Trip Highlights
TRIP MILES: 56 - 74 Miles
RETURN TIME: 5:00 PM PDT Lewiston, Idaho
AGE LIMIT: Minimum age is 5 (10 at high water)
BOAT TYPE: Paddle Raft, Oar Raft, Inflatable Kayaks
Sample Itinerary
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ACCOMMODATIONS: Hells Canyon Grand Hotel (Not Included in trip cost) - Make your reservations early
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MEALS INCLUDED: none
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ACCOMMODATIONS: Riverside Camping
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MEALS INCLUDED: L, D
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ACCOMMODATIONS: Riverside Camping
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MEALS INCLUDED: B, L, D
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ACCOMMODATIONS: Riverside Camping
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MEALS INCLUDED: B, L, D
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ACCOMMODATIONS: Riverside Camping
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MEALS INCLUDED: B, L, D
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ACCOMMODATIONS: Hells Canyon Grand Hotel (Not included in trip cost) - Make your reservations early
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MEALS INCLUDED: B, L
If you drove to Lewiston your car is waiting for you at the hotel. If you flew, take the hotel shuttle to the Lewiston airport or a taxi to the Spokane airport. You may consider visiting our own River Dance Lodge, a beautiful log cabin adventure resort just a few hours drive away. Horseback riding, hiking, fishing, and biking are a few of the available activities. If you're on your way to Glacier National Park this is a great stopping point for a day.
Travel Arrangements
Weather
Getting Ready
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Wear all protective and safety equipment that is required by ROW Adventures and recommended/required by industry-wide standards.
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Load and unload, on their own or with the aid of a qualified companion, the bus and/or van providing transportation for ROW Adventures activities.
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Reach the river access points (put-in and take-out) on their own, or with the aid of a qualified companion.
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Enter and exit the raft, or inflatable kayak on their own or with the aid of a qualified companion.
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Remain seated and balanced in a floating raft, or inflatable kayak w/ the aid of adaptive equipment, if necessary.
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Perform all on water activities, including following instructions that like paddling commands from the guide in class I and higher whitewater on their own or with the assistance of a qualified companion.
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Float on their back when entering moving and still water. The participant must be capable of turning from face-down to face-up in the water with the aid of a Personal Floatation Device and must be able to hold their breath while underwater.
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Remain calm and keep breathing under control in the event of a whitewater swim.
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Get out from under a raft, whether the raft is up-right or capsized, in moving water.
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Climb into the raft, with the help of another person, should an involuntary swim happen at any point on the river.
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Make progress toward the shoreline or a raft by swimming in moving water and must be able to exit the river and ascend the shoreline once reached.
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Participate as an active paddler when instructed by the guide for the duration of the trip.
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Move about the campsite on their own or with the aid of a qualified companion on all trips that include overnight camping and/or lunch.
Packing List
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A cool day on the river.
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A warm day on the river.
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Time spent lounging in camp.
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One large waterproof bag (16” in diameter x 33” tall) per person. This will contain your sleeping bag as well as your personal clothing and items. This bag is NOT accessible during the day as it goes ahead of the group with our cargo raft.
Note: This bag will also contain additional gear provided by ROW: Sleeping bag, flannel liner & pillow -
A small daypack (9” in diameter x 20” tall) for items you want to access during the day such as rain gear, sunscreen, camera, medications, etc.
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Two T-Shirts (1 quick dry and 1 cotton for a hot day)
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One light long-sleeved shirt for sun protection and cool evenings. Popular options are a rash guard or sunscreen shirts.
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Two pairs of shorts (nylon quick drying always better than cotton).
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Light pants are great for sun protection or on a windy day. Lightweight zip off pants works great.
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Swimsuit – two-piece suits are easier for women - tankinis with river shorts are a great option.
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One pair of river sandals (must have a secure ankle strap, no flipflops or crocs!) Velcro is okay if in good condition. Popular name brands include Chaco, Teva, Keen, or Merrells. Tennis shoes with polypro socks are a good option if your feet tend to get cold.
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One Cap, Sun Hat or Visor (ROW hats are available when you arrive.)
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One rain suit, jacket & pants (windbreaker without cotton liner works well, but no cheap ponchos)
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Mid-weight to light-weight long underwear tops and bottoms. Best worn over a swimsuit and undershorts.
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One synthetic or wool mid-weight sweaters for layering on the river on cool days.
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Sunglasses with retaining cord/device
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Bee Sting kit for those allergic to bees
- Biodegrable sunscreen (we highly recommend Stream2Sea as an all natural option)
- Lip balm with SPF 20-50
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Water bottle with carabiner
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Extra Sun Hat, Cap or Visor
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Two Short sleeve shirts (Enjoy clean and comfortable cotton)
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One pair of pants (lightweight nylon, cotton or fleece)
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Pair of shorts
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One synthetic mid-weight sweaters for cool evenings
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Underwear and socks
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Flashlight or headlamp with extra bulb and batteries
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Skin lotion, lip balm, waterproof sunscreen, etc.
