I went on this decades ago on my aunt & uncle's recommendation & glad I did. Since I actually traveling in early summer 2026 vs my normal October trip, there is still enough water in Rogue River to have the opportunity to join the excursion. I went on it again and very happy to say "Best jet boat ride ever!" Lots of nature but best part was the spins. I was a little worried because most of the spins were going to be after a buffet brunch. Felt fine. Better than fine. It was great! When I say best, this would best of five or more Jet Boat trips I've taken. Use sunblock or better yet, a hat that ties or inches under your chin. Total fun even with a tad bit of red skin at my hairline. read more

As a local, I had a group of nine from all over California. We have been going on Hellgate for 22 years with guests. The food was old and dried out barely edible. My best friend got food poisoning and vomited the entire way back. The boat driver continued to spin even after I let him know she was vomiting, making the whole situation impossible!!! Zero Empathy!!! Thanks Tyler!! read more

To preface this review I am a 71 year old lady. This is an epic adventure for me so imagine my dismay when I was going to have to opt out due to the extreme hot weather of 96 degrees. But the staff came to my rescue and I was able to uber to the ok corral and meet my family then take the boat back. Thank you Terry who made this possible for me. I really appreciated all your kind help and support! Love Hellgate Jet boats! read more

I've been doing this ride since I was a little girl and I finally got to take my little girls on a ride! We had so much fun as a family. We did the short ride and it was perfect for the family and littles, and it being during a heat wave. This is a MUST if you are in Southern OR or driving through Grants pass. Gives you a taste of the Rogue River to see if you'd want to raft it Our driver Bo, was great! Thanks for a good time read more

Hellgate Jetboat Excursions - Jet boat ride! - Boat Charters Near Me - Grants Pass, Oregon

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The food was really, really bad. As a vegetarian, I was supposed to get some kind of eggplant dish as my entree, but instead I got a measly garden burger, and even that was awful. The patty was tiny and tasteless, and the bun was so hard that I couldn't even bite into it. My son wouldn't even eat the meat because he said it looked disgusting. I vomited on the way back and the driver continued to do spins anyway. It was an awful experience and I would not do it again, especially for that price. read more

Boat driver makes snide remarks about Californian's as if he is unhappy or bigoted about "unfortunate people". He also quite correctly admonished a couple kids for standing. As he kept talking his fury escalated to threats about kicking them off the boat. This put a damper on the ride. He handles the boat great. Limited nature talk. He does the minimum but there is so much if he had enthusiasm. read more

From making reservations, to the ride, dinner and return ride - SUPER FUN! Hayden was our boat driver and his experience made this an incredible ride. He was super funny too! The views on the river were wonderful and the food was delicious! Family style: beer, wine, lemonade, ice tea and water. We had salad, potatoes, mixed vegetables, chicken and fall of the bone ribs. Plus apple cobbler And whip cream. Can't wait to return read more

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This was our 2nd time going with this company. WE LOVE THEM! The experience is always great. We took our grandson and he had a blast! We enjoyed the experienced guide and knowledge of the area. When we arrived at the brunch the cooks were out front on balcony with the breakfast bell to let us know it was ready. Made it feel like home. Things to know: Bring a tight fitting hat and sunglasses. Wear appropriate clothes/shoes and expect to get wet. We did the first tour of the day and they recommended coming 1/2 early. They don't open until 9am so it forms a line outside. Be curious and they have 4 open register when they open and line should go fast. Bathroom locations: Inside sign in/registration area. Upstairs and downstairs. Boat loading area under restaurant. Food area has several porta potties upon arrival and addtional restrooms where the food is at. A bar is located on backside of food tables and accept credit cards. We had the Bloody Mary and it was amazing. The food was a family style (share all). We had various fruit, biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, and sausage. Served one after another. They had cider, water and champagne/orange juice for mimosa. This is complementary and we were restocked fast. The jet boat does spin around and sudden stops. Everyone will get wet. We seen several small children and wheelchair. They have a few tractors with trailer to hop on/hop off to take to brunch of you can not walk the hill. It's a walkway, grassy surrounding with trees. We stopped at a river raft area and the rafters has super soakers to get us wet. Business: Only recommendation would be at the boat loading dock. Some confusion on what boat you are on and who is on the boats. They did have names but everyone just crowds in and you don't know what to expect. You will take the same boat back after brunch. They announce at brunch with a 10 minutes warning before boat leaves. Enjoy the Grands Pass history, Rogue river, wildlife and amazing food. read more

