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Main Salmon River, ID
Main Salmon River 6-Day River of No Return
6 days / 5 nights, 5-day by request
An Idaho must-do
Camping Trips
Class II
Class III
Class IV
OVERVIEW
An Idaho must-do
An Idaho must-do, six days through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, full of history.
6 days / 5 nights, 5-day by request
Duration
5
+
Min Age
Camping Trips
Trip Style
DATES
Upcoming Dates
Mon
23
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Wed
25
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Fri
27
Rogue River Lodge
8:00 AM
Highlights
Best Parts of The Trip
- River of No Return Wilderness Six days through the largest contiguous wilderness in the lower 48, our longest standard trip.
- Deep history and pictographs Homesteads, mining cabins and pictographs show up around almost every bend over 80 miles.
- Buckskin Bill's museum Stop at the museum, and bring some cash to restock on ice cream and a beer.
- Class II to IV whitewater Mellow Class II days mix with Class III and IV days where the rapids come one after another.
- White sand beaches Pull into white sand beach camps with a beach game going and iced tea and lemonade ready.
INSIDER TIP
From Our Guides
Make sure you see the Buckskin Bill museum, and make sure you do at least one great side hike. Your guides always have one or two really well-structured hikes up to a historical marker, like the Jim Moore cabins, an early gold mining settlement with something like 15 cabins still standing. And bring some cash so you can restock on ice cream and a beer at Buckskin Bill's.
Your boat
Boats on This Trip
ITINERARY
Day by day
Day 1
Shuttle from Riggins to McCall, the 1-hour flight to Salmon, Idaho, and a shuttle to the Corn Creek boat ramp where your guides are rigged and waiting. Then we launch into the Frank Church.
Miles covered
miles
main-salmon-river-6-day-river-of-no-return
1
Day 2
Coffee is out well before breakfast, and we launch between 9 and 10. One of the stops along the way is Buckskin Bill's museum, so bring some cash to restock on ice cream and a beer at the store.
Miles covered
miles
main-salmon-river-6-day-river-of-no-return
2
Day 3
Homesteads, mining cabins and pictographs show up around almost every bend. Your guides lead a side hike up to a historical marker, like the Jim Moore cabins, an early gold mining settlement with about 15 cabins still standing.
Miles covered
miles
main-salmon-river-6-day-river-of-no-return
3
Day 4
When you pull into camp your tent is already set up, your sleeping pad is in it and your dry bags are waiting. Shade tarps go out, a beach game gets going, and appetizers come out before dinner.
Miles covered
miles
main-salmon-river-6-day-river-of-no-return
4
Day 5
Your last full day in the Frank Church, with more of the Class II to IV whitewater that makes this some of the best rafting we run in Idaho. One more night on a white sand beach.
Miles covered
miles
main-salmon-river-6-day-river-of-no-return
5
Day 6
Take out and shuttle back to Riggins to your vehicles, about a 45-minute drive.
Miles covered
miles
main-salmon-river-6-day-river-of-no-return
6
Inclusions
What's Included
Guides and gear
- Guides and all river gear
- A duffel bag sized for the flight
Where you sleep
- Tents up before you arrive
- Sleeping pad in your tent
Meals
- All meals and snacks
- Beer or wine, 3 drinks per person per night, and you are welcome to bring more
Getting there
- Flight from McCall to Salmon
- Shuttle from Riggins and back
Bring or rent
- Gear that fits in the one duffel we hand out
- Sports sandals or hard-soled wetsuit booties
- Swimsuits, or shorts and tops (no cotton)
- A 1-liter water bottle with a carabiner
- A fleece and a rain jacket
- Sleeping bag and pillow (or rent them from us)
From $2,399
BOOK NOWACCOMMODATIONS
Camping Trips
Nights are a mix of historic lodge rooms and guided riverside camps, depending on the launch.
Rogue River
Lucas Lodge
Sadie Lucas built this lodge around 1912 on a ranch where the Illinois River meets the Rogue, and her family has welcomed guests for seven generations since. Your last night on the river ends here with a prime rib dinner served family style.
