Grants Pass is well known for the Rogue River flowing right through downtown. While it’s not as clear as the Illinois River, it’s still a really clean river, continually ranking between 85-97/100 on the water quality index. These Rogue River swimming holes are all heading out of town downriver, all the way to Robertson Bridge.
When reading this post, where it says the minutes from Grants Pass to each of these swimming spots on the Rogue, that time is from downtown GP. You can click on the “find exact location here” link and change the starting point to see how close these places are to you!
Remember to have exact change to pay your day-use fee at the places that require payment, and a pen to fill out your day-use pass.
Please remember, when swimming in the river, always watch your children closely. Be sure to know your swimming capabilities, and test the strength of the current before getting in. You can always throw a stick in the water to see how fast the water is moving! And please, do not jump or dive in the water without first checking how deep the water actually is!
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Rogue River Swimming Holes Off Lower River Road
The following swimming holes on the Rogue River are off of Lower River Road. They’re in order of proximity to Grants Pass, the first being the closest to town.
White Rock Swimming Hole | 6 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on White Rock Swimming Hole
- Lots of parking in dirt pullouts along Lower River Road
- Have to climb rocks to access (not terrible)
- New homeless camp there
- No garbage
- No bathroom
- Rocks to lounge on, no beachy area
- Free
Swimming at White Rock is something both of us did often in high school. The rocks are great for lounging in the sun on, and there’s just enough of a current to swim without feeling like you’ll be washed downriver. There used to be a rope swing at White Horse, however, that’s not there anymore, and in place of the rope swing is a new homeless camp of a few people.
We took the kiddos there even with the homeless camp and weren’t bothered by anyone, and the kids had a great time. It’s truly a great place to teach kids about the river and how to swim in a current.
The proximity to Grants Pass makes this place a great spot for a river day, and honestly, it’s never been so busy that we had to leave. Maybe the lack of a rocky beachy area deters visitors, but we’re fond of the large rocks for sunbathing!
Lathrop Landing Boat Launch | 7 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Lathrop Landing Boat Launch
- $5 day-use fee
- Toilets
- Parking in shade
- Boat launch
- No real swimming spot though, river weed along the edge of the river
Lathrop Landing isn’t really a swimming hole, but we thought we’d include it because you can launch your boats from here and there’s a toilet, so a good option for just driving a minute to a bathroom if you’re at White Rock for the day.
The parking area is big and some spots are shaded, and the only access to the water is right down the boat launch, meaning you can’t really set up a big day camp there. However, this would be a great place to take your dog to play in the water, or to take out paddleboards or kayaks for going up and don’t the river on the north side of the Rogue!
Whitehorse Park Swimming Area | 13 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Whitehorse Park Swimming Area
- Bathroom
- Trash
- Large parking area
- $5 day-use
- Can see your car from river access points
- Boat launch
- Lots of Cottonwood trees
- Good floating for kids
- Swift-water
- Campground
Okay, why on earth have we not spent more time at Whitehorse Park nobody will ever know! Jay used to take tubes and enter at the boat launch and then float down the small rapids to where they set up their river space on the shore. I don’t really have any memories of this place, but I sure will be making some soon!
Whitehorse Park is within 15 minutes from downtown Grants Pass, and offers some pristine Rogue River river access! The shore is lined with river rock, and is less than a minute from the paved parking area, meaning the bathrooms are just as close too!
We saw a family with two kids unload the car, set up their canopy and chairs, and dip their toes in the water all within 3 minutes of arriving at the river! Talk about easy access!
The small rapids here are the perfect kind to float down in a pool floaty or life jacket, and there was hardly anyone there on a Thursday! Even if there are people there, there are so many river access points that you could easily stay spaced out and have your own area!
Pick up an RV from a Southern Oregon local, and create some fun camping memories at Whitehorse Park!
Finley Bend Swimming Hole | 16 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Finley Bend / Matson Park Swimming Hole
- Can drive right up to the river with 4 wheel drive
- Shaded parking at the top, accessible without 4 wheel drive
- So much space to really spread out
- Porta-potty on site in shade
- Free
- In full sun through the evening
- Slow river
Matson Park or arguably better known as Finley Bend to the locals is a crowd favorite for boat races over Memorial Day. But shoot, it’s a great place any time of the year! If you have a 4×4 vehicle, you can literally drive right to the water, and there’s got to be a mile of accessible driving via river rock down around the bend.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a 4×4, as there is shaded parking at the top of Finley Bend right at the end of Gunnell Road.
Be sure to pack your own shade and loads of food and drinks for your river day, as we’re sure you’ll want to spend an entire day here!
*Hellgate Jetboats run right through Finley Bend and they have to go pretty fast around the corner because the water is pretty shallow. While they do have scouts radioing to the boat drivers about what’s around the blind river corner, it’s good to pay attention to the boats. The first boat has a number on a metal flag indicating how many more boats are on the trip. Try and swim towards the side, or stay in a cluster of other people when the boats are going by.. and enjoy the big waves they make in passing!
Ferry County Park and Boat Launch | 19 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Ferry County Park Boat Launch
- Boat launch
- $5 day-use fee
- Vault Toilets
- Trash
- Not a real swimming hole, but good for paddleboards/kayaks!
Ferry County Park is kind of like Lathrop Boat Launch, it’s not really a place for a day of lounging and swimming along the river, but is instead a good place to put in for a float or paddleboarding around! The river isn’t too swift here, so the access is a good put-in for an easy float downstream!
Just across the river from Ferry County Park is Griffin Park (listed below), a place with camping and great river access off River Banks Road.
Robertson Bridge County Park | 20 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Robertson Bridge County Park
- $5 day-use
- Pit toilets
- Trash
- Boat launch
- Rocky river access
- Shade from bridge
- Soft current
- Some sand too
- Can swim right under bridges!