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This was our third time on your Jet-boats we had an amazing time! Our pilot was fun, informative and just really cool!! It was hella hot and he knew what to do "get us wet"! Awesome experience the food has improved and all 9 of us were pleased!! read more

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The Hellgate Jetboat excursion was a perfect way to start a 11 day road trip. The captain was engaging and fun. I highly recommend the brunch excursion. The food was perfect and we ate outdoors at a beautiful setting. I highly recommend! read more

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This is a fun way to see the river and wildlife. Scenery is beautiful. The restaurant/dinner experience/food is ok (you can never know who you will be seated with at the family style table). We enjoyed it, but were not happy with the wasps that joined the meal. Tip - if you don't like getting wet, and I mean possibly soaked, buy or bring a poncho! No one is spared. read more

Not out 1st Hellgate Jetboat Excursion trip, but might be our last for a special event. Pro Tip: Since the boat ride is the major attraction, avoid the meal options so you're not disappointed by the low level quality of food and simple service. I know their staff work super hard, but they're missing on the organization and timing of seating and serving. Decided to take our Moms to Mother's Day brunch since it's been a few years from our last Hellgate trip. We quickly noticed the online waiver system was clunky and lacked the basic necessity of user friendliness. Quick tip to the HJE tech team: embrace an app like open table or similar to streamline and simplify things. The ride was solid. Guide was helpful, knowledgeable and fun. We were able to see a handful of bald eagles along the way, which is always awesome. Upon docking at the restaurant we were given roughly 1 hr 15 mins to dine and instructed to be back at the boat by 12:30 to head out. Short walk up the big hill to the restaurant, we are pleasantly greeted by the hostess who can't find our reservation, nor names. They scramble to accommodate and set up a table for our group of 8 (3 moms, 1 of which is her 1st HJE trip). Other groups that were sat near us seemed to have experienced the same FUBAR in reservation errors. Food was slow to come out. Biscuits and gravy were cold by the time the potatoes arrived which were cold by the time the bacon and sausage arrived. We finally had all the meal in front of us a mere 25 mins before our departure. Meanwhile a table across from us had everything at once while another table next to us was lacking like ours was. I get that it's the 1st major service of the year for them, but working out the kinks on Mother's Day is not a great plan... not for setting your staff up for success nor for repeat business based on the experience. Had we avoided the meal service entirely this would've been a near flawless trip (barring the online waiver, QR codes, etc). read more

Hellgate Jetboat Excursions - Comment card from 1 of 3 moms - Boat Charters Near Me - Grants Pass, Oregon

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This was the most fun I've had in years! A thrilling ride down the Rogue River with spins, bow dips, and lots of laughs. I got soaked on one side, but it felt amazing on a hot day. Captain Bo was awesome -- fun, skilled, and made the whole trip a blast. Can't wait to do it again! read more

My family and I went to celebrate my daughter's birthday. On the way back from brunch the driver on the boat put the boat in idle and began talking. He said the lady sitting...and said where I was sitting and what I was wearing. so everyone on the boat knew where to look. Then he said the rudest most hurtful comment to my self and my young son, who is autistic. Later when we got home I called to speak with someone and let them know the awful things that were said. I was told I would get a call from a manager the next day. They never called so I called back a few days later. I spoke with the manager and told him I would like a written apology for the incident that happened day. He said he would talk to his team and get back to me. when we finally spoke again he told me in a smug way that I was not going to get a written apology, that they talked to the driver of the boat and it was handled. Thats all I got was smug rudeness, no empathy no apology. This company is rude and I will not recommend them or go back. save your money and just go to the river. The river is beautiful read more

Top notch. We took the dinner cruise. This company really goes out of their way to make sure you enjoy your trip. The ride was a lot of fun and exciting - the captain or our boat was super and funny - kept everyone engaged. I recommend this trip and if I am going back this way would do it again. read more

Ian absolutely loved this jetboat excursion. This was the highlight of his Oregon road trip. -Park at the Hellgate lot. -Check-in inside Hellgate. -There are clear instructions on where to walk to. -Line up at the loading area. Boarding begins promptly at your scheduled slot. If possible try to score a seat at the side of the boat. It greatly increases your chances of getting wet!! What to expect: -Breathtaking scenery. -Gorgeous estates/mansions along the river. -Lots of Flora, Fauna & GP history/education. -Great story telling by the captain. Donnie was hilarious! -Adventurous boat ride. Thrilling to say the least. Expect to get wet!! -Dinner is served at the River Lodge. Brisket was A M A Z I N G!!! Roasted vegetables made me think I was eating healthy. *Laughs* Churro was a nice touch. Drinks were strong! Hellgate River Cruise is a MUST do if you are visiting Southern Oregon. Great adventure for families! read more

