The Willamette River Water Trail

Distinguished as one of 40 National Water Trails in the United States, and one of just two located in Oregon, the Willamette River Water Trail is an assemblage of properties that provide access and campsites for paddlers along 187 miles of the mainstem Willamette River, as well as several miles of the Coast Fork Willamette, Middle Fork Willamette, and McKenzie River. Information about Water Trail access points, camp sites, safety, and suggested itineraries can be found at the Willamette Water Trail website (please note that this website is outdated on some pages and will receive a comprehensive overhaul in late 2026).

In collaboration with many other organizational partners, WRK produces and prints the Willamette Water Trail Guidebook. This waterproof guidebook includes 72 pages of trip-planning guidance and detailed maps covering the entire river, with rich site-specific information about land access, navigational hazards, and points of interest. To purchase the Willamette Water Trail Guidebook, visit Oregon Paddle Sports, Oregon WaterShed, Peak Sports, REI Salem-Keizer, Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe, or email [email protected].

For those who do not have access to a physical WWT Guidebook or who would prefer to view routes on their device, a compressed PDF version of the WWT Map is now available. The map is conveniently divided into five sections – Confluence (River Mile 0–25), Newburg Pool (RM 26–55), Mainstem (RM 56–131), Upper Mainstem (RM 131–175), and Headwaters (175–187+).