Spot Guide › United States › Oregon › Deschutes River mouth → Rufus paddle-downwind route
Oregon, United States · 45.6584, -120.8232
Best wind
Strong Gorge westerly
Season
Gorge wind season
Water
Initially weak Columbia River texture, then large eastern-Gorge swell
Experience
Expert eastern-Gorge downwinder with strong pumping reserve
Hazards
Long initial dead zone, Miller Island/current effects, large Rufus swell, commercial traffic and incomplete bailout detail. A separate Celilo-through-Hells-Gate SUP line is explicitly discouraged.
Parking & access
Arrange legal access and a shuttle between Deschutes River State Recreation Area and Rufus; the forum does not provide current lot rules.
“Progression Project forum experienced historical guidance confirms a Deschutes-to-Rufus paddle-downwind line. It warns of roughly half a mile of low-energy pumping before the bumps become much better beyond Miller Island.”
— via Progression Project forum — public topic and post research, last verified 2026-08-02
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