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We did brunch and had a great time! Captain was funny and we enjoyed all the spins! Food was decent, family style breakfast. They seat you, lots of wildlife enjoyed along the trip. read more

If you're ever in Southern Oregon (Grants Pass, specifically), you have got to treat yourself to a thrilling ride on a Hellgate Jetboat! Captain Bo was both entertaining and an expert in navigating the Rogue River and some of its shallowest and narrowest parts. On this hot summer day, the high speed 360 spins and bow dips are guaranteed to cool you off with refreshing sprays of water! Worth every dollar! read more

Fun fun fun! 10 out of 10!! Great day on the river Tour guide was awesome food was amazing and everyone had fun read more

Hellgate Jetboat Excursions - Boat Charters Near Me - Grants Pass, Oregon

We have a great time every year! We usually do whitewater or the dinner trip. Neither disappoint.

This Place was on my List for Years...The Speedboat Dinner Cuise is where it's at!!! Fun and Informative about this Beautiful area of Oregon Rouge River Valley for Sure.... Boat trip was fast and fun going up the river to the Hells Gate Pass and then flip a luey to the Gorgeous Dining Hall....They say wave at the Kids on the way in because the servers are young and on their toes to keep us on a constant drink and eat "Camp Style" Feast; Adult camp as there were "Cocktails".... All the food was fantastic, Relish Pickles and Sweet and Sticky Ribs won the show.... Now it's time to get your legs stretched and back in the speed boat at dusk with the wind in your hair and boatspins to keep the adrenaline flowing and to remind you of how much supper you just ate....Super Cool Place and wonderful time spending time with my local tour guides Rob & Ellen. read more

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Our tour was super fun. The whole family had a blast. It was scorching hot outside but the splash of the river felt amazing. We saw bald eagles and deer and geese. The boat was a cool machine too. Super fun. read more

We have done this trip 4 times , but the one we did on the 14th of July was the most memorable. The boat handler was Bo,. He shared his knowledge of the river ( a home town boy)and some great stories. A great time, our out of town guests had the best time ever! read more

This is a top notch operation. Everything runs pretty smooth. They have a lot of staff to make sure everything from check-in to loading to the ride, all go well. About the only downside is if it's hot out, you have to stand in line for 15-30 minutes waiting to load your boat. It's hot out. It's standing only. Once on the boat ride, they do their best to keep you cooled down, but bring lots of water to drink. You can even bring a small cooler with water. We did the 2 hour quick and scenic trip and I would definitely do the longer whitewater trip next time. The 2 hour trip went really fast and it's mostly just flat water and the scenic part is looking at birds. You do get to see a tiny bit of the canyon. Otherwise, it's not too scenic. It's very pretty and enjoyable though. read more

My family, myself, and two friends went yesterday and I was the only second timer. I had such a great time and so much better than the first time, not just because I got to see my family's reactions, but because I got absolutely drenched. The sixth row is incredible. The driver was doing hard stops and of course, the awesome, fun 360 degree turns. It was the greatest time I've had since May when I experienced it for the first time. I hope I can go one more time before the season ends. I'm addicted. This time, I went for dinner at the Hellgate River Lodge. The boat dropped us off for a delicious dinner of barbecued ribs and chicken, au-gratin potatoes, cornbread, biscuits, salad, and a heavenly apple granola cup for dessert. After dinner, it was back to the dock and in the boat for more incredible fun. It was for my sister's birthday, and there was a total of four women celebrating their birthdays onboard. Everyone on board sang Happy Birthday. Best. Day. Ever. Thank you to all of the staff, especially our driver of the Chinook 2. Thank you from the McGee family!! read more

Hellgate Jetboat Excursions - We saw two Eagles in this tree. - Boat Charters Near Me - Grants Pass, Oregon

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What a fun experience for all ages. HOWEVER YOU DO GET WET! So fun! Highly recommend this adventure! We have done the 1-hour excursion and the dinner excursion. Wow! Dinner is outstanding! All You can eat salad, ribs, chicken, vegetables, potatoes and apple chrisp with whip cream. Great service very accommodating with food allergies. It is family style on large tables that is all you can eat and drink. Great experience for a family, reunion, business event, or a date. The facility is immaculate, beautiful setting. read more

