Overview
Family rafting trips in the Salmon River Canyons cascade guests down 60 miles of Idaho's famous Salmon "River of No Return." Intermediate rapids quench your thirst for white water excitement, while drifting along between rapids soothes your soul. These trips are exclusive to families and feature warm water, massive white sand beaches and short hikes to historic sites of the Nez Perce Indians. The real magic of this family trip is the “River Jester,” a guide who entertains children with nature hikes and other fun activities. Children and parents alike will celebrate the memories of this magical Idaho family rafting vacation.
Read a special message for mothers from ROW Co-Owner, Betsy Bowen.
Available Activities:
At A Glance
- Trip Duration: 4-5 Days
- Trip Length: 56-74 miles
- Intensity: Easy, Intermediate, Class II-III
- Season: June-September
- Minimum Age: 5 (8 during highwater)
- Begins in: Lewiston, Idaho
- Ends in: Lewiston, Idaho
- Closest Airport: Lewiston, Idaho or Spokane, Wash.
- Highlights: Family camping, white sandy beaches, fun intermediate rapids, great riverside hiking, warm swimming water, no mosquitoes.
- Other Highlights: Abundant wildlife, Native American history, pioneer homesteads.
Details
Family Rafting Details
Family Magic rafting trips through the Salmon River Canyons on the Main Salmon River in Idaho are fun, intermediate white water trips that blend stunning scenery with hot sun, warm water, great rapids and the most beautiful white sand beaches of any river in the West. Our Family Magic Rafting vacations are for families with children ages five and up.
From the put-in spot near Whitebird, Idaho, your whitewater rafting adventure floats 60 miles of the Salmon River, through twisted volcanic canyons, steep mountains and a seemingly endless western sky. As cliffs and boulders constrict the river, raft-bouncing Class II-IV rapids quench your thirst for white water excitement. Between the rapids we relax, drift and enjoy the mountain vistas. You're likely to spot soaring eagles, and we'll stop occasionally for short hikes to historic sites.
The scenery on a Salmon River family vacation alternates between dramatic, sheer canyons and huge mountains of golden grass and towering ponderosa pines. This is the American West at its best.
Salmon River rapids are intermediate, ranging from Class II-IV. Known as "pool and drop" rapids, they are a lot of fun and perfect for paddle rafts and inflatable kayaks (affectionately called Daring Duckies). We also have oar-powered rafts to carry camping gear and food, and to effortlessly carry people who want a break from paddling.
Of all the sections of the Salmon River, these canyons offer the most idyllic camping conditions and warmest water. There are no mosquitoes and air temperatures are typically between 85-95 degrees during the day and 60-70 at night. From the soft white sand beaches you can wade into crystal-clear water, join a game of volleyball, do a little fishing, throw a Frisbee or simply catch some sun. At night we pull out a telescope and gaze into the dark sky, far from the reach of any city lights.
Mariah and Jonah Grubb, children of ROW owners Peter Grubb and Betsy Bowen, crawled from cradle to raft at any early age and have been instrumental in teaching us how to run the best family rafting vacations in the world. They insisted that only families be allowed to attend so there are always plenty of similar-aged playmates around. They hired a specially trained River Jester™ who leads fun-filled nature-oriented games and activities along with our family-friendly crew of professional river guides. They helped us create a special kids’ menu that would make Dr. Seuss drool and made sure that the day ends with stories and songs around a glowing campfire. As the river sings its lovely lullaby, you'll comfortably slumber under Idaho's star-studded sky.
Thinking of taking a trip in idaho on the either the Salmon River or the Snake River? Here is a reference guide that might help - Salmon River vs Snake River
If you need to purchase some gear before your whitewater rafting trip, ROW has assembled the more common items at our ROWear online store, hosted by New Headings.
Itinerary
Family Rafting Trip Itinerary
(While this is a typical itinerary, every trip is unique. This is meant to give you a snapshot of the trip and examples of the things you’ll see and do, but should not be considered an exact itinerary.)
