The Tieton River rises from the snowfields of the Goat Rocks Wilderness and flows down into a large earthen dam to become Rimrock Lake. The dam is released by the BLM in September every year, producing fourteen miles of narrow and swift Class III+ whitewater heading towards Naches River. The water is usually quite warm, and September is a perfect time of year to enjoy Yakima Valley’s Indian summer.

Rafters will enjoy beautiful fall foliage and towering ponderosa pines. The shore is lined with unique oak forests and huge basalt cliffs and paddlers will rush through a flooded canyon with narrow chutes, roller coaster waves and steep gradients. When the rest of the valleys rivers run out of water in the fall, the Tieton is a great trip for beginners an experts a like.