A two or three-day river trip with Idaho’s leading Salmon River rafting company, Salmon Raft, brings you down 40 miles of both scenic floating and exciting rapid navigation. Take your time enjoying the river corridor over the course of three leisurely days, or see it all in just two! The first 20 miles of the trip lend time to warm up to the river trip, with several Class II and II+ rapids. Take in the scenery and wildlife, learn to kayak, or enjoy short hikes for the first half of the trip. The second 20 miles is a fun stretch that features exciting Class III and IV rapids, the highest concentration of back-to-back whitewater.

At the end of the day of rafting, you’ll arrive at a big, white sand beach, where our guides will have camp already set up – yes, even your tents and sleeping pads will be set up for you. Appetizers will be prepped, while you relax with a book, practice your fishing skills, or dig your toes into the soft sand and warm river water. Meals on our overnight trips are gourmet, organic-infused, and hearty. Steak, Idaho mashed potatoes, and homemade bread are just a few choices on the menu, with always the option to make accommodations for dietary restrictions or picky eaters. Your river guides turn into expert chefs – who knew? – and they even do the dishes.

Indulge in a warm dessert and relax in the twilight hours before drifting to sleep to the tranquil sounds of the Salmon River flowing. An energizing breakfast gets everyone rolling for the next day, and who doesn’t like to wake up to sizzling bacon and a freshly brewed cup of coffee? Check out our itineraries for each trip, and give us a call – we are always happy to help walk you through the trip logistics to find the best fit for your vacation goals.

What is the difference between the two and three-day trip?

Both our two and three-day trips are on the same section of the Salmon River and cover about 40 beautiful miles. For those on a tighter vacation schedule, choose the two-day option, which is a great getaway for just one night. If you have a little more time, three days allows you to really get into the river groove; the pacing is relaxed during the day, and there is more time at camp for two evenings.

Two & Three-Day Itinerary

Click to the right to download detailed itineraries for both two and three-day trips.

You will be in good hands from the morning of Day One to the late afternoon on the last day. Meals begin with lunch on the first day and end with lunch on the last day.

We pick up our guests in McCall at about 7:30am (make sure you get a good night’s sleep before!) and drop everybody back off in McCall at the end of the last day before dinnertime. We usually aim to get off the water between 3:00pm and 4:00pm on the last day.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Salmon Raft has a variety of watercraft options to choose from. As you can probably imagine, there is a ton of gear that is required to pull off a fully catered multi-day trip. All of the kitchen equipment, your overnight bags, and most of the food will ride on our gear boat, while you (our guests) ride on a guest boat or inflatable kayak, your choice. Click on the photos below to expand.

All of the equipment to keep you safe and comfortable on your overnight trip is included and provided by Salmon Raft. A dry bag will be provided to keep your personal items dry and safe while you’re on the water. Salmon Raft provides all camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and food beginning with lunch on Day 1 and ending with lunch on the last day).

Items for your overnight dry bag (this will not be accessible during the day – it will be waiting for you at camp when we arrive late afternoon):

  • Extra pair of dry shoes for camp
  • Layers of clothing for camp to adjust to the mild temperature swings in the canyon (a jacket is nice as the sun goes down behind the canyon walls)
  • Clothes for the next day(s)
  • Biodegradable soap (if you want to bathe in the river)
  • Toiletry items
  • Towel
  • Small pillow
  • Headlamp or flashlight

Items for your day dry bag (you will have this with you in the raft for easy access during the day):

    • Reusable water bottle (we will bring LOTS of water in big water jugs to refill bottles, but we bring a VERY limited supply of bottled water)
    • Sunscreen
    • Chapstick
    • Camera
    • Rain jacket (just in case!)
    • Medications*
  • Fleece jacket or light layer in case you get chilly

What to wear during the day on the water:

  • Quick-drying or breathable clothing
  • Swimsuit
  • Hat with a brim
  • Sunglasses with Chums or Croakies-type retention straps
  • Sturdy footwear (please no flip-flops! Teva, Chaco, or Keen-style sandals are best)

Please try to avoid bringing valuables, like jewelry or fragile items.
*Are you allergic to bees? Please remember your EpiPen and any other medications that you might need!

2024 Season Rates

Prices valid for trips booked between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024:

Trip DurationAdultYouth
Two days / One Night$850$700
Three days / Two Nights$1150$950

In order to provide our clients with the most current and accurate trip schedule, please view available dates by visiting our online booking calendar.

