatest vacations my kids and I have been on."
Susan McKinney
"We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the wonderful ARTA staff who helped make our family vacation one to remember! The guides were incredible."
The Flanagan Family
ARTA GUIDE
ELANA SILVERMAN
 2009 probably wasn’t the best year to be an unemployed Dance Major from Smith College, even if you did have a minor in Spanish. (And did we mention she sang for four years in the Smith College Choir?) But Elana’s not worried; she also has a degree in river guiding, so she’s resourceful, low-maintenance and used to eating leftovers. Plus, she’s very personable, (making her a natural for her winter job peddling organic Tofu at Farmer’s Markets), creative (she has bartered unsold Tofu for coffee, flowers, yarn and other essentials), a vegetarian (she eats out of her backyard) and patient (she’s just waiting for the stimulus package that will boost the meat-free Spanish dance industry).
Meet more of our guides...
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For Left Brained People:
In one word: Family
In another word: Wildlife
Expect to: Bond
Meeting Place:Grants Pass, OR
Length in days: 3, 4 or 5
Length in miles: 37
Gradient: 13 feet/mile
Overall difficulty: III
Highest difficulty (#): IV- (2)
Rapids/day: ~ 10
Signature Rapid: Blossom Bar
Types of boats: Oar, paddle
 and inflatable kayak
Hiking: B
Scenery: A-
Wilderness: B+
Fishing: B+
Campsites: B
Wildlife: A+
Swimming: A+
For Right Brained People:
The Rogue is beautiful, but in that unassuming, natural, comfortable, not-flashy kind of way; like it would look good in sweat pants and a T-shirt, in the morning. No stunning, cover-of-National-Geographic vistas, just mile after mile of gentle prettiness. Same with the rapids, no real heart-stoppers or poster-shots, just mile after mile of fun, straightforward, manageable drops and chutes; frequent, but not frenzied. It has its moments, like at Mule Creek Canyon where the whole river channels down into a narrow, walled-in gorge and rushes through a mile-long stretch of lively whitewater, but for the most part, this is just an easy place to be. The water is that perfect-for-swimming temperature; we take lots of different kinds of boats, from ridiculously relaxing oar rafts to dial-your-own-thrill-level inflatable kayaks; there are tons of side-streams; there are good campsites with great swimming opportunities; a few short hikes, a few historic cabins, and so much wildlife that you may get tired of watching osprey dive for fish. For kids it’s like a playground; for parents, well, it’s like taking your kids to the playground.
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