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Toilet kit - toothbrush and paste, soap ( biodegradable is best, no soaps can be used in the river), camp towel, washcloth, comb, handkerchief, a small pack of tissues, small mirror, moist towelettes, shaving stuff, feminine sanitary supplies, etc.
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Extra eyeglasses and/or contact lenses strongly suggested. ALL glasses need a head strap!
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One pair of tennis shoes or walking shoes for cooler weather and hiking. (We don’t recommend you bring large hiking boots as they take up too much space and aren’t necessary.) Flip-flops/ crocs are also comfortable for easy walking on sandy beaches!
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Camera – waterproof digital with extra batteries & memory card recommended. Many guests use smartphones (there is NOT cell service on the river). A waterproof case is highly recommended for protection and ease of use.
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Paddling Gloves
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Sarong – a good item to help you cool off if you do not want to swim.
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Sundress for camp
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2-3 Carabiners for clipping items to the boat
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Binoculars
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Plastic garbage bags (2-3 for separating dirty/wet clothes in your waterproof bag)
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Cards, games, books, musical instruments, journals
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Fishing gear and Idaho fishing license if you plan to fish - must be in a protective case & disassembled. Only catch and release fishing with single barbless hooks is allowed!!
Clothing layers are the thermostat of the wilderness. As you get ready for your river trip, think about dressing in layers. By adding and subtracting layers you can keep yourself perfectly comfortable. If you were to look into the dry bags of a well-prepared river guide you would see packing for three weather scenarios -- cold, wet days; hot, summer days; and cool evenings and mornings in camp. All of your on-river clothing should be made from synthetic fabrics with names like fleece, pile, polypropylene, Capilene™ or polyester. A cotton T-shirt is used occasionally on hot, sunny days, but cotton clothing is best saved for on-shore camp use.
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LAYER #1: The layer next to your skin should be close-fitting and thin. Start with a swimsuit and/or swim trunks and synthetic or wool shirt as a base layer. You do not want to wear cotton on the river on cool rainy days. The evaporation of water from a wet cotton layer will actually make you colder! Synthetic fibers maintain insulative properties when wet and "wick" moisture away from your skin.
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LAYER #2: The next layer should also be made of a synthetic fiber, but should be a bit heavier in weight. If you get too warm you can always peel this layer off.
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LAYER #3: The outer layer is what is known as the "barrier" layer. This layer should be waterproof and loose-fitting enough to give you a good range of motion. The idea of this layer is to seal out water, and seal in the warmth generated by you and insulated by layers # 1 and # 2. A good rain suit can do the job, or a good paddling jacket and pants. Not only will this protect you from rainstorms, but chilly water temperatures when running rapids as well!
Like anyone in the service business, river and outdoor adventure guides appreciate gratuities. Our guides are some of the best and most highly trained in the business. They not only guide your raft down the river, but set up camp, cook and serve gourmet meals, provide interpretation on the natural and cultural history of the area and strive to provide the highest level of hospitality. Tipping is ultimately a personal decision, however if you appreciate the service your guides provided, then as a guideline we suggest a gratuity of 10-20% of the trip price.
Tips can be given to the ROW Team Leader at the end of the trip in the form of cash or personal check. The Team Leader distributes them equally among the guides and gives a portion to ROW’s behind-the-scenes, unsung heroes like our drivers and food shoppers.
Reading List
Some of our favorite books on the Salmon River
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Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water, by Marc Reisner (Penguin Books).
This is an enlightening and easy to read book about water politics in the West. It does not contain much about Idaho – but is still a must read – especially with the current debate over removing the four lower Snake River dams. Highly Recommended. -
Children of Grace, by Bruce Hampton, Henry, Holt Publishers, 1994
(out of print as of March 1998 – but in ROW founder, Peter Grubb’s opinion, one of the best! Look for it at used bookstores or try www.bibliofind.com. If you're only going to read book about the Nez Perce and the war of 1879, this is the one. Highly recommended. (Out of print, available online) -
Idaho Chinese Lore, by Sister M. Alfreda Elsensoln (Idaho Corporation of Benedictine Sisters and printed by The Caxton Printers, Ltd. In Caldwell, 1970).
Try your local library. (Out of print, available online) -
Idaho for the Curious: A Guide, by Cort Conley (Backeddy Books).
This thick book is a great resource for the curious. Conley follows the roads and relates the natural and human history of the areas. It’s worth the money and the perfect companion in your car for your dog to read to you as you drive. -
Idaho Loners, by Cort Conley (Backeddy Books, 1994).
