Boat Rentals Will Expand Over the July 4 Holiday Along the Tualatin River

Tualatin Riverkeepers loans out canoes, kayaks and paddle boards at Tigard’s Cook Park.

Tualatin River Photo courtesy of Tualatin Riverkeepers.
By Andi Prewitt

Thousands of people will pack into Waterfront Park during the weekend leading up to July 4 for the Waterfront Blues Festival. If you’re seeking out a less crowded shoreline, head 14 miles south to the Tualatin River where boat rentals are being expanded over the holiday.

Tualatin Riverkeepers has announced it will allow the public to access its fleet of vessels for a fee starting Friday, June 30, through Tuesday, July 4, at the Cook Park boat ramp. Normally, rentals are only available Fridays through Sundays, but the forecasted hot temperatures combined with Independence Day, which falls on a weekday this year, prompted the addition of two days of service.

Tualatin River Photo courtesy of Tualatin Riverkeepers.

“The Tualatin River is the perfect body of water for new paddlers,” Tualatin Riverkeepers executive director Glenn Fee stated in a press release. “The water is warmer than rivers that are fed by snowmelt, and the current is quite calm. Our River Experiences team helps orient paddlers to their watercraft and the river as part of the rental process.”

The Tualatin River is one of three National Water Trails in Oregon (the other two are the Willamette River and a network of bays, lakes and estuaries in Tillamook County). It is nearly 80 miles long, traveling through farmland, parks and preserves before its confluence with the Willamette in West Linn.

Reservations for canoes, kayaks (single and double) and standup paddle boards can be made online. Rentals include paddles and life jackets.

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