DAY 0 – Travel to Lewiston, Idaho and meet ROW’s Team Leader and our River Jester at the Red Lion Hotel at 7:00pm PST for a one-hour orientation meeting to answer last-minute questions. You'll also receive your waterproof gear bags. Dinner is on your own.
DAY 1 – Meet your team leader at 7:30am for a two-hour bus ride to the rafting trip launch point near Whitebird, Idaho. On the way we'll stop briefly at the Nez Perce National Historical Park for an introduction to the native peoples who lived along the Salmon River for thousands of years. Today many celebrate their heritage by living on the Nez Perce Reservation near the Clearwater and Salmon rivers. By mid-morning we arrive at our launch point. Summer here is typically dry and hot, with daytime temperatures in the 90’s and nights in the 60’s.
Before launching rafts, ROW staff prepares you with a thorough safety briefing while personal gear is loaded. The briefing covers how to ride in a raft, how to paddle, how to swim through rapids, and other tips for the days ahead. Once this is complete everyone chooses a raft - paddle, oar-powered or inflatable kayak - and climbs aboard.
The Salmon River Canyons is a trip with “pool and drop” characteristics. This means there's a long pool of calm water followed by a rapid. Today we run great introductory rapids that give a fun, roller coaster ride.
When we stop for lunch, some guides prepare the meal while others give a “camp orientation” to explain how we minimize our impact on the river. ROW adheres to "Leave No Trace" camping ethics, so you'll learn where to wash up, how the toilet system works, where to brush your teeth, place trash, etc. Then it’s time to make a sandwich and enjoy the open-air dining experience.
Around 4:00pm we arrive at camp with plenty of free time for hiking, fishing, reading or just relaxing. ROW’s River Jester™ will have fun activities planned for the children. This might be a short nature hike, a game at the river’s edge, or an arts and crafts project. Or kids can simply build sand castles and play in the water.
Parents are welcome to join in, or to relax in their own way. Hors d’oeuvres are served around 6:00pm along with the kids’ dinner. The adult's dinner is served around 7:30 and kids are welcome to join. After dinner a campfire is lit and an evening of laughter and fun begins. As the night sky darkens we’ll offer an astronomy lesson or story to send everyone to bed with sweet dreams.
DAY 2 – You'll wake around 7:00am to the smell of fresh-brewed coffee and tea. Breakfast is served around 7:30, and while we clean up the kitchen, you pack up your personal gear. We depart camp about 9:30 for today's rafting adventure. Plenty of rapids, sun and dramatic scenery await you on an adventure-packed day of family white water rafting. Of historic interest, we stop to visit a Native American rock art site, left by the original inhabitants of this rugged land. These were the predecessors of today’s Nez Perce tribe, and were once the most populous tribe in the Pacific Northwest. Their original homeland covered millions of acres and included settlements along the Salmon, Snake and Clearwater rivers.
From these rivers they caught thousands of salmon that were both a part of their food supply as well as spiritual nurturing. During the cooler months of the year they lived in “pit houses” along this section of the Salmon River and we see evidence of these on our journey down the river. As we visit these sites and study their art, we can only wonder what life must have been like for them in past centuries.
Soon after, the river enters “Green Canyon” and we hoot and holler through the exciting rapids of Wright Way Drop and Demon’s Drop. We stop for lunch on a big beach, perfect for swimming and beach games. The afternoon has a few more rapids, peaceful drifting and the chance of seeing soaring eagles. Tonight we camp on a huge white sand beach, and after dinner we enjoy the evening campfire and marvel at the star-studded sky.
DAY 3 – Today your rafting holiday takes you through “Cougar Canyon” and “Snowhole Canyon” for full day of whitewater rafting fun. Big, splashy rapids like Lorna’s Lulu, Bunghole, the Gobbler, Bodacious Bounce, Snowhole and China make for great stories and beaming smiles.
