THE RIVER

The Illinois River in southern Oregon is a world-class whitewater paddling destination for both private boaters and commercial outfitters. A tributary of the Rogue, Illinois River conservation efforts are focused locally through the Kalmiopsis Guides Association and Rogue Riverkeeper, a program of KS Wild. Protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1984 and designation of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness in 1964 allows paddle sports enthusiasts to enjoy an overnight whitewater wilderness trip through spectacular scenery, including rare endemic plants and otherworldly Serpentine soils. Upstream of this overnight Wilderness gem, the Scenic stretch through the Rogue Siskiyou National Forest along the Illinois River Road sees an annual accumulation of garbage that volunteers and boaters at illyfest aim to prevent from entering the Wilderness.

THE LITTER

It is heartbreaking for locals and paddlers to see the quantity of garbage that piles up in this outstanding stretch of river annually. Josephine county has issues with abandoned trailers and tires being dumped along forest roads, perched along banks of streams such as Rough and Ready Creek and Deer Creek. These tributaries feed into the Illinois River and the garbage runoff travels downstream during high water events. In addition to the dumping problem, Illinois River Road is a wildly popular recreation area during summer months. Emerald swimming holes  attract bumper to bumper parking along the roadway and the river banks are loved to death, leaving behind trash.

THE CLEAN UP EVENT

illyfest, a small annual river clean up event put on by local boaters, is growing this year to include a fundraiser for the Dome School, a local non profit school that “works hand-in-hand with families to ignite a lifelong love of learning and a deep caring for the diversity of humanity and the natural world.” Funding will aid programming that gets kids outside.

BOATERS

illyfest is an event for boaters by boaters, who are volunteering to collect and carry the garbage on whitewater rafts from the riparian zone and river bed. The community is invited to volunteer with us for land based or boat based clean up efforts. Local boat builder SOTAR Whitewater Manufacturing will have demo boats available for volunteers to use during the event. Volunteers can enjoy an after party at Six Mile Campground, where a raffle will raise funds for the Dome School. Before the raffle, prizes will be awarded for the largest diameter tire collected and to first place winners of the whitewater races.

Date: April 26 & 27, 2025

Cause: Fundraiser for the Dome School

Itinerary: Raft based litter clean up, whitewater races, celebration