The 5 Best Rivers to Packraft in the Fall

Summer gets all the hype, but ask any seasoned packrafter and they'll tell you fall is the sweet spot. The crowds thin out, the permit lotteries loosen up, the bugs are gone, and the canyons and river corridors light up in gold and red. Nights get cold, so you'll want a warmer bag and a good dry suit or layers, but the payoff is worth it.

Here are five rivers that are at their best when the leaves start to turn.

1. Rogue River (Wild Section), Oregon

The Rogue is one of the original Wild and Scenic Rivers, and fall is when it quietly becomes a packrafter's dream. The BLM requires noncommercial permits from May 15 through October 15. After that window closes, you don't need to win a lottery to launch. Maples go yellow along the banks, salmon and steelhead are running, and you'll share camps with a lot fewer people.

• Stretch: Grave Creek to Foster Bar, about 35 miles

• Trip length: 3 to 4 days

• Whitewater: Class III with Class IV spots. Rainie Falls is a portage or a sneak, and Blossom Bar needs a scout.

• Fall tip: Flows are lower and more technical this time of year. Bring a boat that handles rocky lines and pack for cold, wet nights.

2. Green River (Labyrinth Canyon), Utah

If you want flatwater and huge scenery, Labyrinth Canyon is hard to beat. Summer out here is brutally hot, with afternoon thunderstorms. By late September and October, the days are warm, the nights are crisp, and the cottonwoods on the sandbars turn bright gold against the red rock. It's a great first multi-day trip, and a relaxing one for everyone else.

• Stretch: Green River State Park to Mineral Bottom, 68 miles (or 45 miles from Ruby Ranch)

• Trip length: 3 to 4 days minimum

• Whitewater: Class I flatwater. Expect to paddle, and plan around upstream wind.

• Permit: Required. Download it from the BLM and email it in before you launch.

• Fall tip: There's no cell service and no reliable water in the canyon. Carry all your drinking water and check the Mineral Bottom road before you go.

3. Upper Missouri River Breaks, Montana

Follow the route of Lewis and Clark through the White Cliffs, sandstone spires, and wide-open prairie of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Fall brings golden grass, yellow cottonwoods, elk bugling in the breaks, and a river that feels almost empty.

• Stretch: Coal Banks Landing to Judith Landing, about 47 miles

• Trip length: 3 to 4 days

• Whitewater: Class I with gentle current. Watch for snags and submerged rocks.

• Permit: Not required for noncommercial groups of 30 or fewer, but register at the landing.

• Fall tip: The BLM warns that snowstorms can happen in early fall. Pack for winter conditions and check the forecast right before you launch.

4. Rio Grande (Santa Elena Canyon), Texas

Big Bend is too hot in summer, and the monsoon brings flash floods through early October. According to the National Park Service, fall (October to November) is one of the most comfortable times to be on the river. Santa Elena Canyon's 1,500-foot limestone walls, with Texas on one side and Mexico on the other, make it one of the most dramatic places you'll ever float a packraft.

• Stretch: Lajitas to the Santa Elena Canyon trailhead, about 20 miles (13 open miles, then 7 in the canyon)

• Trip length: 2 days

• Whitewater: Mostly easy, but the Rock Slide, about 2 miles into the canyon, can be Class IV depending on water levels.

• Permit: A backcountry permit is required for overnight trips. Get it at a Big Bend visitor center up to 7 days ahead.

• Fall tip: Flows vary a lot. Check current CFS and talk to a ranger before you commit.

5. Lower Salmon River, Idaho

The Salmon is one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the lower 48, and its lower section runs through one of the deepest canyons in the country. In fall, the summer heat breaks, the big white-sand beaches are wide open, and the steelhead run. The rapids are fun and splashy, and the camps are some of the best anywhere.

• Stretch: Hammer Creek to Heller Bar, about 70 miles including the Snake River take-out

• Trip length: 4 to 5 days

• Whitewater: Class II–III, with some rapids getting pushier at low water. Slide Rapid deserves a scout.

• Permit: Required through the BLM Cottonwood Field Office. Portable toilets and fire pans are also required.

• Fall tip: Lower flows mean slower current, so plan for shorter days on the water and enjoy the extra beach time.

Before You Go

Fall trips reward the prepared. Days are shorter, water is colder, and weather can change fast. Check flows and permit rules with the managing agency right before your trip, since conditions change every year. Pack insulation for camp and dress for immersion, not the air temperature. Always tell someone your float plan.

Ready to chase the colors? Go North Rafts has the packrafts and gear to get you there.