One of the curious bits of human history unique to Idaho and the lower reaches of the Salmon River is the story of the Chinese miners who came here around 1864. Gold was discovered in 1861 and Chinese miners worked or provided support services for the mining camps. By 1870, 25 percent of Idaho's population was Chinese. In the 1880’s some set up placer mining camps along this stretch of the Salmon River.
Using simple hydraulics and hard labor they moved tons of earth to find gold. In their camps, they built small rock houses, which remain today as amazing testimony to their skill and endurance. After a full day of learning and fun, we arrive in camp. The hot weather and warm water invite everyone in for a swim.
Our guides have a bagful of games and fun for kids and adults, and this evening we may set up a volleyball net, play horseshoes or hike up a nearby mountain for stunning views. Summer evenings in Idaho are long, with darkness arriving after 9:30pm in July and early August. The night sky, crackling campfire and fresh mountain air will help you sleep like a baby.
Day 4 - More fun rapids and incredible scenery. We may see playful river otters swimming and frolicking. At Cottonwood Creek the more adventurous might jump in and swim a rapid! We might hike to the old Reeves' homestead at Wapshilla Creek, named for a Nez Perce family who lived in the area. Jackson Sundown, a Nez Perce who was in the famous Nez Perce flight of 1877, married Cecilia Wapsheli and worked at the Reeves’ ranch. In 1916, at the age of 53, he won the Pendleton Round-Up world championship rodeo.
Those fishing will continue to find bass and trout and birdwatchers are likely to spot golden eagles and falcons. Home and worries will seem a thousand miles away. River time has settled into our rhythm and our souls.
After lunch we enter “Blue Canyon,” named for the bluish/black tone of the igneous rock that forms the dramatic landscape. Here the river is forced into a narrower channel and a long series of cascading rapids treats us. We'll bounce through Devil’s Slide, Sluice Box, Checkerboard and Eye of the Needle. These rapids are the perfect finale to your Salmon River journey. We make camp near the Salmon's confluence with the Snake River. It’s our last night on the river and we'll camp on another expansive white sand beach. These natural beaches can only be found on an undammed river where ground-up rock is free to travel as sediment downriver, settling to create these beautiful oases of glistening sand. When a river is dammed, the dam traps sediment behind its concrete walls and robs beaches of sand rather than replenishing them.
DAY 5 – If we didn’t arrive yesterday, today we'll see the confluence of the Salmon and Snake Rivers. This is a powerful place where the legendary Salmon “River of No Return” ends its journey and mingles with the waters of the mighty Snake River at the lower end of Hells Canyon. Once we enter the Snake we’re floating on twice the volume of water as the Salmon alone. The Snake forms state boundaries, and from this point on we have Idaho on our right and Oregon or Washington on the left, depending on location. There are some big waves and big rides and also some long stretches of flat water.
As we travel downstream, we'll see the original Nez Perce trail descending down the canyon to a ford used for centuries by the Nez Perce as they travelled east from the Wallowa Mountains (in today’s northeast corner of Oregon).
We stop for another fine lunch on a sandy beach and put on a big smile for the group photo. A few more miles of magnificent scenery and then around 3:00pm we reach our take-out just below the Snake River's confluence with the Grande Ronde River. Gear is untied and everyone carries their personal gear to the waiting bus. After a quick 45-minute ride to the hotel, you'll enjoy a hot shower before meeting your guides for ROW’s hosted farewell dinner at around 7:00pm.
DAY 6 – If you drove to Lewiston your car is waiting for you. If you flew, take the hotel shuttle to the Lewiston airport or a taxi to the Spokane airport, two hours north.
Full Itinerary
FAQ
Family Rafting FAQs
When is the best time to go?
As the Salmon River Canyons can be too high to float in June, our season starts around July 5 and goes through September. (Note our special 3-day departures offered throughout the season on the “Salmon near Riggins.”) Generally our 5-day trips start on Sundays or Mondays. However, our permit on the Salmon River Canyons allows us to launch any day we want and if we don't have scheduling conflicts, for groups we may be able to be flexible if your schedule requires a different start date. As well, we're able to accommodate groups as small as 18 (or smaller during our shoulder season in September) who want their own private charter.
