Maps courtesy of Google and Navtech. Blue is the Deschutes River. Yellow are major roads. White are minor roads. Brown are footbridges.

Alder Creek Kayak is located in the lower level of one of the old mill buildings (in addition to selling kayaks and gear they also rent boats). The shop is close to the river and there are two put-in spots nearby.

Park in the main parking lot that faces the river. The first put-in has a steep bank (no gradual slope into the water) and is right in front of the parking lot. There's another put-in toward the Colorado Dam that Alder Creek uses as a launch spot for its demo and rental boats. Look for some carpet going into the water in a marshy area (this put-in can get pretty mucky).

Launching at these spots is kind of a pain compared to other access points on the river, but they're popular with people practicing for Pole Pedal Paddle.

(Be sure to read the "When to Paddle" section on the main page for important information about paddling this stretch in the winter.)

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