Hit the River: 13 WRC Projects to Visit this Summer
Summer is officially here, and the river is calling!
To help you plan your next outing, and to connect you with our work across the West, we put together a list of 13 different WRC projects you can visit this summer. These are places you can go to cast a line in world-renowned trout waters, camp under unmatched views of the starry night sky, swim in mineral spring oases and so much more.
Over the last three decades, WRC has purchased and conserved thousands of acres of riverlands and made them public by conveying them to partners like the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service, as well as local counties and state parks. These critically important riverlands are now protected for fish and wildlife and open for all to explore and enjoy.
We hope this list inspires you to get out and explore a river near you, and to support WRC in our efforts to save the great rivers of the West.
Enjoy!
Hit the River: 13 WRC Projects to Visit this Summer
Project name: Yakima Canyon Ranch
Why go: Desert canyon scenery, great hiking trails and campgrounds, world-class fly fishing, fun tubing and stand up paddleboarding
Plan your visit: Read about the BLM’s Yakima River Canyon recreation sites and map it
Conservation story: WRC purchased the 647-acre Yakima Canyon Ranch and conveyed it to the Bureau of Land Management, conserving 3.5 miles of the Yakima River and opening outstanding new public access
Project name: Robe Canyon
Why go: Breathtaking canyon views, secluded hiking trail, birding, mountain biking and whitewater paddling
Plan your visit: Read about the Robe Canyon Historic Trail and map it
Conservation story: In 1997, WRC purchased 880 acres of land along seven miles of the South Fork Stilly and then conveyed the lands to Snohomish County Parks and Recreation Department for permanent conservation.
Project name: Three Dollar Bridge
Why go: Iconic trout fishing, crystal clear water, sweeping mountain views
Plan your visit: Read about the fishing access site and map it
Conservation story: In 2002, WRC bought the crucial 100-acre river-front portion of Candlestick Ranch, including three miles of Madison River shoreline centered on Three Dollar Bridge. We then facilitated a conservation easement over the remaining 4,300 acres of the ranch to guarantee access to one of Montana’s premier fishing sites.
Project name: The Oxbows
Why go: Remote hunting, outstanding trout fishing, forested campsites
Plan your visit: Read about the Racetrack Campground and Picnic Area and map it
Conservation story: WRC is on the cusp of conserving the last remaining private inholding on Racetrack Creek by conveying a 131-acre property to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Project name: Cottonwood Canyon
Why go: Desert canyon hiking, camping, scenic boating, fly fishing, wildlife viewing, world-class star gazing
Plan your visit: Read about Cottonwood Canyon State Park & map it
Conservation story: WRC purchased 16 miles of property along both banks of the John Day in 2008. Over a three-year period, WRC conveyed the land to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. In 2013, the property, renamed Cottonwood Canyon State Park, opened to the public as Oregon’s largest state park in a generation.
Project name: Sandy River
Why go: Whitewater paddling through a beautiful gorge, superb fly fishing, hiking through ancient forests
Plan your visit: Read about the Marmot Recreation Site and map it; read about Barlow Wayside Park and map it; read about the Sandy Ridge Trail System and map it; read about the Wildwood Recreation Site and Cascades Streamwatch and map it
Conservation story: Since 1999 we’ve protected nearly 5,000 acres along 17 miles of the Sandy and Little Sandy rivers in partnership with Portland General Electric and the BLM. As part of dam removal on the Sandy and Little Sandy in 2007, WRC conserved thousands of acres of habitat.
Project name: Hubbard’s Summer Camp
Why go: Superb fly fishing, hunting
Plan your visit: Read about the Sarvis Creek Wilderness and map it
The conservation story: In 2014, WRC conserved a small but critical property at the confluence of Sarvis Creek and the Yampa River by conveying a 45-acre property in two portions to the BLM and Forest Service. The effort created public access to a coveted stretch of trophy trout water and conserved the only unprotected land in the area.
Project name: Fossil Creek
Why go: Swimming in a mineral spring oasis, rugged hiking, outstanding birding
Plan your visit: Read about the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River and map it
Conservation story: In 2016, WRC conserved the last unprotected parcel of land within the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River corridor by acquiring a 19-acre property and conveying it to the Coconino National Forest for permanent protection.
Project name: Cache Creek Ranch
Why go: Boating, hiking into Hells Canyon, fly fishing, hunting
Plan your visit: Read about the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and map it
Conservation story: WRC’s first land acquisition, in 1991 we bought the 6,556-acre Cache Creek Ranch on the Oregon side of the Snake and conveyed it to the U.S. Forest Service.
Project name: Panther Creek
Why go: Exceptional birding, fly fishing, hunting
Plan your visit: Read about the Idaho Birding Trail and map it
Conservation story: Over a four-year period, between 2020 and 2024, WRC conserved two key properties (totaling 558 acres) on Panther Creek by conveying them to the Salmon-Challis National Forest.
Project name: Jelly’s Ferry
Why go: Scenic hiking and horseback riding, fly fishing, whitewater paddling
Plan your visit: Read about the Sacramento River Bend Area and map it
Conservation story: WRC conserved a 288-acre property with one mile of the Sacramento River in December 2024. We conveyed the property, with its rare reach of mature riparian forest, to the BLM for inclusion in the Sacramento River Bend Area.
Project name: Goose Creek
Why go: Swimming in crystal green water, world-class fishing, hiking, whitewater paddling
Plan your visit: Read about the Smith River National Recreation Area and map it
The conservation story: Our efforts from 2005-2008 conserved 9,500 acres—nearly the entire Goose Creek watershed—and protected 13 miles of river frontage. Goose Creek is now permanently preserved and managed as part of the Smith River National Recreation Area.
Project name: Bear River
Why go: World-class birding, hiking
Plan your visit: Read about the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and map it
Conservation story: Created in 1929, the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is a globally significant wetland complex that millions of birds depend on for survival. To expand the refuge and conserve vital marshlands, WRC protected two properties totaling more than 1,200 acres between 2008 and 2011.
Photography from top: Yakima River, WA by Tyler Roemer; Stillaguamish River, WA by Dreamstime; Madison River, MT by Patty Picket; Racetrack Creek, MT by Kyle Dudgeon; John Day River, OR by Dave Jensen; Sandy River, OR by Ian Whitmore; Sarvis Creek, CO by Russ Schnitzer; Fossil Creek, AZ by Dan Sorensen; Snake River, ID/OR by Jon-Paul Harrison; Panther Creek, ID by Steve Dondero; Sacramento River, CA by Teddy Miller; Goose Creek, CA by Ken Morrish; Bear River, UT by Rob Daugherty
