Salmon River Family Whitewater Rafting
Whitewater Rafting in Idaho with Hell's Canyon Rafting
Highlights
- All-inclusive from first day lunch to last day lunch, including personal camping equipment
- Easy access from either Spokane, WA or Lewiston, ID
- Professional, fun whitewater guides and first-class river hospitality
- Fantastic all-inclusive beach camping
- Exciting Class II and III whitewater
Full Description
The Salmon River Canyon is a perfect place for your family to explore Idaho’s “Salmon River of No Return.” This section of the Salmon River drifts through quiet pools and dives into some exciting yet family-friendly rapids.
Join Hells Canyon Raft for a relaxing family-oriented trip along the Salmon River. After each day of rafting, we'll camp on the beautiful white beach that lines the river. Sit back and relax while our guides take care of everything, from setting up camp to preparing meals.
HCR guides are kids at heart and will keep the little ones busy with games, arts and crafts, and other fun activities while you take it easy. Our guides will help your youngsters catch that first fish, or set you up with a rod and tackle.
On the river, there are no interruptions, no cell phones, no traffic, and no hassles. Your family will enjoy a peaceful dinner together with others families on our trip. Many family friendships have started on our river rafting trips. Kids, parents, and grandparents will enjoy this family-friendly, fun, and relaxing trip.
Includes:
- Full course meals from breakfast the first day to lunch the last day
- Professional river equipment
- Fishing gear
- Coast Guard-approved life jackets
- Waterproof boxes for cameras
- Waterproof bags for personal gear
- Sleeping bags, tents and ground cloths for sleeping under the stars
Excludes:
- Airfare to Lewiston, ID, or Spokane, WA
- Transportation from Spokane to Lewiston
- Fishing license
Day by Day Itinerary
One-Day Trip
Meet at 9 AM at the Lucille Launch Ramp, just north of Riggins, Idaho. Jump into the van for a short ride to the put in point at Spring Bar. Launch by about 10 AM for a 25-mile trip through some great whitewater. Stop for lunch around noon. After a gourmet riverside lunch, jump back into the boats for an action-packed afternoon. We are off the river, and back to your car by about 4 PM.
Two-Day Trip
Day 1
Meet at the Lucille Launch Site at 9 AM. Jump into the van for a short ride up the river. Launch by about 10 AM. Spend the day running rapids in a kayak or raft, swimming in the river, and relaxing. In camp, enjoy our first-class service on a beautiful white sand beach. Dine riverside while enjoying a great steak dinner.
Day 2
Arise to the aroma of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon. Today we run several larger rapids. Lunch is riverside, and we end the trip by about 3 PM.
Four-Day Trip
Day 1
A large air-conditioned van transports us to the river (1-hour drive). The guides have the boats ready to go. After we strap down your personal gear, we launch for the trip of a lifetime. You will run several warm up rapids. This is a great time to try out the inflatable kayaks, or for the younger kids to ride the paddle boat. Lunch is riverside in the shade, each day and we arrive in camp around 3 or 4 PM. Camp is already set up and ready. The beach activities can begin. The paddle boat water slide is always a hit or try sand castle building, Frisbee, and volleyball. Hors d’oeuvres are set out around 5:30 PM and dinner is served at about 7 PM. Snacks and drinks are always available.
Day 2
Arise to the aroma of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon. Today we run several rapids and travel through the first of our Salmon River Canyons, Snowhole Canyon. Snowhole rapid is the largest rapid on the river. A quick scout provides a view of the excitement to come, and a chance for the paddleboat and kayakers to receive last minute instructions. There is also time for some short hikes to see old homesteads and ancient pictographs. We arrive in camp between 3 and 4 PM. Tonight we camp close to where the Nez Pearce Indians camped while trying to gain their freedom.
Day 3
This day takes us through Cougar Canyon, a short canyon with some great rapids. At the end of the Canyon lies big Class III rapids. After a quick scout we are safely through and into a calm stretch of water. Here you can cool off and jump in the river to swim beside the boats. Toward the end of the day we enter our last canyon, Blue Canyon, the narrowest, and most captivating of our trip. It also has some nice long stretches of great Class II and III rapids. We camp in this canyon for the evening.
Day 4
Our last day on the river. The morning takes us through several eye-opening rapids, and into the confluence with the Snake River. We spend the rest of the day floating on the Snake and stopping to see ancient writings chipped into the rock. We enjoy one last lunch together, then arrive to the take out at about 3 PM. We arrive in Lewiston 45 minutes later.
About The Operator:
Hell's Canyon Rafting
Headquarters:
McCall, Idaho
Established:
January 1982
Hells Canyon Raft has outfitted trips on the Snake River for over 20 years. We are the "Hells Canyon Specialists." We do one trip at a time, and we do it right. As the company owners, we feel it imperative to accompany each trip. We are the leaders in Hells Canyon.
Our guides are our cornerstones. The guides who work with us are professionals, not just college kids on summer break. With a 3:1 guest to guide ratio, your guides will truly become friends. They are all licensed by the States of Idaho and Oregon, and certified in Red Cross First Aid and CPR. They will captivate you with their knowledge of river lore, comfortably transport you through some of the largest whitewater in the Northwest, and act as minstrels, gourmet chefs, and fishing guides. In other words, our guides will not act just as caretakers, but as guides who are there to facilitate your experience, making your adventure all that you want it to be.