Maupin On the Deschutes

Drive time: 2 hours

A dusty ranchers’ outpost most of the year, Maupin becomes the state’s unofficial rafting capital as soon as the snows start to melt (May) thanks to the tiny high-desert town’s prime placement along Central Oregon’s 252-mile-long aorta: the Deschutes River. More than a dozen fly-fishing and white-water guide outfits and rental companies line the riverbanks and Wild West streets. Many offer half-day and one-day trips that require little more than showing up with a smile. Those with more mettle (and time) can book a longer float, like the popular three-day, 45-mile expedition from Trout Creek to Sandy Beach.  

ANCHOR POINT  With a huge lawn opening straight onto the river, the 25-room Imperial River Company plants you in the middle of the aquatic action. From $89 
NIBBLES  Locals love the cozy Stonebridge Bar & Grill’s micro-heavy lineup and the piled-high pulled-pork sandwich that sometimes shows up on the specials board. 
DIVE IN In addition to booking rentals and guided trips, River Trails Deschutes leads basic skills workshops that will keep you from getting too close to the river.  

Camp Sherman On the Metolius

Drive time: 3 hours

Founded by ranchers trying to beat summer heat, this woodsy compound of resorts, cabins, and campgrounds along the Metolius near Sisters may be the most family-friendly of Central Oregon’s forest getaways. Among the aromatic pines and cedars (prime fort-building territory), on the banks of a sparkling—and perennially frigid—fly fisher’s dream, you’re free of high-speed roads, close to easy hiking trails, yet never far from an espresso. And with hundreds of families descending here each summer, your little ones will find plenty of fellow hide-and-seekers within stone-skipping distance.

ANCHOR POINT  The Metolius River Resort’s seven kid-friendly cabins provide all you need—TV, Monopoly sets, Adirondack chairs—to please the crew. From $245 
NIBBLES  Splurge on a grown-up meal at the Boathouse Restaurant at nearby Suttle Lake Lodge.  
DIVE IN  If you don’t feel like testing the 46-degree water, the Metolius River Trail’s 6.5-mile loop takes you along its rocky banks—close enough to feel the mist, no waders required. 

Drive time: 4 hours

With dozens of underground springs, creeks, and ponds pooling at the base of the Blue Mountains, Walla Walla is, as its Cayuse name translates, the land of “many waters.” Indeed, stand still in town and you can often hear the soft rush of Mill Creek beneath the sidewalk … or stroll down Rose Street to see this city-splitting tributary of the Walla Walla River. The waters support more than 1,200 acres of vineyards (warm-weather friendly cabs and syrahs are the region’s pride), and this month more than 100 wineries celebrate Spring Release—an opportunity for you to sample the blissful marriage of local fruit and agua firsthand.  

ANCHOR POINT  The six high-ceilinged rooms above Walla Faces’ downtown winery are within walking distance of 20 other tasting rooms. From $125 
NIBBLES  Plunge into a juicy flank steak torta at sandwich shrine Graze. 
DIVE IN  Bold architecture and wine combine at Basel Cellars, where you’ll taste fruit-forward syrah in a converted mansion straddling two meandering streams on a 50-foot man-made bluff. 

Middle Owyhee River

Drive time: 7 hours

If you haven’t already planned your summer trip to this remote southeastern Oregon tributary of the Snake, you’re almost too late: The Middle Owyhee’s notoriously unpredictable flow tends to peak in May, after which the river’s roiling Class V (read: expert only) rapids dwindle to a shallow unnavigable stream. Of course, there are more terrestrial ways (read: hiking) to experience this rare beauty. And catching sight of the Owyhee slicing its way through jaw-dropping rhyolite canyon walls, dotted with pristine hot springs, might be all the motivation you need to get your butt in gear early for next year’s white-water trip. 

ANCHOR POINT  If rafting doesn’t float your boat, head north to the sprawling McCormack campground just beyond the Owyhee Dam, where you’ll have access to the 53-mile reservoir and one-of-a-kind fly-fishing. 
NIBBLES  You eat what you bring (or catch). So hold up in Burns, at Pine Room Café, for your last meal before civilization ends. 
DIVE IN  While experienced rafters can manage the Lower Owyhee’s Class III rapids, consider a guide for the Middle Owyhee, like Momentum River Expeditions, which runs four-day trips.