A clean run through Mule Creek Canyon on the Rogue River in 2025, rowing my Super Puma. It's part of my Rogue trip series, and one I love.
Video: Mule Creek Canyon on the Rogue River By Jacob Linkhart, 2025 on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
Disclosure: SOLWYRX Paddle Gear sells Sawyer and Oar Snubber gear, and I earn money when you buy it here.
About Mule Creek Canyon
Mule Creek Canyon has the longest stretch of continuous whitewater on the Rogue's Wild Section: Class III+ rapids squeezed between narrow rock walls, leading to the Coffee Pot, a Class IV- constriction where the water boils and swirls (The Mountaineers). In places the canyon is barely wider than a raft with oars out.
How I rowed it
- At the flow we had, I shipped or shortened my oars when the walls closed in.
- I stayed in the middle of the current and let the boils push me around without fighting every one.
- I kept the boat straight through the Coffee Pot, ready for it to spin me.
- Boils and eddies here change a lot with flow, so get current beta and scout what you can.
I row on Sawyer DyneLite XD MXS oars, and an Oar Snubber is a big help in a canyon like this, where an oar can get ripped out of your hands. Blossom Bar comes shortly after: watch Blossom Bar on the Rogue River 2025.
Source: The Mountaineers, Rogue River: Grave Creek to Foster Bar
Personal trip report: flows, wood and hazards change, and what worked for me that day isn't a rule for your boat or group. Check current conditions, scout, and boat within your training.
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Updated October 28, 2026 · By Jacob Linkhart, owner of SOLWYRX Paddle Gear · Spot a mistake? Email me and I'll fix it.
