Testimonials:

What an awesome experience! I took my 9 year old son on a 5 day trip with Salmon Raft. I was nervous going into it as my son is a picky eater and would be the only child on our trip. My worry was completely unnecessary. The guides were all awesome at making sure he was getting enough food he wanted and having a great time. And let me tell you, it was a great time! The water and landscape were mind blowing, all the people we interacted with at Salmon Raft were superbly dedicated to our satisfaction and the food was delicious!
Special call out to our group leader Lilly and the guides we were with most, RJ and Kai. We’ll definitely be back!
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Salmon Raft company just provided the greatest rafting experience my family could have ever asked for! We did the 5 day adventure with ZERO experience ever rafting or staying outdoors in tents as a family. It was myself, wife, 7 year old daughter, and 9 year old daughter.

EVERYTHING was taken care of by this amazing crew! From sun up till sun down, you can’t ask for better service and care.

Starting with the owners initial email communications months prior to the trip and all the way to the finale of the 5 day trip on the river with our guide crew, ALL interactions from this company come with care, compassion and respect.

I could literally write a novel of all the things we went through and how great they were. ANY challenge or issue had such amazing support from our river crew, I can’t thank them enough for taking care of my family! Especially us being new and having no clue what we were doing!

From the Day family, thank you Salmon Raft and the entire crew from our trip!!
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Unforgettable and epic rafting experience! If you want a once-in-a-lifetime experience, BOOK THIS RAFTING COMPANY! We’ve been on their Lower Salmon and Hells Canyon 4 day trips and my two teens say they were the best vacations of their lifetimes. Unparalleled service, scenery, and bonding with family & new friends. Lauren & Chris are the real deal…you won’t be disappointed!
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4 days in Hells Canyon is the trip of a lifetime! I had first heard about this trip years ago when a coworker came back absolutely glowing about her experience, and ever since then it’s been in the back of my mind as something I had to do. This summer my boyfriend and I finally went, and it exceeded every expectation. We lucked out and ended up being the only guests on the trip, which made the trip incredibly personal and special—but it was also easy to imagine how fun it would be with a larger group, since the whole experience is such a unique mix of adventure, relaxation, and camaraderie. I can definitely see this being a blast for families, groups of friends, or even people traveling on their own.

The setting itself is jaw-dropping. Hells Canyon is one of the most stunning places we’ve ever been, with dramatic cliffs, wide-open skies, and an abundance of wildlife. Over the course of the trip we saw bald eagles soaring overhead, a beaver along the riverbank, and even a bear. On top of that, the fishing was out of this world—we were catching something almost every single cast for four days straight. Between the rapids, the quiet stretches of river to swim and kayak, and the time spent fishing and taking in the scenery, there was never a dull moment.

But what really made the trip unforgettable was the staff. They went above and beyond, doing all the paddling, carrying, and camp setup, while also cooking up some of the most incredible meals—truly impressive dishes given that everything was prepared in the wilderness. Beyond the logistics, they were just such genuinely kind, fun, and passionate people. They clearly love what they do and love sharing it with others, which made us feel comfortable, safe, and totally welcome from start to finish. We left not only with amazing memories but also with the feeling that we’d been invited into their world for a few days. We’d come back for another trip in a heartbeat and can’t recommend the experience enough!

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Salmon Raft hosted 3 couples from North Carolina for a trip on the Snake River thru Hells Canyon in early August of 2025. There were 11 other customers on the trip, along with 6 guides. What a wonderful experience as the guides worked hard to make sure the needs of all rafters were met, and that everyone was getting the adventure they wanted. Great food, beautiful scenery, and outstanding attention to detail. This was the best guided trip I have had the pleasure to be a part of (of any type of guided trip).
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A perfect couples/friends trip! This experience will stay with us forever! We are already talking about returning in 2027. We went with three other couples and had the most incredible time. Lauren and Chris were very helpful and kind when we had to reschedule our first trip planned in the summer of 2024 unexpectedly. We made it this summer and would highly recommend to anyone. Our guides (Kert, Lilly, Annaise and Hayden) are incredible. We’ll be requesting them when we make our way back! Thank you

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A rafting trip with my grandchildren had been on my bucket list since they were born. As soon as my youngest grandson was 7, we signed up. The trip fulfilled all my expectations and more. I wanted my grandchildren and their mom to appreciate the grandeur of our great country, see the stars, imagine how our great explorers and settlers went through the wilderness and have a great outdoor experience in a different part of the country from our home which is Miami.

