The Chetco River flows for 56 miles from its tributaries in the Klamath Mountains. It runs through the remote southwestern Oregon before emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Brookings.

The headwaters and 44 miles of the upper river are designated as wild and scenic. This remote and secluded section of the Chetco features multiple rare plants, outstanding water quality, and many Class III, IV, and IV+ rapids.

The 11 miles of the lower section of the river are recreational, with multiple easily accessible spots for rockhounding, fishing, swimming, and other outdoor adventures.

The river carries large quantities of minerals downstream from the Upper Chetco River, making gravel bars on the lower river banks extremely productive for rockhounding.

Chetco River Rockhounding

The Chetco River has extensive gravel bars, especially in the lower section. These areas are easily accessible and rich with cool rocks.

Among the treasures you can find are jasper, agate, and petrified wood, along with quartz, carnelian agate, and serpentine.

Quartz is generally milky-white and sometimes contains mineral impurities. Jasper is usually green, brown, and red brecciated, often large, and scattered throughout the river gravels.

Several excellent spots along the lower Chetco River allow you drive directly to the riverbank.

The most remarkable ones for rockhounding are Social Security Bar, Alfred Loeb State Park, Miller Bar, Redwood Bar Nook Bar, Gardner Bar, Low Water Bridge, and South Fork.

The Chetco River is renowned for its fishing, swimming, hiking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, camping, and picnicking opportunities.

Fishing: The river is the most popular for the winter steelhead runs (from December to February) and fall Chinook salmon runs (from September to December).

Swimming: The lower section has the best swimming holes with easy access to the riverbank. If you prefer more adventure and fewer people, there are swimming holes at the Kalmiopsis Wilderness in the upper Chetco, though reaching them requires a challenging hike.

Hiking: There are multiple hiking trails along the river. An easy out-and-back 1.5-mile trail, Riverview Nature Trail with a trailhead at Alfred Loeb State Park will take you along the scenic Chetco River to the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest. A short but enchanting 1.7-mile route, Chetco Gorge Trail offers breathtaking views of the Chetco Gorge, where the river has carved out deep, dramatic canyons.

Kayaking: The river's rugged terrain is excellent for whitewater rafting, and kayaking. Northwest Rafting Company organizes 5-day guided whitewater rafting expeditions through the upper section of the Chetco River.

Camping and Picnicking: There are plenty of campgrounds and recreation areas along the river for camping and picnicking in scenic surroundings.

You can stay at one of the several campgrounds on the Chetco River. Alfred A. Loeb State Park is the biggest and most developed campsite of all.

It has 53 electrical sites and 3 rustic log cabins, 1 of each is accessible. Every spot has a picnic table and a fire ring. On-site amenities include firewood for sale, hot showers, and flush toilets. Reservations are required through the Oregon State Parks Reservation System.

Other campgrounds include Nook Bar Campground, Redwood Bar Campground, and South Fork Campground. These 3 operate on a first-come, first-served basis and have fewer amenities than Alfred A. Loeb State Park.

Alternatively, you can stay at one of Brookings' multiple hotels and rentals.

Hotels in Brookings

Affordable long and short-term vacation rentals in Brookings