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We thoroughly enjoyed our Quick and Scenic 2-hour tour. We arrived 45 minutes early, and even though there were a dozen or so people in line, as it played out we were given the option to sit in the first row. So into the first row we went. We had a blast! We enjoyed the views on the "wild and scenic" Rogue River. Even the "courtesy zones", where we slowly cruised passed beautiful homes, were enjoyable with the pilot's narration. The 2-hour tour takes you just a bit into Hellgate Canyon. On our trip, we saw beautiful river scenery, several deer (big bucks!) and bald eagles. We also watched an osprey pluck a huge fish from the river. Bonus! We saw rafters, fisherman, swimmers and kayakers. We took a weekday trip, thankfully. I don't know how they manage to get around the river traffic on the weekends. As for the ride itself, the 360 spins and sudden stops are amazingly fun. And, yes, you will get wet. I was glad I had a dry bag for my cellphone, it was definitely needed. We thought the trip was well worth the $49/per person that we paid. We also gave the crew a nice tip, they worked hard to make it enjoyable. read more

Hellgate Jetboat Excursions - View from the front row. - Boat Charters Near Me - Grants Pass, Oregon

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Grants Pass has a Rogue river adventure for you! We stopped into the Hellgate jet boat excursions to check it out and go for a jet boat ride. Well bummer the boats at this time of the year do not continuously run, we missed it. We did browse around the store where you book your trips, there are plenty of cool items to look at , the shirts are high quality, there are sandals, sunglasses. There was a super nice gal selling wine and olive oils and all kinds of stuff. We bought a bottle of Hellgate wine to give it a try, we also bought some of their flavored olive oil. All of the folks that we had interaction with were super cool and we look forward to using this business in the near future, there are river trips from 1 hour to 5 hours, enjoy, highly recommend read more

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A must to do if you are in the area. We will Definitely be back. Craig was driver, he was awesome. Hope to have him again next time. Patricia Rodarte read more

My 10 year old grandson said, "This is fun! I love it more than video games!" I never thought I would hear that.

So much fun! Tip: if you want to sit near the front, arrive early and wait in line! I definitely missed the "30 minute early" bit and we were in the second to the back row. It was still a blast ...it's just something to consider if you want to be closer. We ordered our tickets online (two days prior) and check in was seamless. They were so friendly at the counter; it set the mood for the fun ahead. We made the short walk down to the ramp and after a little safety presentation, set off for an hour long joy ride on the Rogue River. Our 25+ year experienced guide was intent on making sure we had a memorable time. He balanced ecological facts with local river history with countless 360° spins. Fun fun! For me, the one hour ride was plenty though they do offer a variety of trip options. Enjoyable experience and destination in Grants Pass! read more

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This was an awesome ride. Big group of us did the brunch ride. Awesome food, great people and a whole lot of fun in the sun. read more

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Best part of the trip! What a thrill!! My 9 year old daughter was a little nervous about it and it took about 2 minutes out on the boat for her to have a constant smile on her face, just like her little brother....and dad, and mom! Great time had by all! read more

We visited Hellgate Jet boats in Grants Pass during a recent two-week roadtrip and it was easily the highlight of the entire trip. Absolutely put this on your schedule when passing through. There may not be a whole ton of exciting things to do when driving on the 5, but this is one of them!!! They have several different options, from a 1 hour, to a 4 our tour. We did the 1 hour as we were traveling with a 10 and 4 year old, and weren't sure how the 4 year old would like it. Plus... it is kind of pricey. That's the one drawback... but it's one of those things that is worth the price. This isn't your average sleepy boat ride down the river... this boat goes FAST!!! Not the whole time of course... but when it goes fast is a highlight. But the true highlight is when they're going super fast down the river and then do donuts!!! I saw the videos online and was a bit nervous if my kids would like it or if it'd be too much, but they LOVED it!!! They wanted even more donuts! You also get to see some pretty cool wildlife on the tour. We saw two bald eagles in the wild. Our driver was also a pretty awesome emcee. It was kind of like The Jungle Cruise with the one liners, which I enjoyed. We'll definitely be going back here, and will definitely be doing one of the longer tours! I'm not sure we can afford the 4 hour tour, but darn, I'd love to do that someday... If you'll be staying the night, stay at the nearby The Lodge at Riverside or The Riverside Inn, sister hotels that both have paths leading right to the dock. read more