Robertson Bridge County Park is an underrated swimming hole on the Rogue River. It’s about 20 minutes from downtown Grants Pass, though is easy to access from the Redwood area of Grants Pass too, down River Banks Road.
There is a day-use fee of $5 for vehicles parking in the paved lot with toilets, a boat ramp, and garbage cans. However, if you pass the boat launch on the left and then turn on Rogue Riffle Drive on the right just before the bridge, there is free parking and easier access to the better swimming spots too!
The water is super calm, lined with river rock and sandy areas. The bridges provide some shade, and even a bird’s nest to watch Osprey fly to and from!
Rogue River Swimming Holes Off Riverbanks Road
While you can access Riverbanks Road via Merlin or downtown Grants Pass, it’s most easily accessible off Redwood Highway heading out towards the coast. If you’re road-tripping and happen to be going through Grants Pass, Griffin Park is a great place to stop to camp and enjoy the river for a day when traveling say between Crater Lake National Park and the Coast!
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Griffin Park | 21 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Griffin Park
- $5 day use
- Picnic tables
- Boat launch for rafters, not motorized boats
- Big rock packing area for drive up access — 4×4 not needed
- Grassy area with bank down to river
- Calm water
- Bathrooms
- Sandy in water
- Not much shade at river access
- Camping
Griffin Park has a fantastic day-use area for a day on the Rogue River! The riverbank is river rock, and the park offers drive-up river access that can be done in really any vehicle. If you don’t want to drive on the river rock, there is a small parking lot where you can park on the paved ground!
There are bathrooms, picnic tables all along the grass, volleyball nets, and even outdoor BBQs set up! It’s truly a great place to go! The campground here offers excellent access to the river and the amenities, but the day-use is great too!
With calm water and drive-up access, this river spot is great for kids, dogs, and really anyone!
Rogue River Swimming Holes Off Galice Road
Stratton Creek | 25 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Stratton Creek
- FREE
- Vault Toilets
- Trash
- Small Current
- No shade
- Short Walk to Beach Area
I used to go to Stratton Creek with my family all the time growing up. And I have super great memories of swimming at Stratton Creek and lounging on the rocks and sand.
However, when we recently went back to Stratton Creek, it was so overgrown, and there were so many ticks in all the dead grass leading to the water.
There is no shade along the water here, but the parking area is shaded. And there is a lot of poison oak and ticks. With that said, the water is great here and it’s a perfect little swimming spot for the day!
Ennis Riffle | 26 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Ennis Riffle
- $5 Day Use
- $15 Camping Fee
- Porta-Potties
- Trash
- Swift Current
- No shade
- Camp Right on Water
- Boat Launch
My favorite spot to put in for floating the bigger rapids on the Rogue! Ennis Riffle is a popular day-use spot for those floating down to Argo (or Rand, with the current closure downriver).
While we’ve never camped here, it’s also a very popular camping spot! With a handful of private pullouts along the river and a huge river rock parking lot, there is plenty of space for campers of all kinds!
The large camping area here is also great for day use. There are trees along the water creating privacy between you and the next people setting up on the river. Just be careful, as the current is swift the further out in the river you swim.
Want to camp here, but don’t have a rig? Check out RVShare. People in the area may be renting out their RVs for you to use!
Rand Recreation Area | 31 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Rand Rec Area
- FREE
- Pit Toilets
- Trash
- Picnic Tables
- No shade
- Park Right on Water
- Boat Launch
Rand is similar to Finley Bend and Griffin Park, where you can drive right up on the river rock and set up a place to hang out for the day.
There is no shade here, but wide open places to set up a shade canopy. The water is a bit swift in this area, so be sure to check the current before getting in or allowing kids to get in.
If you choose to not drive up on the river rock, there is a paved parking area you can stay in and then walk in on the gravel.
Almeda County Park | 32 minutes from Grants Pass | Find Exact Location Here
Quick Facts on Almeda County Park
- Day Use Fee
- Camping
- Pit Toilets
- Trash
- Picnic Tables
- No Shade Along Water
- Calm Water
- Boat Launch
Almeda County Park offers the last place for swimming on the Rogue River currently, due to road closure from a recent fire. This also means it’s where a lot of people take out when they’re floating this part of the Rogue River.
There is a small day-use parking area, and a decent size campground for those looking for a night out on the Rogue.
While there is no shade along the water at Almeda County Park, up off the water a bit, there are picnic tables and trees providing a shaded area.
Places To Stay Near the Rogue River Oregon
AirBnB | AirBnB is a great option for staying in Grants Pass. There are so many really cute places to stay in the town, and even some that are right on the water!
Hotel Stays | If staying in someone else’s home doesn’t tickle your fancy, search for hotels in Grants Pass. There are some hotels in Grants Pass right on the Rogue River, though the bigger chain hotels are right on I5. Look for places like the Riverside Inn or Redwood Hotel!
Camping | Grants Pass offers a multitude of camping spots right on the water. A quick search on Google Maps will show you loads of places to pitch up and have walkable river access. Three that come to mind when thinking of river access right in Grants Pass are Shroeder Park, Griffin Park, and Whitehorse Park!
CAMPING FOR FREE | Check out this post for finding free campsites!
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Getting To And Around The Rogue River
Flying | The closest airport to the river access spots on the Rogue River is Medford International Airport. Look for flights from your location to MFR (or Medford, Oregon). This is the search engine we use when booking flights.
Rental Cars | If you’re not from the area and don’t have your own car, you’ll want to rent a car to explore these swimming holes on the Rogue River. There is no public transportation accessing these river spots, so you’ll certainly need your own vehicle.
More Swimming Holes in Southern Oregon
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