Paddle Tribal Waters is a whitewater kayaking and Native and environmental leadership advocacy training program that provides a series of program opportunities to build youth leadership and competency in kayaking and advocacy. PTW is building the capacity for Native youth to lead the first source to sea kayak expedition of the Klamath River in 2025 after the 4 lower dams are removed in 2024.

You do NOT need any previous kayaking experience. We do encourage students to have some experience swimming, but knowing how to swim is not required and support to increase swimming knowledge and technique will be provided as necessary. 

A day at Paddle Tribal Waters starts around 7:30 am with a group breakfast. After breakfast, the group makes bagged lunches, loads up their kayak gear, and hits the river! The group engages in kayak instruction sessions either on the ponds at Otter Bar or on various sections of the Klamath and Salmon Rivers until about 4:30 pm. Upon return, students engage in an interactive Klamath River Basin leadership, environment, and advocacy curriculum, specifically developed and led by our Native-led PTW education team. Some evenings, the lessons host a series of guest speakers. In the evening, the group has dinner and joins for a reflection on the day. After dinner, the group spends the rest of the day playing games, socializing, or taking personal time to rest for the day ahead. Quiet time starts at 9:30 pm, and it’s lights out at 10 pm in order to sleep and have a good start the next morning.

The curriculum at Paddle Tribal Waters is broken up into two main areas of study: whitewater kayaking and leadership.

At Paddle Tribal Waters, we cultivate an environment of connecting with nature and the people around us. To support this, we ask that students either leave their phones at home or check them in with staff at the end of our optional phone time, which is offered for approximately an hour every couple of days while at Otter Bar. There is no cell service at Otter Bar, but wifi is available. For the multi-day river trip, there is no cell service and students are asked not to bring their phones. Students are often surprised by how much they enjoy being “unplugged” and connecting.  

Ríos to Rivers provides a contact that you can reach out to at any time with questions or emergencies and that contact can be in touch with staff and the base contact. 

Youths age 13 - 18 are eligible to participate in the program. Priority will be given to students with close ties to the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Karuk Tribe, Klamath-Modoc-Yahooskin Tribes, Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Shasta Tribe, Quartz Valley Tribe, and Yurok Tribe. You do not need to live in the Klamath Basin to be eligible; please contact us with any questions regarding this.

This program is free. Thanks to the support of foundations, companies, and individuals, all expenses, including lodging, food, kayak equipment, and program transportation, are covered.