We are different than the other companies. Why? We are proud of what we do and stand behind our services 100%. From the moment you call Salmon Raft to book a trip to the moment you drive away at the end of your rafting adventure, you will have direct contact with one of the owners. Chris and Lauren have built the business around the goal of being a part of every trip. This ensures that each trip is run the best it possibly can — we are the ones who answer your phone calls, respond to emails, and grocery shop for each trip.

Safety is our top priority. Our gear is replaced frequently and inspected before every trip to ensure that every boat, oar, life jacket, and other pieces of important equipment are in the best working order and you aren’t using old gear. All of our guides are first aid and CPR certified, most are Wilderness First Responders, and many are certified EMTs. Before the start of the rafting season, all guides complete a rigorous multiple-day Swiftwater Rescue Technician training that includes both classroom and field work. In addition to being skilled on the water, the men and women that make up our team are incredible individuals — they hold various Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, have traveled the world, can tell a million jokes, spot wildlife, point out constellations, and transform into expert riverside chefs. Both owners have experience with the rafting industry on and off the water, as well as being a guide and guest.

As a paying patron, you deserve what you paid for, and more. You will be treated as a valued guest, no matter what trip you choose. If there is anything that we can do to improve our services or make your whitewater experience better, please let us know!

It is always our goal to make continued improvements to our guest experience. This is, without a doubt, the best way to experience the Lower Salmon River Canyons, and we are so excited to implement this positive change in 2025.

Click here for our easy-to-read infographic.

In the past, our Lower Salmon trips have gone all the way to Heller Bar, near Lewiston, ID. The last night of the trip was spent on the Lower Snake, below the confluence of where the Salmon River meets the Snake River. And the final day of the trip was spent on the “barge,” where we strap all the rafts together and use a 10hp motor to cover the last dozen miles. While this is still a common method for both commercial and private boaters, this is not an ideal way to spend the last day of your river vacation.

Now, the jet boat will pick everyone up at the confluence, before hitting the traffic of the Lower Snake. This new plan allows us to spend all nights of your trip on the Salmon, with clean beaches and great swimming holes, and savor your experience on the Salmon River. 

It’s important to note that the Lower Snake is NOT the same as our Hells Canyon trips. The section of river that we eliminate with the jet back return is several dozen miles below our epic Hells Canyon trips. By skipping the Lower Snake, we are skipping 50+ person tour boats, 18 miles of mostly flat water, and missing out on the Salmon River’s clear waters and clean beaches.

Perhaps the most notable perk of the jet back return is the shorter shuttle distance back to McCall! In the past, our normal take-out meant a grueling 4+ hour trip from Heller Bar to McCall. The jet back return shaves nearly two hours off of that bus ride, as we travel from Pittsburg Landing (just over the hill from White Bird, ID) to McCall.

We are thrilled to offer this unique way to improve the quality and pacing of your experience. As always, feel free to contact us for more details. 

Tipping is customary and very much appreciated by our guide staff. If you feel that your river guides made your trip special, then a tip is appropriate. Tips are usually given to your Trip Leader, who will distribute tips evenly amongst the guides. To make it easy to split, and to avoid carrying cash around, our staff prefers gratuities in the form of Venmo. Cash is also acceptable; we cannot accept credit card tips, so thank you for planning ahead. A good rule of thumb is to tip a percentage of your trip total — somewhere between 10-20% would be generous.

We recommend sturdy river sandals for your daytime footwear. Sturdy means a solid, supportive sole and straps that cover the top of your foot in addition to a good heel strap. We recommend brands such as Chaco, Keen, or Teva. Many guests also prefer a well-draining river shoe such as Astral. Please no Crocs, flip-flops, or AquaSocks-type footwear, and no one can be barefoot in the rafts! Tennis shoes also work fine (although they will get wet and can take a long time to dry out). Daytime hikes can be done in your river shoes. If you would like to hike from camp, feel free to bring light hiking boots or tennis shoes (these can go in your overnight bag, as you won’t need them during the day).

We are happy to offer modifications to our menu to accommodate guests with dietary restrictions and allergies. Our menu includes daytime snacks, lunches, appetizers, dinners, desserts, and breakfasts. Please note that we cannot always provide the same diversity or sophistication for restricted diets as we do for our regular menu. By the same token, we are often unable to source certain allergen-free snack foods in McCall, so feel free to bring your own items to supplement our supply.

Advance communication is always best, and we can work together to make sure we have what you need.

We can provide options for vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and some other restrictive diets without applying any additional fees. However, to cover any increase in costs for more complex needs and requests (such as plant-based or vegan), there may be a supplemental fee ranging from $5-20 per person per day.

Alcoholic beverages are provided and allowed on Salmon Raft trips. To keep things simple for diverse groups, we bring a calculated, basic supply of beer and wine for our adult guests aged 21+. Liquor and other specialty adult beverages are permitted, but must be supplied by our guests. We ask that adults who are drinking be respectful of the group, as everyone has different goals for their trip.

