Access to the lower Wood River is at a bridge that passes over it near the west end of Weed Road, off Highway 62, south of Fort Klamath. The water level is currently high at the bridge-a kayak cannot pass underneath from upstream. Parking is on the north side of the road near a rock pile and brush that we've seen crawling with baby snakes in the past. A Barn is in sight a little ways off on the other side of the river, and the road.
Before we set off, we stood on the bridge and studied the river flow and channel, noting how much the flooding obscured the channel and over the banks.
Downstream, the channel was fairly easy to recognize by the stronger water flow, the lack of vegetation prickling up at shallow spots, and embankments just underwater that proved not hard to follow. Towards the end, the water became more sluggish and paddling more necessary to make headway. Of note, some of the flooded corners played mischief with the current and provided us with some deep water eddies that wanted to turn us sideways and around. There is one point about three-quarters of the way down, that the channel diverges clearly to the right and left. Right, is the short way through, left is the long way.
We sighted a bald eagle, hawks and possibly some nesting golden eagles, canadian geese and other waterbirds that took flight at the slightest sounds in the nearby Wood River Marshland. The end is in sight as a road embankment, with an underpass that continues into Agency Lake. The area to the right of this feature, we were told, is currently part of a government research project and partitioned off with a strange barrier plunked down at the edge of the channel. Continuing to the left however, against downstream water flow, will give you bank egress in one of two places. It's very wide along this part of the channel, and near the end of this stretch, you can see a boat dock on the right embankment (Wetlands canoe launch site). A short path leads to the parking lot which is more suited to visitors who wish to use the wildlife viewing area and walk in. Mary chose to back in the boat trailer to pick up. The other area is a little ways more up the channel, which turns left, narrows, and at the end is a dock and a boat ramp at Petric Park, with plenty of maneurvering room and parking. How to get there: From Hwy 97 north from Klamath Falls, turn left (west) on Modoc Point Road, continue north until you find 1)the Wood River Wetland access road; or, a little farther on, 2) Petric Park, both on the left. To get to the launch point, continue north on Modoc Point Rd. until it ends at Hwy 62; turn left and continue up to Weed Rd; turn left and travel until you see the bridge over the Wood River. It's about 7 miles on the road from Petric Park to the bridge.
It was a nice little grab on a sunny day that finally showed up. Paddle On!
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