Trip Report: Paddling the Tualatin River

When: 06/10/2019 Location: Tualatin River Conditions: Sunny and warm Duration: 3-4 hours Difficulty: Easy Kid Friendly: Yes Dog Friendly: Yes The Full Report: The Tualatin River is one of my favorite places to bring a kayak or SUP! It's close to Portland, rarely crowded, and has easy river access. In the summer, the river is warm enough to swim in, making any unexpected falls off of a paddleboard pretty enjoyable. There are multiple rope swings off of the shore along the river and there are plenty of places on the shore to park kayaks/SUPs. The rope swings are definitely a highlight, and it's easy to spend a few hours hanging out and swimming around them. There isn't much of a current in the Tualatin, so paddling upstream is very doable for beginning paddlers and kids. It also helps that you won't drift too much if you're swimming or taking a break to relax in the sun. I grew up coming here to kayak with my parents, and it was a great place to learn how to kayak. The Tualatin River is a great way to spend part of a day - super easy to plan a trip for however much time you have. I have yet to be there when it's unpleasantly crowded, but weekdays are probably a safer bet. If you're looking to spend an afternoon in the water near town, give the Tualatin a try!