| Description:
Tucked away on the Nestucca River in
Tillamook County is another excellent small cart wheel hole. The
Goat Hole is named for the goats who live in the small fenced field
just across the river from the hole. The Goat Hole is a great place
to practice cart wheeling and spinning with near perfect eddy service.
The Goat Hole stays in through a
remarkably wide range of water levels. This Hole will let you link
up a seemingly endless set of low angle left cartwheels and spins both ways.
This is a shallow hole but the river bottom is nearly smooth
sandstone so hitting it with your boat or paddle is rarely a
problem. Short boats definitely do better here since they are less
likely to hit bottom on a regular basis.
Getting access to this hole requires you to do
a run down from the bridge just below the Nestucca, Alder Creek
confluence (park at Mile Post 5 on Blaine Road) down to the bridge at Borba
Road. This mile and half, to two mile run is Class II in nature when
the Goat Hole is in and has several other small surf waves that some
might find interesting before you finally get down to Goat Hole
about a half mile above the bridge at Borba Road. Many people are
tempted to park and play at the hole but the only way to gain access
to river in that vicinity is by trespassing. Just do the run and
don't jeopardize our access to the Nestucca by being too lazy to do a
short run. Keep in mind that Tillamook County deals with trespassers
quite harshly and as other boaters can tell you the locals enjoy
calling the sheriff on city folk creeping through their back yards.
Additionally the river bank at the goat funnels sound to the house
across the river in an ampitheater like fashion. While surfing the
goat hole try not to yell (especially profanity...oops) and disturb
the family with young children that live across from the hole.
If you have the opportunity to paddle The Lower
Nestucca at high water between 7000-9000 c.f.s., you will find a
couple of surprisingly good holes about a quarter mile to a
half-mile above the Goat
Hole on river-right. The river at these higher flows is
Class III with a lot of brush. |
| Eddy Service:
Behind the hole there is a long eddy on
river-left. This eddy is almost impossible to miss and the current
heading down river isn't that strong so everyone should be making
the eddy on a regular basis. People are frequently seen hand
paddling (bare hands) here to give you an idea how easy the eddy is
to catch. |
| Water Levels:
below 2300 c.f.s.:
The hole is very shallow.
2400 c.f.s. - 4400 c.f.s.:
These are the best levels for the Goat Hole.
above 4500
c.f.s.: The Hole starts to
wave out at this level and the eddy becomes a little harder to
catch. Starts to get hard
to cartwheel but even easier to spin. For most people levels above
4400 c.f.s. is not worth the drive.
|
| Gauge:
Nestucca River at Beaver. This river holds
its water better than the Wilson so look at the Nestucca when the
Wilson is near 6ft. |
| Season:
Rainy Season, October to May
during or after periods of heavy rain |
| Difficulty:
This is a spot both beginners learning to surf
and experts will both be able to appreciate. It is a great place to
learn how to surf, spin, cartwheel and more. |
| Driving Directions:
From Beaver south of Tillamook on Highway 101
follow the Nestucca East on Blaine Road just over three miles until you
get to the bridge at Borba Road. Just downstream (on river right) of
the bridge at Borba Road is your
take out. Drive up Blaine Road to the next bridge across the
Nestucca and park at Mile Post 5 on Blaine Road and put-in there. Paddle downstream
from Mile Post 5 a little over a mile to
the Goat Hole. There is a nice dirt path down to the river at Mile
Post 5. |
| Closest Town: Tillamook, OR |
| Closest Services:
If you need gas, food or anything else there
is a mini-market at the gas station in Beaver 10 - 15 minutes away
where Blaine Road meets Highway 101. If you need anything
else head North to Tillamook a half hour away. |
| Other Local Attractions if the play isn't
in:
Check out the Tillamook Cheese Factory or go on a hike or
mountain bike ride on the abundant trails in the Coast Range.
Alternately ocean surf is always an option. |
| Closest Camping:
The closest camping would be at undeveloped
sites on forest roads on the upper Nestucca. |
| Local's Tips:
Don't trespass! Great beginner hole and good
place to refine your technique. Usually in when the MRI Hole on the
Wilson is in. |
| Local Kayak Shops: Pacific Wave in
Warrenton (just West of Astoria, OR) is the closest local paddle
shop. Alder Creek and
Next Adventure are shops to hit in Portland. |