See the full stay
Owyhee River
Owyhee Camps
Desert canyon camps on the Owyhee, set below rimrock and red rock spires that light up at sunset.
See the full stay
Lower Salmon River
Lower Salmon Camps
Every camp is a big white sand beach with a good swimming hole, and your tent is up before you arrive.
See the full stayMain Salmon, River of No Return
Main Salmon Camps
Big sandy beach camps under the pines. When you pull in, your tent is already set up, your sleeping pad is in it and your dry bags are stacked and waiting.
See the full stay
Snake River in Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon Camps
Riverside camps below the walls of Hells Canyon. Your tent is up before you arrive, and evenings start with a cold drink under the shade tarps.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Rogue River Camps
Riverside beach camps on the Rogue. Your gear boater runs ahead so camp is ready when you pull in, with tents up and dinner served family style.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Paradise Lodge
Paradise has the big deck where we do movie night, with lodge cooking and a real bed. Every room has its own hot shower and private bathroom.
See the full stay
Rogue River
Black Bar Lodge
Black Bar sits right on the water. You pull in at the end of Day 1 to a home-cooked dinner and a real bed, and every room has its own hot shower and private bathroom.
See the full stay
Food & Drink
What To Expect During Meal Time
Coffee is always out well before breakfast. While you relax, the guides pack up shop and load the boats, and we launch between 9 and 10. Healthy snacks are out all day on the water, granola bars, trail mix, fruit snacks, apples and oranges, so you are never going to go hungry on a trip.
When you pull into camp your tent is already set up, your sleeping pad is in it and your dry bags are stacked and waiting. Shade tarps are out, there is always a beach game going, and iced tea and lemonade are ready. A lot of people drag their chair down to the river, sit in it and crack a cold one.
Appetizers come out before dinner. Charcuterie boards, crostini, steamed mussels with toasted pita, bruschetta and artichoke hearts, Dutch oven nachos. Our rule of thumb is to serve dinner right after the sun goes behind the canyon brim, sometimes 6 o'clock and sometimes 8, because no one really has much of an appetite when the sun is shining overhead. The guides plate every meal through the serving line and we all sit down and have supper together. Dessert comes out as it gets dark, cobblers, cakes, a s'mores charcuterie board, or the river staple, pineapple upside down cake. We make a big deal out of the flip. If it comes out perfect, everyone cheers. If it does not, everyone boos.
After dessert about half the group heads to bed and the guides stay up and entertain. Some bring instruments, some tell stories, and there are always cards and the library box full of river books, wildlife books and geology books for the stretch you are on. We will have a campfire if we are able to. Most of the summer, late June to mid-September, we cannot, so s'mores happen over the glowing Dutch oven coals.
Meeting Logistics
Where & When To Meet
The night before, meet us in Riggins at 7:00 PM MT for a meet and greet. Your guides hand out duffel bags rather than dry bags, sized to fit your gear and still fit the small planes. Book your night at Salmon Rapids Lodge in Riggins (208-628-2743) and ask for the outfitter rate. You can park there for the trip, and the orientation happens at the lodge or at our shop. All of our Idaho trips run on Mountain Time.
On Day 1 we shuttle to McCall, Idaho, then it is a 1-hour flight from McCall to Salmon, Idaho, and a shuttle to the Corn Creek boat ramp where your guides are waiting.
On Day 6 we shuttle you back to Riggins and your vehicles, about a 45-minute drive. If you would rather coordinate your own travel to Salmon, Idaho, we can organize your return flight for an added cost.
TRAVEL
Getting there
Fly into Boise or Lewiston and drive to Riggins the day before. Day 1 continues to McCall, then a charter flight to Salmon.
Meeting point
Orange Torpedo Idaho shop
7:00 PM Mountain the night before in Riggins. Day 1 shuttle to McCall, then charter to Salmon.
How to get there
Fly into Boise (BOI)
About 3.5 hours by car.
Fly into Lewiston (LWS)
About 2.5 hours by car.
Drive or fly private into McCall
About 45 minutes to Riggins.