In addition to endless fresh drinking water, Salmon Raft also provides:

  • Coffee (plus cream and sugar options)
  • Selection of tea, caffeinated and decaf
  • Sparkling water
  • Soda (limited)
  • Juice
  • Domestic beer (such as Coors, Coors Light, PBR, Budweiser, Bud Light, etc.)

The provided alcohol supply is calculated for each adult to have:

  • 2-3 beers per day
  • 1-2 glasses of red or white wine with dinner

If you would like anything extra (including hard seltzers, IPA or specialty beers, liquor for cocktails, mixers, etc.) you are welcome to bring your own supplies. We provide a limited supply of cocktail ice at camp in the evenings.

What comes on the trip must leave with the trip. We bring a portable toilet on every trip. It gets set up in a private part of camp and a special bathroom tent is used to give you more privacy. The toilet tank can be treated like a regular toilet, except it doesn’t flush. Toilet paper and human waste are permitted to go in the tank, and all trash items, including supplied baby wipes, go into the trash receptacle next to the toilet.

For middle-of-the-night bathroom trips, we recommend a “pee bucket” that you can pack in your overnight dry bag. You can relieve yourself during the night into the bucket, and then discard the contents and rinse it out the following morning. Pee buckets are not supplied by Salmon Raft.

This can be a delicate subject for some, so give us a call and we are happy to answer all of these awkward questions!

Rivers are rated on a classification scale of Class I to Class VI based on the difficulty of both navigation and necessary rescue techniques. Salmon Raft operates within the range of Class I to Class IV. Class I is classified as flat moving water, and Class IV means exciting and intense waves in which your guide will maneuver quickly to carefully avoid obstacles. All of Salmon Raft guides are safety experts, and are trained as professionals to get you down the river safely. All Salmon Raft guides are licensed in accordance with the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board, and exceed all minimum requirements.

All of Salmon Raft’s overnight trips are designed for everybody. Whether you’re a seasoned camper or have never slept in a tent before, you will be impressed. Our guides set up your deluxe camp for you so that you’re as comfortable as possible. One or two people will sleep in a spacious 4-person tent in a freshly laundered sleeping bag on a plush sleeping pad. Don’t worry about a thing; Salmon Raft guides take everything down, too.

Both the Salmon River and Snake River through Hells Canyon are typically very warm during the summer months. Temperatures usually peak in the upper 80s and low 90s, which makes being on the water the perfect escape from the heat. At night, the averages are in the 50s. You will stay warm in the provided, freshly washed sleeping bags. Rain is rare, but can happen. A rain fly will be on every trip in the event that we encounter a summer storm.

Furthermore, please remember that weather can change suddenly and unpredictably when we’re deep in the river canyon. Please bring plenty of layers and don’t forget your “just in case” items, like a rain jacket. Our packing lists are comprehensive and should be read thoroughly. It is your responsibility to bring clothing and gear suitable to spending multiple days in a backcountry setting.

For approximate weather forecasts, be sure to not use McCall as your location. Our company is based high in the mountains and often sees very different weather patterns than the river. You can extrapolate weather from looking at multiple data points: Salmon River trips should look at White Bird, ID and Asotin, WA; Hells Canyon trips should look at Hells Canyon Dam, OR and White Bird, ID.

The recommended age for children on our trips is 7-8. Early season runoff means bigger water, so 8 years old is usually the minimum age. In the later part of summer, it is safe for kids age 7 and up. Our guides may assign seats or specific boats for certain river sections, depending on water level and each child’s ability and comfort level.

Definitely! We love to catch bass and trout on both the Salmon and Snake Rivers. You will need a fishing license to fish on any of our trips.

The Salmon River is all contained within the state of Idaho, so you’ll just need an Idaho fishing license. Hells Canyon guests need both Oregon and Idaho fishing licenses if you want to fish from any side of the river (Hells Canyon follows the border between Idaho and Oregon). Please call for more details about this.

We will bring fishing gear for you to use, and our experienced guides can help teach children. We also feature sturgeon fishing on many of our trips! If you are interested in trying to land one of these prehistoric beasts, please contact us to select a trip where this can be a priority.

We recommend bringing your driver’s license and a credit card for emergencies only. Your cell phone will not work while we are on the water, but feel free to bring it for photos, as well as to use before and after the trip. You can stuff it in your dry bag that we provide to keep it safe. We do have some space in our office to store valuables while you’re on the river, however we recommend limiting these items while you’re traveling.

Use this link to find a downloadable and printable PDF with our full cancellation policy, terms, and conditions.

Please note that it is always our goal to meet and exceed our guests’ goals and expectations on every trip. Communication is always the best policy, so please let us know if we can help with any part of your experience with us!

Don’t hesitate in giving us a call to answer all of your questions. Chris and Lauren are more than happy to help you plan for your river adventure!