We had been on a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon with our children 30 years ago but since we had never been to Idaho, we chose Salmon Raft and the Salmon River. What a great choice we made! Lauren and Chris, the owners, have assembled an amazing crew of boatmen/women. They were competent, patient, intelligent, athletic, great cooks, handsome and beautiful—I would have been thrilled to have them as my kids! They were also great teachers about the environment and our responsibilities to keep it pristine. The leader, Tanner, is an EMT so right there you feel safe. The rest of the crew, Medda,Jasper, Blaine, Esme, Olivia and Rachael, all had a wealth of experience and were young and fun!!

Our grandchildren are 10 1/2 and 7 1/2 and luckily, the three other families on our trip had children the same ages so one of the rafts became the kid’s raft. If we weren’t going over rapids, you could hop off the rafts for a swim or use one of the rubber kayaks. There were plenty of thrilling rapids each day but I never felt in danger as I had total confidence in the crew.

The days started off with packing up our dry bags and clearing out our tents. Let me back up. The equipment raft has gone ahead each day and had the tents and pads set up before the rafters arrived. After a hearty breakfast, we were off. There were 4 rafts in addition to the equipment raft. Usually there was a stop in the morning for a short hike or for jumping off the rocks. The kids loved that but one of our group tried to use her go-pro to film herself jumping and that ended with no more go-pro which was a shame. After lunch and another stretch on the river, we were always greeted with a great campsite and our little tents awaiting us. There was time for a swim (usually with “beverages” for the adults) before dinner. Our group bonded so there was great conversation and joking. There was constant ribbing about our outdoor “facility” nicknamed “The Groover”.

We were on the 3 night/4 day trip so we rafted the lower Salmon and the Snake after the two rivers came together. I would give this trip a 100 star recommendation. It is not a “glamping” trip but it is not hard core roughing it either. You have to like the great outdoors and be a good sport but if you don’t have that mindset you probably aren’t looking at this trip.

This was the best family trip ever and will be one of those trips you and your children will never forget.
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I had an unreal experience on the river with Salmon Raft. A group of 18 did 5 days on the Salmon, followed by a jet boat trip up the Snake on the last day to the takeout.

Just the food that was prepared for us would have made this trip worthwhile, but there was so much more than that. We had a blast flying through the rapids and lounging through the calmer parts of the river. We played games at camp in the evenings, held rock-skipping competitions during lunch, and even got to hike to the top of the canyon for an amazing view. Several people in our group got the chance to fish, with varying levels of success. The guides even caught a 6 foot sturgeon on the first night – wow!

Every minute of scenery was breathtaking, I don’t think I’d ever get tired of the canyon walls. Every night we camped on soft, white sand beaches and fell asleep to the sounds of the river. We got our share of wildlife throughout the trip: bighorn sheep, chukars, eagles, a toad, and plenty of fish.

Every guide was incredibly helpful, kind, and knowledgeable. I had a great time just chatting with the guides about the history and ecology of the river, and heard some great river tales too. It was obvious Salmon Raft and all their guides act as stewards for this beautiful river and this amazing place. And not to mention badass: hauling gear, setting up camp, cooking meals, and expertly navigating the rapids.

And the food… So good! I’d like to think I’m a decent cook in a home kitchen and the guides were putting me to shame, miles from civilization, 4 days after the coolers were filled. Nothing better than sitting on a white sand beach with fresh fruit, pancakes, bacon, and coffee as the sun comes up over the canyon walls. Every meal was different, and every meal was delicious. I mean restaurant quality, gourmet stuff, 3 times a day.

Can’t wait for next year.

What an amazing crew and such a great experience. The guides were wonderful and knowledgeable. The Salmon river is spectacular and the pristine white sandy beaches ideal foe camping and stopping for lunch. They were so efficient and the food was delicious. I cannot describe how beautiful the stars were at night with no ambient light. I highly recommend this trip for groups of friends or family. We went through rapids of 1-4 and felt safe and excited.