Moonshine Falls

Moonshine Falls of the Klamath

Price: $250/person
Overview: Class IV+ | 8 Hours (w/transport) | Lunch Included
Meet Time: 9:00 a.m. at the Running Y Resort
2026 Season: May 17 – September 30
Restrictions:
– Minimum age (8 years old for Keno, 14 years old for Class IV section)
– Maximum weight (250 pounds)
– Maximum participants per raft (typically 4)

Please note: This trip features a wide range of whitewater, unique sections of river, and can be customized for your specific group. For instance, those who prefer to only raft the Keno section in the morning will be provided an afternoon tour of the former J.C. Boyle dam site and a driving tour to Spring Island, the take out location.

Running Y Resort is the preferred lodging partner and official meet location for our Klamath Falls whitewater rafting trips. Located in Klamath Falls, Oregon, Running Y serves as a convenient basecamp for exploring the restored Klamath River and Southern Oregon. Guests enjoy comfortable resort accommodations, on-site dining, and seamless morning meet-ups, with transportation provided to and from the river. Staying at Running Y makes it easy to combine guided Klamath River rafting with a relaxing resort stay near Crater Lake National Park.

The closest rafting to Klamath Falls, Moonshine Falls marks the middle of the Keno and Big Bend sections of the Klamath River. These sections present the most technical and challenging whitewater on the entire Klamath River.

Historically, the Keno section would conclude in the J.C. Boyle Reservoir and the Big Bend section was “bypassed” (water was transported in a canal for miles, leaving the river with inadequate flows for rafting). Post dam removal, these sections offer an incredible journey of whitewater, history, and restoration.

Our morning starts at the base of Keno dam. Our morning float is a relaxing and relatively mellow section of river suitable for young kids (ages 8 and up) and first time rafters. We will stop at Pioneer Park West for lunch. After lunch, the nature of the trip changes dramatically and we begin running the challenging Big Bend section.

Big Bend features a six mile section of technical and challenging Class IV and V rapids. The minimum age on this section is 14 years old and is best for seasoned rafters or adventures first-timers. After leaving Pioneer Park West, you will float through the former John C. Boyle reservoir footprint, historic dam site, and Moonshine Falls. Then the whitewater picks up and the river turns to a continuous Class IV and IV+ (at some flows, Class V).

Along the way, we’ll share the stories of the area – the triumphs, heartbreaks, and perspectives – that write the history of the people, dams, and dam removal on the Klamath River. There is no better way to grasp the scale of the changes to the Klamath River and the historical implications of dam removal than to float the river and see it with your own eyes.

9:00 a.m. Meet at the Running Y Resort in Klamath Falls
9:15 a.m. Begin transport to the river
9:45 a.m. Arrive at Pioneer Park West
10:30 a.m. On the river
12:30 p.m. Lunch at Pioneer Park West
1:15 p.m. Back on the river
3:30 p.m. Arrive at Spring Island
4:00 p.m. Transport back to Running Y Resort
5:00 p.m. Arrive back at Running Y Resort

• American Whitewater has been a leader in whitewater recreation on the post-dam Klamath River. They recently published their own map and rapid descriptions, which can be found here.
• This article offers a personal perspective of navigating the Klamath Dam removal project within the scope of whitewater recreation as a commercial operator on the Hell’s Corner section of the Klamath.
• Indigo Creek Outfitters is now offering a variety of new and amazing trips on the New Klamath.
• Listen to our Explore Oregon podcast with Zach Urness.
• Geology of Kikacéki Reach (Ward’s Canyon) by Dan Thurber.
• View live flow data from three USGS stations on the New Klamath.