Boat Landing · McKenzie River · Finn Rock, upper McKenzie River
Finn Rock Landing
Rebuilt from the ramp up in 2024, Finn Rock is where most whitewater trips through the upper canyon begin.
On the water here
confirm ratings locally
KayakPut-in for the run’s early rapids and playspots
Whitewater raftClass II-III
Drift boatLong the guide community’s home put-in
FishingBank casting for trout and steelhead above the ramp
CanoeWhitewater starts within the first mile — experienced paddlers only
PaddleboardSame caveat as canoes; rapids come up fast below the rampFinn Rock is a wide place in Highway 126 more than a town — a scatter of homes and a landmark rock outcrop where the upper McKenzie widens out of the high canyon — and the landing that shares its name is the put-in most guides and paddlers use to start the day. The site belongs to the McKenzie River Trust, which bought the 278-acre Finn Rock Reach property from Rosboro Lumber in the mid-2010s and, in 2023-24, put roughly $850,000 into rebuilding the landing itself: a new ramp, ADA-accessible parking and pathways, defined truck-and-trailer spaces, a wayfinding kiosk, and bird-friendly lighting for the guides who show up before sunrise. It’s a working launch, not a park — trailers back down to the water here every morning of the season, and it empties out just as fast.
What was a rough gravel lot for decades is now the best-built access point on this stretch of river, and it shows in how busy it gets on a summer morning.
More detail
Getting there & parking +
From Highway 126, Finn Rock Landing sits right along the highway at the community of Finn Rock, between McKenzie Bridge and Vida — watch for the landing entrance and signage near the center of Finn Rock exact cross-street or landmark.
Facilities & accessibility +
- Improved boat ramp
- ADA-accessible parking and pathways
- Defined truck-and-trailer parking (free)
- Wayfinding kiosk
- Bank fishing access upstream of the ramp
No restrooms are confirmed on site verify — plan accordingly before a full day on the water.
River conditions & hazards +
This is the put-in for one of the McKenzie’s most popular whitewater runs — roughly ten miles of Class II-III water down to Helfrich Landing, with named rapids (Eagle Rock, Brown’s Hole, Marten Rapid) waiting downstream. The water is Cascade snowmelt, cold year-round even in August, and the run is generally best floated at moderate flows flow range. Boaters unfamiliar with the run should scout or go with someone who’s run it before.
Nearby landings & float planner +
Finn Rock anchors the top of the busiest guided stretch on the river; nearly everything downstream to Helfrich gets run from here.
Fishing at this landing +
Trout and steelhead water, with bank access on the upstream side of the ramp for anglers who’d rather wade than float.
