ECHO River Trips

Trip Details

Rogue River (4 or 5 day trips)

Meeting Place: Galice Resort & General Store, Galice, Oregon
Meeting Time: 9:00 AM on your trip start date

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ECHO provides the following:

  • Transportation from Galice Resort to the river
  • Transportation from the river back to Galice Resort
  • 3 - 5 days of rafting on the Rogue River
  • All on-river meals
  • Tent (by request)
  • Freshly laundered sleeping bag and pad (by request)
  • Waterproof bags (1 large overnight, 1 small for day use)
  • Rafting gear, camp chairs, eating utensils

You are responsible for:

  • Meals and lodging before and after your trip
  • Personal clothing and other miscellaneous items
  • Guide gratuities (see below)

How to Get There

If You Fly Please plan your flight to arrive the day before your river trip. The closest commercial airport is Medford, Oregon (MFR), located about a 1-hour drive to Galice. It is serviced by United, Delta, Allegiant and Alaska Airlines.

The Portland airport (PDX) is almost a 5-hour drive to Galice, but is usually less expensive to fly into. The drive is easy (straight down I-5) and perfect if you plan to visit other sites in Oregon like Crater Lake National Park or the beautiful Oregon coast.

You’ll need to arrange transportation from the airport to your motel and back. Shuttle service from Medford Airport is available through Galice Resort at (541) 476-3818 or Affordable Shuttles at (866) 484-4467. You can also rent a car if you plan to explore more of Oregon or northern California before or after your river trip.

If You Drive Take Interstate 5 towards Grants Pass. About 3 miles north of Grants Pass, take the Merlin exit (#61). Follow this road (the Merlin-Galice Road) west 15 miles through Merlin to Galice. The Galice Resort & General Store is on the right of the road. Galice is about a 35-minute drive from Grants Pass. There is a secure parking area in which to leave your car while you are on the river.

Car Shuttle to Take-Out If your travel plans will continue to the Oregon coast after your river trip, you may opt to have your car shuttled to the take-out instead of riding back to Galice with the group. You can arrange the car shuttle with the Galice Resort the morning of your trip, just arrive a little early to set it up. Cost for the car shuttle to take-out is about $110.

Where to Stay

Make reservations well in advance. ECHO does not make reservations or cover the cost of your room. We recommend that you plan to stay in Galice, if taking a shuttle from the airport. If driving, Grants Pass is not far away and has many additional lodging options. Wherever you stay, please mention that you are on an ECHO trip.

In Galice
In Merlin
In Grants Pass
Campgrounds
  • Indian Mary, Griffin Park, Whitehorse Park, and Lake Selmac Park all take reservations. Contact Josephine County Parks as (541) 474-5285 for more information.

Trip Outline

We cover the same 38 miles on a 3, 4 or 5 day trip with time for hiking and exploring. 5-day trips usually have a layover day at a scenic campsite with lots of time to hike and explore.

The Morning of your Trip At 9 AM your head guide will meet you in front of the Galice Resort. Look for him or her (wearing an ECHO hat or T-shirt) in the parking lot or inside the store. There is a restaurant and small store at the Galice Resort; be sure to eat a hearty breakfast. Come to the meeting point dressed in your river clothes. Your head guide will distribute dry bags to pack in and show you where to park your cars. A shuttle van will take you on a five minute ride to the Almeda Bar put-in. Final preparations (loading your waterproof bags onto boats and a safety talk) will take about an hour.

Safety Talk on the Rogue River | ECHO River Trips

On the River The pace of your Rogue River rafting trip is dependent on the water level. You will usually spend four to five hours a day on the river. Breakfast is served about 8 AM and you are on the water by about 10 AM. There will be a stop midday for lunch and maybe some short hikes. You will arrive at camp in the late afternoon, allowing time to hike and relax before we serve dinner. If you are new to camping the guides will be happy to help you.

After the Trip The trip ends at Foster Bar in the early afternoon. At this time you say good-bye to all but your head guide and board a passenger van, which will return you and your gear to Galice (unless you have arranged for your car to be shuttled). The van trip takes about two hours, arriving back in Galice late afternoon (between 3-5 PM). It's a beautiful but windy drive: those prone to carsickness may want to be prepared with Dramamine.