An in-depth look into the lives of the hermits, solitaries and individualists that shaped Idaho’s history. Fun, intriguing, biographical reading. Highly recommended. -
Indians of Idaho, by Deward E. Walker Jr. (University Press of Idaho).
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Myths of the Idaho Indians, by Deward E. Walker Jr. (University Press of Idaho, 1982). (Out of print, available online)
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Nez Perce Coyote Tales, by D. Walker (University of Oklahoma Press, 1994).
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River of No Return, by Johnny Carrey and Cort Conley (Backeddy Books, 1977).
This is probably the best book to deepen one’s appreciation of the Salmon River Canyons. -
Rivers of the West - A Guide to the Geology & History, by Elizabeth L. Orr & William N. Orr. (Out of print but available online)
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Roadside Geology of Idaho, by David D. Alt and Donald W. Hyndman (Mountain Press Publishing Company, 1989).
Few states pack so many different rocks into such a small area as Idaho, the book covers this unique occurrence in an exciting geologic story. -
Roadside History of Idaho, by Betty Derig (Mountain Press Publishing Co., 1996).
“The best way to enjoy Idaho’s rich heritage is to visit the sites where history happened”. This book transports you to those places through well-researched, well-told text and vivid historical photographs. -
Salmon And His People, by Dan Landeen and Allen Pinkham. (Confluence Press, Lewis & Clark State College, 1999).
Fish & Fishing in Nez Perce Culture, illustrated with 200 color photographs as well as dozens of historic images to chronicle the importance of fish and fishing to the Nez Perce people. This books give you a real sense of how important the Salmon were and are to the Nez Perce. Highly recommended. (Out of print, available online) -
Sources of the River, by Jack Nisbet (Sasquatch Books, 1994)
Jack re-creates the life and times of David Thompson fur trader, explorer, surveyor, and mapmaker who blazed the way West before Lewis and Clark. As a result of adding his own observations Jack has created a fascinating story of two men discovering the Northwest Territory almost two hundred years apart. (Author Jack Nisbet lives in Spokane and has traveled the Missouri River as a ROW interpretive guest.) Highly recommended. (Out of print, available online) -
The Biography of a Grizzly, by Ernest Thompson Seton (University of Nebraska Press, 1987).
Seton wrote over 60 books around the turn of the century and was the main person to bring to Western consciousness the idea of wild animals having personalities and character, sharing life struggles similar to humans. This book is the story of the life of a grizzly cub who grows up alone in the mountains of northwestern Wyoming. Highly recommended. -
The Education of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter (University of New Mexico Press, 1976).
The true story of a Cherokee boy’s unique education in the 1930’s. A wonderful book that shows the stark contrast between the values, awareness and relationship with nature of the Indians versus those of white people. Highly recommended. -
The River Reader, by John A. Murray (The Lyons Press, 1998).
A collection of writings that is composed of both classic selections and contemporary writings from twenty-two diverse writers that are devoted to a single environmental subject. -
The Weiser Indians: Shoshoni Peacemakers, by Hank Corless (The Caxton Printers, Ltd., 1996).
“This book documents Indian-white relations in the southwestern Idaho during the time of initial white encroachment onto Indian lands. It also offers a perspective on all native peoples of the northern Great Basin”. Besides that it illustrates the daily life and culture of an Idaho Indian tribe around the time of the first settlement of Idaho by white people. Highly recommended. (Out of print, available online) -
Thunder Mountain, by Zane Grey (Walter J. Black, Inc., 1932).
A fantastic story about a gold mine near the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in the 1860’s. It is no longer in print. Try your local used bookstores for a copy of this great book! -
Undaunted Courage, by Stephen Ambrose (Simon & Schuster, 1996).
A must read! A poignant human drama of Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the opening of the American West. This book is one of the main reasons so many people are intrigued by the Lewis and Clark story. Highly recommended.
Helpful Links
Watch - Camping with ROW Adventures
Watch - Bathroom Facilities on the River
Watch - Packing for a Day on the River
Lower Salmon River boaters guide Take a look at a Salmon River Map
Visit Idaho online Additional information about Idaho
Salmon River Lore A brief history of the Salmon River
A Lewiston Guide What to do in Lewiston
White Water Craft Guide - Types of crafts we utilize on river trips
Understanding Leave No Trace on the River - Helpful ways to travel through river environments sustainably.
The 6 Best Wilderness Multi-Day Whitewater Rafting Trips in Idaho - Take a closer look at which trip might be best for you.
Feminine Hygiene Tips for River Trips - Helpful tips for women while on the river.
Multi-Day Rafting Trips for Beginners - Learn why the Salmon River Canyons is great for beginner rafters!
Know Before You Go - 10 Things You Might Encounter Multi-Day Rafting - Multi-day rafting 101!
Terms & Conditions
Please see our full Terms & Conditions HERE.