Grants Pass is a city of about 40,000 in southern Oregon's Rogue Valley, best known as the gateway to the Rogue River, one of the most celebrated whitewater rivers in the western United States. The river runs through a federally protected Wild and Scenic stretch west of the city, with challenging rapids and a canyon accessible only on foot or by raft — the Rogue River Trail is a popular multi-day backpacking route. Commercial rafting outfitters operate from Grants Pass and offer everything from half-day floats to four-day wilderness trips.
The city itself has a pleasant downtown with an independent bookshop character and a lively Saturday farmers' market. The painted bears on every corner and the old It's the Climate sign over 6th Street give the place a particular character. Grants Pass sits in the warmer, sunnier interior valley rather than on the wet Oregon coast, and the climate is noticeably Mediterranean compared to much of the state. The Redwood Highway south toward Crescent City passes through stands of old-growth forest. Oregon Caves National Monument is about an hour east.