What type of rafts do you use?
In addition to the cargo boat that carries all the camping gear, we use three other kinds of river craft. The traditional raft is a self-bailing oar-powered raft, which we row, using two oars. These are 16-17 feet long. We also offer a smaller, self-bailing 14-foot paddle raft, where 4 to 6 people paddle along with our guide. And, the Salmon River Canyons is a great place to paddle an inflatable kayak, or Daring Duckie, as we call them. You have a choice of riding in any of these river craft, and many people enjoy trying all three during the course of the trip. We encourage you to bring a camera, which will be easily accessible on the oar-rafts from the waterproof camera boxes we provide.
(Note: On the few trips we operate with less than 13 guests, we may not have enough people interested in paddling to have a paddle raft along. This decision is based on exactly how many guests want to paddle, what percentage of time they want to paddle, and possible logistical constraints based on water levels and other factors. We will still have duckies on smaller trips, if requested.)
Who guides your trips?
On any river trip, the guides are the most important factor for your safety, enjoyment, and the success of the trip. ROW guides are exceptional people with years of river experience. We maintain a tobacco-free policy and most of our guides have taken interpretation courses from certified instructors. We look for guides who are willing and eager to share, teach, listen, learn, laugh, play, discuss, and, above all, work hard to provide a safe, relaxed and spontaneous adventure.
While in camp, two or three guides are preparing dinner while the others are free to spend time with you. They might show you the way to a nearby hot spring, give a fly-fishing lesson, or just to sit and visit with the group. Our guides are the main reason many of our guests return to ROW time and time again. (References gladly provided.)
Special to this trip is ROW's River Jester(TM), a guide specially trained to interact with children. Each Jester is trained in nature-oriented educational games. So rather than just play tag, the River Jester adds a twist to the game for an element of environmental education. For instance, on the Family Magic trip we stop to explore some Native American pictographs. That afternoon in camp the Jester has each child find their own rock. Using natural pigments, they draw their own rock art while the Jester explains why Native Americans used to draw on rocks. Then, once each child has finished and shared their work, they receive a lesson in "Leave No Trace" camping ethics by going down to the river to wash off the all-natural art and to put the stone back where they found it.
What do we do when we're not floating the river?
One of the reasons that the Salmon River Canyons is such a fabulous trip is the incredible variety of things to do and see along the way. ROW makes a point of stopping and taking advantage of as many of these things as we can. As we float we tell you about the early pioneers who lived here. We stop to hike to at least one of the Chinese rock house sites along the river. We talk about the native peoples and take you to see their rock art and settlement sites. All in all, we try to share as much about the river canyons as we know. Not only do we show you these places, we help you understand them better. If you're interested, we'll tell you about the geology and plants and animals. We believe strongly that deepening understanding builds greater appreciation. And we're hoping our love of these canyons will be contagious.
What is camping like on the river?
Forget those images of leaky tents and camp food out of a can. You’ll be amazed how comfortable camping can be when done the ROW way. On trips with 13 or more guests, we use a large 22-foot cargo raft to carry the bulk of the camping gear, food, etc. This allows our smaller oar-powered rafts to be lighter and more maneuverable. The cargo raft, along with two- support crew, arrives at camp ahead of the group and gets the kitchen set up including dining tables and chairs. The crew also sets up the spacious twoperson tents that ROW provides. When we arrive in camp all you have to do is carry your personal gear (stored in a ROW-provided easyto-use waterproof bag) to the tent of your choice and roll out your sleeping bag, flannel liner and thick, self-inflating foam sleeping pad (also provided by ROW). This gives you an extra half-hour of time for doing something you'd enjoy rather than setting up a tent. (Note: In rare circumstances we may have a trip with less than 13 guests. In this case, due to economic and logistical reasons, we may not run our cargo raft. On these smaller trips guests and gear travel together down the river. Our guides are still happy to set up your tent if you like, or you may enjoy doing it yourself.)
Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Also visit our Whitewater Resources page for additional information.
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