  1. Click on the big, gold BOOK ONLINE button. Select your choice trip from the available options.
  2. Once you enter the number of adults and youth in your party, the trip calendar will appear. The highlighted (darker blue) dates correspond to the first day of your trip. Example: Clicking on June 26 means that your trip will begin on June 26. If you don’t see your preferred date highlighted, please contact us. We can often accommodate variations with advance notice.
  3. When you settle on your preferred launch date, our secure system will prompt you to enter your reservation details and process your deposit. We sell out quickly! Your deposit confirms your spaces. You will receive a confirmation email containing more information once the reservation is confirmed. Reservations can also be processed over the phone: 800-350-6654.

If you prefer a list view of our available launch dates, please send an email request to info@salmonraft.com.

Click HERE for printable PDF of the following information.

Our Promise to You

Salmon Raft values each and every guest and we promise to work our hardest to gain and keep your trust for your first and future river adventures. We promise to communicate with efficiency and clarity. Your confirmed reservation implies that you have read and agree to the following terms, conditions, and policies.

Deposits & Balance Due

Trip DurationDeposit AmountBalance Due Date
Single Day20% of trip cost30 days prior to launch date
Two & Three-Day30% of trip cost60 days prior to launch date
Four & Five-Day30% of trip cost60 days prior to launch date

A non-refundable deposit confirms and secures your space on a trip. If reservations are made within the balance due date time frame, full payment is required to secure your space. Deposits are applied towards the final balance.

River usage fees are applied to each trip (3% to the BLM on Salmon River trips; $10/person/day to the USFS on Snake River Hells Canyon trips). Fees go to governing bodies to help pay for river management, facility maintenance, and river cleanup.

Cancellation Policy

Deposits and payments made to Salmon Raft are non-refundable. Please understand that once you commit to a trip date, we lose the ability to sell those reserved spaces to other guests. We strongly encourage the purchase of trip insurance (through a third party) in order to mitigate the potential loss due to cancellations for personal reasons.

If you find the need to cancel your reservation for personal reasons (emergencies or otherwise), payments made to Salmon Raft will be treated as a credit that can be used for future trips, subject to the following policies: 1) Reservation credits can be used for up to two years after your initial reservation date; 2) Guests are responsible for the difference in cost if prices change from the time of booking to the new scheduled trip date; 3) You are welcome to find a replacement for yourself on the existing reservation for no charge or penalty.

Planning ahead is imperative to the smooth operation of our business; thus, cancellations made for personal reasons within 24 hours of the scheduled trip launch date will not be treated to a credit or rescheduling option.

If Salmon Raft cancels your reservation due to river flows, extreme weather, BLM/Forest Service/other government agency mandates, insufficient bookings*, or other conditions beyond our control, and Salmon Raft does not offer an alternate trip**, then all payments made to Salmon Raft will be returned. If you choose to not accept an alternate trip and/or choose to not reschedule your trip for a future date, your cancellation will be treated as a personal cancellation and will be subject to the “personal reasons” cancellation policy above. Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for expenses incurred as a result of such cancellations or date modifications (i.e. travel expenses, lodging reservations, etc.).

Salmon Raft reserves the right to choose or modify all launch sites and take-outs, trip mileage, as well as watercraft choices without notice.

*Minimum group size restrictions are applicable to each trip, and vary by day and trip type.

**Salmon Raft reserves the right to offer an alternate trip that will fit within your originally reserved itinerary.

Respectful Conduct

Guests much treat the guides and fellow trip guests with kindness and respect. Harassment of any nature is not tolerated at Salmon Raft. Failure to adhere to this policy can result in removal from the trip at your expense.

Evacuations

Salmon Raft trips take place in remote locations, where evacuations can be challenging and expensive. It is our guests’ responsibility to carry appropriate insurance coverage, and additional coverages such as LifeFlight, or be prepared to cover the cost of any evacuations yourself. Evacuations and removal from trips can take place for emergency medical reasons or for not adhering to Salmon Raft’s policy for respectful conduct while on the river. Salmon Raft is not responsible for costs associated with these evacuations. Salmon Raft will cover the cost of evacuation if the river or weather poses an emergency threat to the trip.

Group & Charter Rates

We offer group discounts for group sizes of 12 or more guests. Please call in advance to arrange group discounts.

Private charter trips are available. Please call for rates and availability.

Our Licenses & Permits

Salmon Raft is an equal opportunity recreation service provider and operates under Special Recreation Permits issued by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and United States Forest Service (USFS). Salmon Raft is fully licensed and bonded by the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board (IOGLB) and Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB).

All above terms, conditions, and policies are subject to change without notice.