FAQs

Each of our fully-narrated excursions are unique, but they are all best described as part scenic and part amusement. Guests will adventure through the legendary Hellgate Canyon or enjoy the River Run excursion down to the Applegate confluence. Each offering thrilling maneuvers like our famous 360s and bow dunks! Hellgate’s knowledgeable boat pilot will also slow things down to tell you about geological and historical points of interest, point out indigenous wildlife, and provide extraordinary photo opportunities. You can view several of our favorite videos (HERE)

We invite you to bring the whole family and be prepared to take in the majestic scenery, learn a little about the wild and scenic Rogue River, and get wet!

May 1st through September. Season ends depending on water levels.

Our top priorities are making sure everyone gets a safe seat, keeping families and parties seated together, and maintaining a safe passenger capacity. High impact rows do require the following restrictions.

• Small children are not allowed in the first two rows or on side seats.
• Guests seated in the first two rows must be able to physically hold on to the safety rails and must not have health conditions that would limit their ability to handle high impacts.

We reserve the right to designate seating whenever it is needed, so please follow the directions of your specially trained Hellgate pilot!

Life-jackets are required on the Whitewater Excursion for the vessel to proceed past Hellgate Canyon. They are not mandatory on any of our other excursions. Upon request, we provide standard and plus size adult life-jackets at the boarding dock and each boat is equipped with enough emergency life-jackets for boat capacity.

We suggest layered, weather appropriate clothing with the knowledge that you will be moving at high speeds with strong winds and that you will most likely get wet! Modest swimsuits are allowed on-board, but all guests must be covered at the River Lodge. Shoes and shirts required at all times. Check local weather (HERE)

Welcome to the Rogue River. You WILL get wet. You might get soaked!

Whatever you bring is at your own risk. Hellgate will not be responsible for loss or damage to any personal items. This includes cell phones, hearing-aids, electronic ignition keys, camera’s, etc.

• Bottled Water (Environmentally friendly. No Glass.)
• Sunglasses with eyewear retainers
• Hat (and hold it tight)
• Sunblock
• Identification, cash, and credit card: Have them handy! You’ll need them for jetboat pilot and River Lodge gratuities, to purchase alcohol, etc.
• Cell Phones, Cameras and Binoculars (but remember, our trips tend to involve large amounts of water so dry bags are highly recommended.)

• Guns, knives and weapons of any kind are not permitted.
• Disrespect or Obnoxious Behavior. Please respect yourself, and others at all times.
• Smoking/Vaping
• Alcohol (permitted at the River Lodge Whiskey Bar only)
• Safety Hazards: glass containers, coolers, ice chests, and water guns

We suggest securing items like the ones below in the trunk of your locked vehicle.

• Electronics
• Leather handbags or satchels
• Anything of value

No overnight lodging available here, but if you book any of our meal excursions, you are in for a unique dining experience at our exclusive Hellgate River Lodge Restaurant. Family style dining on our open-air deck offers guests a panoramic view of the wild and scenic Rogue River and local wildlife. The River Lodge is open during jetboat season only and once again… no, we do not currently offer an overnight lodging option.

Hellgate River Lodge guests are seated and served “Family Style”. This means that your reservation party will be seated/served together, but may also be seated side by side other parties on your adventure.

The River Lodge’s exclusive Whiskey Bar offers a full premium bar, with signature and seasonal cocktails. We also offer exclusive Hellgate Cellar’s wine varietals. Please note that the Oregon Liquor Control Commission requires everyone 26 and under to show ID before consuming alcohol.
Although we all love a drink or two, please drink responsibly. Guests with overconsumption will no longer be served and may not be allowed back on the jetboat. Our Lodge staff will kindly call you a cab at your personal expense. No private pick-up will be authorized on the Lodge premises.

We offer Gluten Free, Vegan and Vegetarian (MENU) options upon request. Please let your Reservationist know your dietary needs at the time of booking.

Identification to purchase alcohol, cash, and credit card: Have them handy! You’ll need them for River Lodge gratuities, bar, etc.

Private entrance is not authorized on the Lodge premises.

Due to high demand and limited seating capacities, we strongly suggest that guests make reservations as far in advance as possible.

You can book your reservation (HERE) or call our Reservations Department at (541) 479-7204 /
(800) 648-4874. Be ready with your contact information, group size (number of adults, children ages, etc.) along with your Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.

The first two rows of our jetboats are primarily reserved for larger parties, at the sole discretion of your Pilot. Guests seated in the first two rows must be able to physically hold on to the safety rails and must not have health conditions that would limit their ability to handle high impacts. We reserve the right to designate seating whenever it is needed, so please follow the directions of your specially trained Hellgate pilot!!

Ideally, about 30 minutes before your trip. This gives us time to check everyone in and direct you to your designated loading dock. Some trips include up to six boats, which takes about 30 minutes to load. For example, on a 4:15 dinner excursion, we start loading right at 4:15 and usually finish loading the last boat by 4:45.
Some guests like to arrive early to grab a good seat. We appreciate this strategy, but you might be spending a long time in line when you factor in the time it takes to load all vessels.

Please bring your Reservation Confirmation, Identification and form of payment.
Cash, American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Personal Checks, and Travelers Checks are gladly accepted.

All Jetboat Passengers must sign a waiver before getting on to the jetboat. Guests under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian sign the waiver. You can download a copy of the waiver HERE.

Non-Refundable Tickets:

• Non-refundable tickets are prepaid and 100% non-refundable. (Exceptions below.)
• The purchaser may request a cancellation and 100% refund of the ticket price up to 24-hours from the time of ticket purchase more than 24-hrs prior to departure. Refunds will be credited back in the original form of payment.