Your Personal Responsibility

We handle trip logistics, provide the food and rafting equipment, and make sure that you have knowledgeable and well-trained guides. We see to it that you are comfortable and that you see the Rogue's special places. However, we do have some expectations of you:

1. We expect that you will bring adequate clothing, based on the information we have provided (What to Bring), and that your sleeping bag, pad, and personal gear will fit the size requirements of our waterproof bags (17' diameter by 32' tall).

Overnight Dry Bag | ECHO River Trips

2. We ask that you approach your trip with an open mind for adventure and discovery.

Additional Information

Fishing Fishing on the Rogue River is not great in the spring or summer and regulations do not allow fishing from our boats. If you wish to try your luck, Oregon fishing licenses can be purchased at Oregon sporting good stores and the Galice Resort. We recommend collapsible poles for ease in packing.

Guides Our guides have a deep appreciation for the rivers we run and want you to enjoy your trip with them. They are happy to help you if you are an inexperienced camper or have questions about the river. ECHO guides are accomplished in outdoor skills and trained in first aid and CPR. In addition, the guides are mature, interesting people we think you'll enjoy.

Gratuities We are often asked if tipping is appropriate. Tips are certainly appreciated by our guides. Tips normally range from 5% to 10% of the trip cost. Whether and how much you tip should depend on your satisfaction with the trip, your feelings about tipping, and your financial means. At the end of the trip guests usually give their tip to the head guide, who will split it equally among the crew.

Equipment ECHO provides boats, life jackets (PFDs), dry bags, paddles, helmets (when required) and a limited number of waterproof boxes for cameras and small personal items such as binoculars. We recommend you bring a ziplock plastic bag as a liner for your camera and purchase camera insurance, or better yet, a disposable waterproof camera. ECHO also provides cups, plates, eating utensils, and camp chairs.

ECHO Cheers | ECHO River Trips

Meals and Alcohol ECHO provides all meals from lunch on the first day to lunch on the last day. We specialize in creative and delicious meals, and excellent Dutch oven cookery. Your guides will prepare your meals using a variety of fresh foods. Vegetarian and restricted diets will gladly be accommodated with advance notice. Fruit juice and water are available with every meal, wine is often served with dinner, and coffee, tea, and cocoa are available at breakfast and dinner.

In camp, beer and sodas are provided (up to two cans per person per day). Additional beverages may be brought but must be in unbreakable containers. For your safety, drinking of alcoholic beverages on the river during the day is not allowed.

Environmental Concerns Depending on where the group camps, we will be using portable toilents (aka groovers) or outhouses. While not like the comforts of home, when setting up toilet facilities, we are conscious of privacy needs, sanitation and environmental impact. To protect the river, we carry out all trash and use no soap in the river. The guides will instruct you in simple procedures that minimize the impact of our group on the canyon, and we ask for your cooperation.

Cancellations and Travel Insurance We strictly adhere to our cancellation policies as explained on your (or your group organizer's) invoice. Trip capacity is strictly regulated by law and your reservation may mean we cannot sell space to others. Because of this, travel insurance is strongly recommended. It will reimburse you if you make a late cancellation because of illness or an illness in the family. Otherwise you are welcome to find a friend to replace you. Call if you did not receive a travel insurance form or a copy of ECHO's cancellation policy and would like one.

Registration Form & Health Information Rafting trips are not strenuous, but you should be in good health. If there are any medical considerations (such as allergies, heart conditions, etc.) or dietary restrictions we should know about, please let us know on your trip registration (either online or on the paper form), well in advance so we can follow up with you if necessary.

Area Attractions While in Oregon you may wish to visit Crater Lake National Park or the Oregon Caves National Monument. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is also nearby in Ashland. Performances often sell out, call (541) 482-4331 for more information. Also popular is the Peter Britt Festival featuring music and dance (541) 779-0847.

Anything Else? Please contact our office if you have any questions about your trip. Once you are on the river, our guides will be happy to answer questions or assist you. We welcome any suggestions you have and want you to enjoy your river trip!

 

(800) 652-3246