We’ll take a scenic flight to our put-in at Indian Creek, where your boats and crew await you. (At certain water levels, we may be lucky enough to put in further upstream at Boundary Creek, which we access by ground shuttle.) After an informative safety talk and some brief paddle raft/inflatable kayak instruction, we take to the pure crisp waters of the breathtaking Middle Fork. Within moments, you’ll experience your first rapid, an appropriate introduction to this river whose exciting, consistent whitewater doesn’t stop until its confluence with the Main Salmon.

Our high-elevation put-in point awards us with fantastic alpine scenery, and we spend our first day among deep green forests, dramatic mountains, and crystal clear creeks that pour out of the woods and into the river.

Our first day generally sets the pace for our time on the river. Typically, we spend a few hours on the water in the morning, sometimes stopping for a great hike, a visit to a waterfall or an Indian pictograph, or a soak in a natural hot spring. Come lunchtime, we pull over to a sandy beach and enjoy a delicious picnic. After feasting and relaxing on the beach (or perhaps swimming, a game of Frisbee, a nature walk…), we get back in our boats for more exciting whitewater. Be sure to try your hand at the paddleboat and inflatable kayak! Mid- to late-afternoon, we stop and make camp; you grab your bags and set up your tent while we take care of the kitchen and “living room”—camp chairs and the site for tonight’s campfire (if permitted). Before long you’ll be savoring pleasing hors d’oeuvres and the beverage of your choice—delicious as these refreshments are, they always taste better after a day on the river! Read, nap, or just sit back and laugh with friends and family as we prepare dinner. After a satisfying feast, the evening is yours to spend however you wish. Maybe music, stories or jokes will bring us together tonight; maybe the popping of the fire, the whisper of the river and the clarity of the big, star-filled sky will encourage silent reflection on the amazing wilderness that is, for now, our home.

Continuing down the river the next few days, we’ll see the scenery change from high mountains to gently rolling hills. Thick forests give way to miles of open grassland dotted with cool glades of pine. The views remain stunning and the whitewater action-packed. Huge rapids like Powerhouse and Pistol Creek are interspersed with less intense, yet still thrilling whitewater in the form of wave trains, chutes, and drops. Our journey downstream takes us to more hot springs, alcoves decorated with Sheepeater Indian pictographs, and magnificent Veil Falls, a unique waterfall that plummets freely into a natural amphitheatre from a high rock overhang.

Towards the end of this stretch, the Middle Fork rushes into Impassable Canyon, a narrow gorge that creates some of the most high-intensity and continuous whitewater of the trip. Paddle hard through Redside, Rubber, and Hancock rapids, and enjoy the sudden spectacular change in scenery from wooded hills to the sheer granite walls and huge boulders of Impassable Canyon.

On Day 6 we will reach the confluence with the Main Salmon. The guests who are floating only the Middle Fork will say goodbye and leave the river, heading back to Salmon, Idaho. As we turn west at the confluence the flow of the combined rivers more than doubles and we float toward Corn Creek where our Main Salmon journey officially begins. Once we reach Corn Creek the guides will work to expedite the process of bringing on fresh provisions and preparing for the continuation of your journey.

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll load up the boats and continue our journey. The scenery of the Main—distinct from that of the Middle Fork, yet equally beautiful—immediately transfixes us, and for the duration of our trip, we’re mesmerized by the grandeur of the 3.2 million-acre Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. This broad canyon is heavily forested with towering pines and conifers and, early in the season, blanketed with vibrant wildflowers. We may be welcomed to the Main by a family of otters swimming near our boats, a herd of bighorn sheep scaling a steep canyon wall, a giant elk or moose wading in the shallows, or if we’re lucky, a black bear standing sentinel on shore.

As we journey into the pristine heart of the Frank Church, each day brings new discoveries: exciting rapids like Salmon Falls, Big Mallard and Growler, historical sites such as Buckskin Bill’s homestead and Jim Moore’s place (maybe you’ll find the fortune he buried in the hillside!), and the much anticipated Barth Hot Springs. Avid hikers may enjoy a challenging climb to Rabbit Point, where the beautiful views are well worth the effort of getting there. The fishing is excellent during these days, and on trips in July and August, warm air and water temperatures encourage frequent refreshing dips in the river.

Today, as the Main Salmon River begins to parallel the forest service road, we conclude our adventure. Bidding farewell to the river and our guides, we’ll take a two-hour drive to McCall, where a lovely resort town awaits us. You’ll want to spend the night, or even a few days, in McCall to enjoy its beautiful natural setting on the shores of Payette Lake and its authentic small-town Idaho charm. McCall Aviation runs return flights from McCall to Boise beginning approximately 7 AM the next morning.