John Day paddleboarding
Wednesday, July 10th, 2024
There is a 40 mile section of the John Day river that is perfect for paddleboarding (if the weather cooperates) This section travels through high desert hills and deep basalt canyon wilderness. It stays in the wilderness and is filled with views and wildlife. For 3 days we paddled without seeing a road, house, or other signs of civilization.
![My dad, Sam and I. He dropped us off.](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1569-1024x768.jpg)
![Sam on the water in a wetsuit](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1593-1024x768.jpg)
![Milkweed flower](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1611-768x1024.jpg)
![Milkweed](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1615-1024x768.jpg)
![Juniper](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1621-768x1024.jpg)
![Storm clouds](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1629-482x1024.jpg)
![Two boards](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1630-1024x768.jpg)
![Orange cliffs](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1632-1024x768.jpg)
![Sam standing on her board](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1643-1024x768.jpg)
![Storm clouds](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1646-1024x768.jpg)
![Paddleboard](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1650-768x1024.jpg)
![The "owl" rock](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1661-658x1024.jpg)
![Tent in a field](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1667-768x1024.jpg)
![Cactus](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1671-768x1024.jpg)
![Canyon walls](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1682-1024x768.jpg)
![Sam next to her board](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1689-1024x768.jpg)
![Sam standing on her board](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1706-1024x768.jpg)
![Sam under a tree](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1766-1024x698.jpg)
![Thistle](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1789-1024x1024.jpg)
![Upside down boards](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1799-1024x768.jpg)
![Canyon walls](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1804-768x1024.jpg)
![Tree](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1809-1024x768.jpg)
This is the actually the third time I have paddle boarded this section. Two years ago, I took an early trip with a friend and loved it so much we decided to bring the kids back a few weeks later. Unfortunately, we we hit by a unprecedented flooding that made the trip a bit too “exciting”
This time (june 16th-19th), we kept a close eye on the forecast and water levels. 1000-1300 cubic feet per second is about the bare minimum I would want to paddle board. It was fun, but we did hit our fins a few times. Any lower would have been an issue.
![Chart showing water levels](https://gabriel.nagmay.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/img_1555-1-1024x812.jpg)