You’ve stared at screens all week. Now imagine flinging open a lodge door and feeling the high-desert air swirl in—canyon-scented, river-cooled—and knowing the next three days are mapped for pure, soul-healing adventure. This Maupin weekend guide shows you exactly how to spend 72 unforgettable hours at Imperial River Company, the hotel in Maupin Oregon that anchors every thrill and chill on the lower Deschutes.
Friday | Arrive & Unwind in Maupin
4 p.m. — Claim your riverfront basecamp. Check into a Riverview Room where a patio (ground floor) or deck (second floor) perches mere steps from ¼-mile of shoreline. Expect Oregon-themed décor, fiber-fast Wi-Fi, coffee maker, wader dryer, and beds you’ll brag about back in Portland . Yet there’s no in-room TV—a recent guest cheered “No TV! Thank the Lord” before fly-fishing right off the lawn —so the river becomes your entertainment. If RV’ing is more you thing – check out the UpRiver RV park for the best views and amenities.
6 p.m. — Dinner with a view. Slide into the lodge’s juniper-trimmed dining room or patio for smoked riblets, fresh-cut steaks, and a glass of Lange Pinot Noir while trout rise in the fading light . Toast the weekend at the bar, then wander to the firepit and let the sparks tease the Milky Way.
Saturday | Rapids, Trails & Canyon Roads
7 a.m. — Sunrise reset. Sip coffee on the deck as swallows skim the current. If a rod is handy, cast for some fish; Imperial’s private frontage makes you feel like you own the river .
10:30 a.m. — White-knuckle bliss. Gear up for a half-day white-water trip. Guides are famous for turning nervous first-timers into river legends, keeping everyone “comfortable, prepared and ready to have a good time.” Boxcar, The Elevators and Oak Springs rapids deliver just-right adrenaline while canyon walls echo your whoops.
2 p.m. — Back-yard volleyball. Kids (and grownups) can burn off leftover energy on the sand-volleyball court.
3 p.m. — Ride the Sherar’s Falls Scenic Bikeway. Rent a bike or bring your own; the 33-mile loop rolls beside rust-gold cliffs, over the White River, and back to town with almost no traffic . Prefer two feet to two wheels? Stroll the Deschutes River Trail for osprey sightings and canyon panoramas.
7 p.m. — Sunset beers, canyon glow. Sip a craft pint on the lawn swings and watch lava-rock ridges glow. Dinner round two? The bar’s generous menu has locals whispering “best deal in town.”
Sunday | Slow-Mo Desert Zen
8 a.m. — Waterfall detour. Before checkout, drive 30 minutes to White River Falls State Park, where a 90-foot tiered plunge roars through basalt amphitheaters. Snap the misty selfies, then glide back into Maupin for brunch.
11 a.m. — Pack or prolong. If wheels are your walls, relocate to UpRiver RV Park next door. Oversized, full-hook-up riverfront sites offer EV plugs, blazing Wi-Fi, and wake-up-to-water views starting at $85 . Otherwise, linger over complimentary board games, snag a last lawn swing, and promise to tackle steelhead season this fall .
Ready to live these things to do in Maupin instead of reading about them?
heck real-time availability now, snag your Riverview Room or RV pad, and let Imperial River Company turn the next 72 hours into the highlight reel you’ll replay all year.