Grant's Getaways: McKenzie River Drift Boating

You can tell a lot about a "community's pride" by the parades they put on. Each spring on the McKenzie River, there is a dandy and all of it is handmade! Folks from all over the country gather to parade down the McKenzie River in drift boats. It's a chance to connect with old friends and revisit history; a time when wooden drift boats ruled Oregon's rivers. Boat historian Roger Fletcher said, "These boats were specifically designed for running whitewater and they make wonderful fishing platforms too because they are safe and stable. Oregon is the spawning ground for this very unique drift boat." Fletcher's right — Oregon's early fishing guides figured out that in order to get their clients to the best fishing, they had to design a boat that would fill the bill for safety and stability. Aaron Helfrich, a third generation fishing guide, said that the McKenzie River Drift Boat was born in the 1930s and continues to do the job. "Many Oregon rivers had been unexplored at that time and fellows like my grandfather Prince Helfrich, and boat builder Woody Hindman, came up with a design that was much more nimble than previous boats. They traveled into Canada and Idaho and boated down many of their rivers for the first time too." The parade of drift boats lead to the McKenzie River Wooden Boat Festival and is held below towering Eagle Rock at the popular Eagle Rock Lodge.