The Klickitat River begins in the Goat Rocks Wilderness and flows through the Yakima Reservation before reaching the most common rafting and kayaking put-in at Parrot's Crossing.
Kayaking the beautiful Klickitat River
The whitewater is continuous Class III and the scenery consists of vertical walls of columnar basalt and huge Ponderosa Pines. You'll really have a sense of being in a remote wilderness area with no roads or signs of civilization. Above 3,000 cfs the river is big water Class IV.
Trip Highlights
Mile 0: Put-in at Parrot's Crossing. There is an alternate kayak upstream for kayaks that requires lowering kayaks down a long slide.
Sign at Parrot's Crossing on the Upper Klickitat River
Mile 2.8: The Klickitat takes a sharp left turn signaling the beginning of the far left run needed to avoid a dangerous river wide logjam. Most of the current goes into a right channel, but you need to take the shallow left line next to a large cliff.
You want to take the left line next to this basalt wall to miss the river wide log jam
Mile 3.1: In the past there was a dangerous log jam in the main channel. High water during the winter of 2015 removed this log jam. There is a beautiful basalt wall on the left here. Please be careful here as the logjam could reappear at any time.
Rowing through the location of the historic logjam
Mile 3.8: Deer creek drops over a beautiful waterfall on the left. Below there the river is nearly continuous Class III.
Mile 5.1: There is a tricky unnamed rock slalom (III+) here.
Mile 8.1: Take-out on the right side before a river wide weir. The take-out is easy to miss so be sure to scout the landing while you're setting your shuttle.
Weir at the Klickitat Fish Hatchery
You can also portage or line the left side the weir and continue down to Leidl Campground. The weir is dangerous so please scout beforehand and be safe!
