[biederboat]

I'm going to go scouting for my Ukiah hunt in late August. I don't hunt along the N. Fork of John Day, but I've always wanted to camp along there. Are there any spots, either upstream of Dale or not too far downstream that have good swimming holes? I'm anticipating a need to cool off after a hike in hot weather. I've driven from Texas Bar Crk down to Dale, seems kind of wide and shallow but I didn't check it out real close. I don't know of any other rivers/creeks big enough to support a swimming hole that are reasonably close but if there is something, please let me know.

If you're worried about overly advertising a secret spot but don't mind sharing it with me, please send a PM>.

Thanks a bunch,
Biederboat

 

[RAGHORN!]

If you drive up the Texas Bar rd. when you come to the 1st Y in the rd. right will take you across a bridge and that becomes the 10 Rd, left stays along the river and heads up towards the wilderness and 5505 rd. Well right there at the Y starting at the bridge is a pretty good place to float some deep rapids and it empties into a pretty deep pool (some years it's neck deep on me and I'm a tall drink of water!)

 

[biederboat]

Cool! Might have to bring some innertubes?

Biederboat

 

[bigjake_888]

If you are hunting Ukiah, you are better off swiming on the grand ron river. Go past Starkey and there are lots of holes up there. Old timers said the trouble with the NF is they used it for logging and sent all the logs down the river. They would knock out the pools and the result is a wide flat river. The grand ron is a smaller river that was probably never used for that purpose as you could not float any old growth down it.

Anyway, there is always Lehman Hot Springs that is in the Ukiah unit. No idea why you would want to go up to the texas bar and hunt the ukah unit.

Also, there is always indian lake.

Jake

 

[chummer]

south of Dale at the bridge is a road to the west that follows the middle fork of the JD river. It will take you to Ritter hotsprings, don't believe it is marked. Ritter has private tubs and a pool.

 

[Fool4FishnHuntn]

My kids did some swimming in a nice deep hole not too far downriver from the last campground before you get to the texas bar road. It is located where the river is much lower than the road. There was a small bluff the kids were able to jump off into this hole. They had camped up there in mid-to late august a few years back. I can't remember exactly the mile post location (I think it is 4-5 miles east of highway 395), but do remember it is below the last campground before you can cross the bridge.

 

[Hawk]

From my recollection of that area, alot of the land on either side of the NFJD, west side of Hwy 395, is private. East of 395 is mostly National Forest.

 

[huntercgr]

Just keep a close eye out for rattlers.

 

[canes_venatici]

I would be surprised if there is much water up there this year. here is a Link to the USGS water data site. This is for Monument which is down stream a bit. The river is well below the 20th percentile for historic flows. It is approaching record low flows.

 

[biederboat]

Hey thanks for all the info, all I can do is try but I was wondering about the low water flows.

Biederboat

 

[bigjake_888]

I want to raft the north fork. From Trout Meadows to Texas Bar Road.

 

[Steelie28]

I want to raft the north fork. From Trout Meadows to Texas Bar Road.

:yeahthat:

Anyone have some input on this float, I would like to try it as well. Seems there would be a lot of snags. I would most likely try after a few fall rains get the river up a bit.

 

[Beaver93]

My kids did some swimming in a nice deep hole not too far downriver from the last campground before you get to the texas bar road. It is located where the river is much lower than the road. There was a small bluff the kids were able to jump off into this hole. They had camped up there in mid-to late august a few years back. I can't remember exactly the mile post location (I think it is 4-5 miles east of highway 395), but do remember it is below the last campground before you can cross the bridge.

We always refer to that spot as the City of Ukiah Municipal Swimming Pool.

 

[bigjake_888]

:yeahthat:

Anyone have some input on this float, I would like to try it as well. Seems there would be a lot of snags. I would most likely try after a few fall rains get the river up a bit.

North Fork John Day River: Route 52 Bridge to Dale


Preview: This run high in the Blue Mountains passes through roadless terrain for 30 miles. Open canoes have run everything in this stretch except the short class 5 below Granite Creek and the logjams. The initial gradient is more than 100 fpm and completely free of pools and eddies. Fallen lodgepole pines block the narrow, shallow upper 7 miles about every 0.5 mile, requiring frequent boosting of boats over them. This water is class 1, 2, and 3 in roughly equal proportions. Downstream the river becomes a real delight with mile-long stretches of exhilarating class 3 water in the next 20 miles. After 30 miles, the canyon opens up and the gradient drops. Evidence of mining is seen along the entire river, with occasional miners’ cabins, camps, and old placer mining operations. However, below Oriental Creek, the river is less interesting because the 10 miles to Dale have been heavily mined and the scenery consists largely of tailings. Character: wilderness; placer mining.

 

[Rank Amateur]

You would probably have to wait for spring melt to run that stretch effectively. Class III water is not for novices. Sweepers kill a lot of people every year.

 

[scottishsetter]

Just look at the Elev. fall from Granite to Dale General Store. Canoe? No way. Single 'ducky' with 5 friends 'mayby';...

 

[bigjake_888]

I pulled that preview of the float off some website.