We made reservations online for the 4-Hour, 36 mile dinner excursion from Grants Pass. Out of the six in our group, all but one has done this before. We arrived at the departure facility a little before 4pm. It is basically a store where you can purchase all kinds of items related to the excursions before and after your trip. We were directed to the docks where there were a lot of people gathered, both coming and going. We proceeded to line up on the path to the docks where we completed the release forms and received our wristbands. We had the pleasure of riding with Craig, a 17 year veteran with Hellgate, who told us we were on the newest boat in the fleet, the Summer Run II and that it has three 6.2L raptor engines delivering about 1400 hp total. Each boat seats about 60 people with about 6 to a row in about 10 rows. These are not small boats. The boats seem to go out in groups and I think our group consisted of 3 or 4 boats. We proceeded downriver towards Hellgate canyon. On the way, we were treated to some local history and Craig did spin outs and abrupt stops to get us wet and show us the capability of the boat. The surrounding topography changes drastically as you approach Hellgate canyon. It becomes a tight canyon with walls almost straight up. It has been featured in films including, River wild and Brewster Cogburn. After visiting Hellgate canyon, the boats return a little back up river to the river lodge where we were served a family style dinner with salad, cornbread, biscuits, cheesy potatoes, BBQ chicken, BBQ ribs and marion berry cobler. Including beer, wine, lemonade and tea. They also have a semi-stocked bar with other drinks or beer for purchase. The food and drink is nothing to write home about, but hits the spot. After dinner, we boarded the boat again to get even wetter before getting off at the departure facility. We would recommend trying this at least once. You will likely not get that wet. It is mostly like spraying water. I took video with my phone and managed to keep it dry. read more

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Pretty much everything went well grandchildren enjoyed the trip, note front of the boat is not safest to stay dry than one would think. Yes you may get soaked as I did it. It was all good. read more

I'm barely dry now and trying to figure out the last time when my fun meter spun off the gauge. Our cruise down the Rogue River was later in the day and included dinner. The boats are 39 ft and hold 30 - 40 passengers. Four engines seem to propel them at any speed that the Pilot wants. There are antics that the Pilot can perform one boat but the best are using the wake of a second boat. Holding your phone for a photo or a video while these are going on is going to put your phone in peril. Down river is where the dinner is served in a huge rustic log cabin chalet. Our seating was with our our group and was really satisfying. read more

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Our boat captain was an excellent guide and based on his insight on the area, I was ready to start house hunting. We had been on a jet boat excursion before in Miami so I was ready to get soaked since that's what happened but in this case you will get lightly sprayed not soaked. The 1 hour is scenic with a few 360 turns along the way. Booking online was convenient, and the staff was super nice except for the end. We walked into the shop to buy a few things and approached a cashier who acknowledged me, patiently waited for her to ring me up but I could tell that she was having difficulties with the phone call reservation because she kept having them repeat everything and she turns to me to say, I'm on reservation it's going to be awhile...should I try another cashier? Good luck with that. Mmmm she left me puzzled so I just put everything back and I guess I should thank her for saving me $75. So if you book. Do it online read more

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Definitely a must do when up in southern Oregon. Very enjoyable and entertaining trip and yes, you get a little wet. The boat captain was full of information and funny comments. I only went on a 1 hour excursion but would have loved to go on a longer trip. It was that enjoyable. If you're on the fence about taking the ride, just do it. You won't regret it. read more

Sooo much FUN!!! Best Experience ever!! We had the most awesome Boat Captain/Guide - Brady. Brady is a master at navigation, safety, and the most fun, all at once. Couldn't ask for a better Captain. He could splash other boats better than they could splash us too!! He could spin us in circles fast, and we felt totally safe. You can bring a small cooler. I wore a swimsuit. Most didn't. This was our 2nd trip, so I knew we'd get wet! Wear a suit or spf quick dry clothes. Sometimes you go slow, sometimes you FLY!!! It's invigorating, but not uncomfortable. I had had abdominal surgery 3 weeks prior, which somehow had slipped my mind. But I got the go-ahead from my surgeon. We just sat in the back row, against the wheelhouse. That served several purposes: supported our backs, kept the Sun off our backs, and protected us from getting wetter from the sides and back. Oh, we still got wet, Trust me!! But it was very welcoming - over 100 degrees out!! Breathtaking scenery, fresh smells, wildlife galore - we saw 2 bald eagles, a huge Osprey nest, several white egrets, medium sized turtle, a family of deer, beaver dams, other bird species, and more. The lodge where we had dinner is huge. It sits atop a grassy hill on at least 10 acres, at my estimate. Food was AMAZING!! So was the service! Plus all the wine and beer you could drink, included w dinner. Finally, this wonderful 4-hour dinner cruise happens on the Rogue River in Grants Pass, Oregon. The same river where several top movies with A-list stars were filmed. The River Wild, starring Kevin Bacon and Meryl Streep. Rooster Cogburn w/ John Wayne was filmed here too, and a few others. Take the cruise, you'll have a kick-ass time!! JeriLinn & Butch Aug 2022 read more