The Rogue Wild and Scenic River doesn’t stay wild, scenic, and clean on its own. Local rafters, fishermen, and guides have been hauling trash out of the river for years with no thanks. Now, you get the unique opportunity to volunteer your time and get rewarded for it; it is a great way to give back to the river. Boat Buddies Whitewater Rafting, with the help of BLM and North Umpqua Outfitters, are coordinating a Clean Up Trip on April 10-12.
During this weekend, sponsors will be generously giving out prizes to volunteers who collect the most trash, retrieve high-impact items (batteries, rope, electronics, tires), demonstrate exceptional effort to the cleanup, etc.
Sponsors already lined up for this year include:
North Umpqua Outfitters
Recretec
SOTAR
Previous year prize sponsors have included Cascade River Gear, Recretec, Lava Box, and Marial Lodge. Stay tuned for sponsor announcements in the coming weeks; you're not going to want to miss this chance to clean up the river while scoring some sweet gear.
Event Overview
Who: Passionate volunteers and whitewater enthusiasts committed to conservation.
What: Whitewater rafting, camping, cleaning up trash from the Rogue River Wild and Scenic Section, AND receiving awesome prizes from our generous sponsors.
Where: Graves Creek Boat Ramp to Foster Bar. When: April 10-12 (Friday through Sunday) (more detailed schedule coming later pending updates about the Moon Complex Fire Closure (expecting updated order late February, 2026)
*This is not an official group trip. We will not all be camping together; the group is too large for that. Participants should expect to camp with a small group of friends and travel downriver at their own pace. If you need help finding a group to travel/camp with, contact us on Facebook or email.
**If you cannot make the dates, that is okay! You can still participate in cleaning up the Rogue. The BLM will be collecting and removing garbage from the BLM Ranger takeout boat ramp located just upstream of Marial Lodge and downstream of the Rogue River Ranch. You can drop garbage from April 10th until mid June. If dropping trash at a time other than April 10-12, it is important to inform BLM it is there to be removed. Take care to place trash above the high water line so it doesn't end up back in the river.
Join Us
The Rogue River has given us countless adventures. Let's work together to ensure it remains wild and clean for generations to come. Your sponsorship makes a direct, visible difference in protecting the waterways we all depend on. If you can’t join us, at the very least help us get the word out about it.
Help us keep our rivers clean. -Boat Buddies
CLICK "INTERESTED" OR "GOING" ON THE EVENT TO GET UPDATES.
Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Merlin.