Trip Protection (Trip Protection is available for purchase):

• Refundable tickets are prepaid and incur an additional charge (“Trip Protection”). The Trip Protection charge is 100% non-refundable.
• Cancellation. The purchaser may request a cancellation and 100% refund of the ticket price up to 24-hours prior to trip departure. Refunds will be credited back in the original form of payment. Trip Protection and Booking Fees will not be refunded.
• Trip Changes. The date/time/excursion type may be changed up to 24-hours prior to trip departure, but any resulting price changes will be charged to purchaser (in the event of a greater ticket value) or refunded to purchaser (in the event of lesser ticket value). Any additional charges or refunds will be charged/refunded to the original form of payment. The Trip Protection charge will not be credited toward any additional charges or otherwise refunded to purchasers.
• Please refer to https://hellgate.com/group-tours/ for Group Excursion Cancellation Policies.

• We strongly discourage infants on-board the jetboats. High and low temps, strong winds, high speeds, spins and other intense features are not recommended for infants.
• Children under 5 years old are not authorized aboard our White Water Excursion.
• If you’d like your toddler to wear a lifejacket on the jetboat, we suggest bringing their personal life-jacket from home for fit, comfort, and familiarity.
• Car seats and carriers are not permitted on the jetboats. Wearable carriers are highly encouraged for safety and security.

The old adage “age is just a number” definitely applies here! But, the jetboat ride is pretty powerful and may not be the best fit for everyone. When you’re on a jetboat, you’ll be exposed to outdoor elements, forces from the jetboat’s spins, speeds, and other intense features. This adventure requires physical strength to hold tight to the safety rails provided, and to access boarding without help from the loading crew. Seniors with high blood pressure, motion sickness, heart / neck / back problems, incontinence, recent surgery or any other medical condition that might be aggravated by this ride, should consider not going.

The jetboat ride is pretty powerful and may not be for everyone. When you’re on a jetboat, you’ll be exposed to outdoor elements, forces from the jetboat’s spins, speeds, and other intense features that may cause distress or injury; if you are pregnant or have pre-existing health conditions. These include high blood pressure, motion sickness, heart / neck / back problems, recent surgery or any other medical condition that might be aggravated by this ride. As much as we’d like to have all of you on these boats, we’d recommend not going on the ride if any of these apply.

When you’re on a jetboat, you’ll be exposed to outdoor elements, forces from the jetboat’s spins, speeds, and other intense features that may cause distress or injury. If you are pregnant, please seek the advice of a medical professional prior to booking your excursion.

The Hellgate office, loading docks, and River Lodge restaurant are all wheelchair-accessible. All guests, including those who use wheelchairs, must be able to get in and out of the boat by themselves or with the help of someone from their group.
For safety reasons, you may not sit in a wheelchair while the boat is moving. However, we can secure the folded chair to the boat railing during your trip. For shorter excursions, we suggest leaving your chair at the boat docks.
Due to weight and water conditions, powered wheelchairs cannot go on the boats. However, we do offer standard wheelchairs (upon availability).

Although we love animals and are excited to view them in their natural habitats, due to the nature of the jetboat excursions, which include adventure elements, service animals are not permitted to ride on the boats.

We welcome trained service animals at the Hellgate River Lodge if arriving by car (see reservations team member to prearrange and ticket driving passengers). Guests who use service animals must retain control of their animals at all times and should keep them on a leash or harness while visiting.

Well behaved animals (including pets) are always welcome in the Hellgate and Co. store as long as they are leashed and controlled by their human at all times.

Should you or any member of your party have a sunlight sensitivity or seizure disorder, we recommend that you check with your personal physician for specific instructions before visiting. You will be exposed to natural sunlight throughout the duration of your excursion, so please take precautions for exposed skin and eyes.

You are unique, and cognitive disabilities differ on many levels. Please contact our Reservations Dept. to see what services we offer to help Guests with cognitive disabilities maximize their excursion experience.

Please contact our Reservations Dept. to see what services we offer to help Guests with visual impairment maximize their excursion experience.

Please contact our Reservations Dept. to see what services we offer to help Guests with hearing impairment maximize their excursion experience.

Our loading Crew will kindly offer to cancel your excursion following our ticket policy procedures.

Guest safety is our number one priority. Safe seating, holding on to safety rails, staying seated, etc. are all a part of maximizing a safe and memorable adventure. If you choose not to follow your Pilot’s instructions, you may not be allowed back on the jetboat and our Hellgate River Lodge staff will kindly call you a cab, and at your personal expense. No private pick-up will be authorized on the Lodge premises.

Please drink responsibly. Guests with overconsumption will no longer be served and may not be allowed back on the jetboat. Our Hellgate River Lodge staff will kindly call you a cab, and at your personal expense. No private pick-up will be authorized on the Lodge premises.

Although we love animals and are excited to view them in their natural habitats, the jetboats are not pet friendly. Therefore, to guarantee safe passage of our guests and their pets-we do not allow pets of any kind aboard the jetboats, or on the Hellgate River Lodge premises.

Hellgate does not have pet facilities or offer pet accommodations. Please DO NOT leave animals in your vehicle or tied up outside the Hellgate facilities. As responsible pet owners, we ask that you make sure your furry friends are safe and well cared for in your absence. Search local kennel options (HERE)

From wine country to wildlife, Crater Lake and the many sights & sounds of Southern Oregon, we are proud to be a part of such an exciting community! Visit our Community page (HERE)