Row Your Own - Full Salmon

Here comes an unforgettable adventure, for many a bucket list kind of trip: the Row Your Own Full Salmon River Rafting Trip. Hop in your boat and experience the thrill of navigating the legendary Salmon River from Corn Creek to its mesmerizing end over 200 miles downstream. This 12 day trip on the Salmon River promises breathtaking landscapes, exhilarating rapids, and the serene beauty of untouched wilderness.

Bring your own raft, kayak, or packraft and paddle yourself down the river using your own gear, all while being supported by our expert team. Journey through deep canyons and lush forests teeming with wildlife like eagles, otters, and bears. Each river bend reveals stunning vistas and new adventures. Discover the region's rich cultural heritage as you pass historic homesteads and ancient petroglyphs. Our knowledgeable guides will share captivating stories that bring the river’s vibrant past to life while you fully settle into river life for 12 days.

After a day of whitewater, unwind at our riverside campsites. Enjoy meals prepared by our team and share stories around the campfire before falling asleep under a canopy of stars. This has all the benefits of a private river trip but with the support from our team giving you beta on the rapids, bringing all of the group camp gear, and running all the logistics for a longer trip.  We cook dinner and breakfast, we bring the toilet, and we can carry your gear if you are an IK, kayak, or pack raft enthusiast.

This Salmon River trip is the ideal way to escape the world for a bit and immerse yourself in the wilds of Idaho. Limited spaces are available, and spots fill up quickly. Contact us now to reserve your place and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Join us on the Salmon River and create memories that will last forever.

Night zero:

Arrive at Corn Creek boat launch and get your gear in the river.  Plan on camping that night at the put-in.  You are on your own for food

Launch Morning - Wake up and rig boats.  Meet the guides before a longer trip orientation meeting and heading downstream.  The group should knock out 10-18 miles today and have a number of fun class II and III rapids.  This will give the guide a good opportunity to gauge everyone in the group. Mid-day the group will enjoy lunch on some riverside beach.  Remember lunches are on your own.

Mid-afternoon the group should arrive at camp for the night.  After everyone helps unload and set-up the kitchen, feel free to enjoy the afternoon.  On our standard trip the guides will prepare appetizers before setting out a delicious dinner for the group.  We request that each night one boat helps with dishes.

Day 2 - Guides will have coffee going by 6:30am and breakfast ready by 8am.  The goal is to be floating by 10-10:15am.  Today will typically involve 15-22 miles and a good number of rapids.  Day two almost always includes Black Canyon Rapid, which is one of the newer and more exciting rapids on the Main Salmon.  The group will scout this rapid.  After the Black Canyon a quick stop at the hot springs before heading towards more whitewater and camp.  Ideally the group rolls into camp between 3:30 and 4:30pm but as the group is on river-time and every day is different, it will be what it is.

Day 3 - Similar to day two but most likely with more stellar whitewater.  This day typically includes Big Mallard, Elk Horn, Growler and a number of other very fun rapids.  Day three is typically the crux day from a whitewater standpoint.  The guides will work with the group to scout rapids as needed.

Day 4 - Similar to day three but usually a mellow whitewater day with lots of swimming and maybe some great cliff jumping spots.  Today may even involve an ice cream stop at Buck Skin Bills

Day 5 - Another easy going day on the Salmon River.

Day 6 - The group will have some fun whitewater in the morning including Dried Meat, Chittam, and Vinegar Rapids. Mid-morning most likely float past the standard Main Salmon takeout and continue downstream to one of the many GREAT beaches above Spring Bar.  This day could include a hike up to the great hot springs at French Creek.

Day 7 - A 1/2 day of reasonably mellow whitewater brings to group to the town of Riggins.  We will park the boats at our shop and then drive you to any hotel in town where you previously need to have made a reservation.  The whole town is less than 1 mile so one can easily walk everywhere in town.  Spend the afternoon relaxing, taking a shower, doing laundry and having dinner on your own at one of the restaurants in town.  

Day 8 - Breakfast on your own before we pick you up and head to the grocery store for everyone to do any shopping they need as a re-stock before heading downstream.  Mid-morning it's back to the boats and back to floating.  The morning will include a number of very fun rapids including time-zone, Trapps and Fiddle Creek.  The afternoon is mellow boating down to somewhere in the twin bridges area.

Day 9 - After an earlier start, boat down and pass hammer creek (the start to the lower salmon) sometime before lunch.  The afternoon will bring the group through the first canyon of the Lower Salmon, cougar canyon.  Fun whitewater will lead to a great camp.

Day 10 - Keep floating into the Lower Salmon River and ideally run snow hole canyon where some of the best whitewater of the Lower Salmon is hiding including the whitewater torrent of Snowhole rapid.

Day 11 - Keep moving downstream and likely camp just above blue canyon

Day 12 - The last day and it ends in the best way possible, an incredible whitewater filled canyon.  Blue canyon is arguably the most spectacular gorge of the Salmon River and is filled with a number of fun class II and III rapids before the river comes to it's terminus when it joins the Snake River at the bottom of Hells Canyon.  Here the group will strap rafts together and we will pull out our outboard motor.  For the next 2.5 hours we will motor as a group down the 22 miles of the Snake River to Heller Bar.

Day before launch:

Meet at Corn Creek boat launch. Plan on camping that night.  The campground fills quick so the earlier you show up the better.

Logistics  

Put-in: Corn Creek boat ramp near North Fork Idaho

Take-out: Heller Bar Boat Ramp near Asotin Wa.

Shuttle - You need to arrange to have your vehicle shuttled from Corn Creek to Heller Bar.  We recommend using:

 All River Shuttles. https://allriversshuttle.com/

You need to provide:

• Raft with rowing frame including the ability to pack all personal gear. Raft rentals, which come with most of the river related gear listed below, are available.  Please just call for details.
• If not rafting, you can show up with an inflatable kayak, kayak, pack-raft, etc.  Just call and let us know.
• Personal dry bags.
• 3 oars, 2 for rowing and 1 spare oars. (if rowing a raft)
• Spare oar lock (if rowing a raft)
• Throw rope
• Raft/boat repair kit
• Pump for your raft
• Sand Stake with mallot. (if rowing a raft)
• Your own straps and system for making your boat flip ready.
• Quality PFD’s for each person, helmets are advised but not required for rafters
• Personal camping equipment including tents, sleeping bags, pads, etc.
• Personal chairs for in camp
• Your own snacks and lunches
• Personal drinks.
• 1, 5 gallon water jug for personal use. (if rowing a raft)
• Ability to transport all gear to the river and ability to pack up at the takeout.
• Small personal first-aid for your boat
• Those traveling in a small craft, let us know and we can carry your gear on our boats.

Group gear OTT will provide

• Kitchen including cooking tools, stove, propane.
• Dishing washing system
• Group dishes.
• Blaster
• Water Filter
• Kitchen and group area tables.
• Firepan for cooking and group fires.
• Hand washing stations.
• Professional toilet system.
• 1x Rain fly for kitchen
• 1x Rain fly for group area.
• Expedition first aid-kit
• Satelite communication device for guide emergency use.

Additional gear to consider packing

• Inflatable SUP
• Inflatable kayaks (call to discuss)
• Hardshell kayaks
• Snorkel gear
• Personal sat communications