Airport transfer
No OTT airport shuttle to Riggins. Rent a car at Boise or Lewiston.
June through August trips add a $275 McCall-to-Salmon charter flight.
PACKING
What to Bring
Pack for the plane. On Day 1 you take a 1-hour flight from McCall to Salmon on small planes, so everything you bring has to fit in the one duffel we hand out at the meet and greet. That duffel is your size and weight limit for the flight.
On the river
- Three swimsuits, or shorts and a top, no cotton
- Sports sandals or hard-soled wetsuit booties
- Synthetic paddling gloves if you plan to kayak
- A wide-brimmed hat or ball cap
- A polypro, synthetic or hydro-skin shirt
- A 1-liter water bottle with a carabiner
- Waterproof sunscreen
- Two pairs of sunglasses with croakies
- Snacks for the kids
In camp
- Two pairs of pants and two pairs of shorts
- Three shirts
- A fleece or sweatshirt
- A rain jacket
- A sleeping bag, or rent one from us
- A pack or travel pillow, or rent one
- A small pack towel
- Insect repellent
- Personal items, kept to a minimum
- A headlamp and a battery pack
Binoculars, because bird watchers go nuts on Idaho trips. Super-soaker squirt guns for the kids and the kids at heart. A different pair of shoes for camp so you can get your feet dry and the sand out of your toes. If you have an allergy that can cause anaphylaxis, bring at least one EpiPen and let your guide know.
REVIEWS
What guests say
POLICIES
Cancellation timeline
90+ days out
Full refund of the trip payment
Minus any non-refundable permit fees.
30–89 days out
50% refund
Date changes may be available if space remains.
Under 30 days
No refund
Weather holds are reviewed case by case.
Refunds depend on how far out you cancel. Weather holds are handled case by case.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a 5-day Main Salmon option?
June and July trips can run as a 5-day, generally for private charters. Ask us when you book.
Should I bring cash?
On the Lower Salmon, no cash needed. On the Main Salmon, bring a little for ice cream and a beer at Buckskin Bill's.
Will we see wildlife in Idaho?
Your best odds are bighorn sheep, plus deer, elk, osprey and both bald and golden eagles. Black bears show up mostly in June. On the Main Salmon add mountain goats and a very small chance of a moose. There are no grizzlies on any of our trips, and birders go nuts out here.
Is alcohol included on Idaho trips?
We will have at least a beer or a glass of wine for you every night, and oftentimes more. If you would like to bring your own, feel free.
Do I have to set up my own tent?
Not on a guided trip. Idaho trips are fully all-inclusive, with no tent setup, no camp teardown, guides have the tents up with pads inside before you walk into camp. On the Rogue camp trips the gear boater has camp set up ahead of you. On a Row Your Own the tent is yours.
What if I miss the pre-trip meeting?
Call or text us at 208-630-6668 as soon as you know. We will run the meet and greet checklist with you over the phone, drop your bags at your lodging, and tighten it all up in the morning.
What time zone are the Idaho trips on?
Mountain Time. Every meeting time on our Idaho and Hells Canyon trips is Mountain Time.
Where do I park in Idaho?
Leave your car at your hotel in Riggins, since shop parking is limited and every hotel in town will let you leave it for the trip. On the Main Salmon we suggest Salmon Rapids Lodge.
Will I be able to use my phone or the internet?
No. There is no cell reception in the canyon and no internet at the lodges. Camp trips are phone-free. Plan on a few days without it.
Can I fish on the trip?
On Rogue lodge trips, if there is time, yes. Bring your pole and get your Oregon fishing license first. Fair warning, between getting to the lodge, showering and dinner there is not a huge amount of off time.
In Idaho, bring a rod, your own tackle and an Idaho license, which you can buy in Riggins or online. On the 2-Day, fishing is from the oar raft only. The Hells Canyon fishing trip includes all spin tackle.
MORE TRIPS
Our Most Booked Trips
|
4 days
|
Class
Hike the Rogue River Trail with a daypack, sleep in the lodges, and let the raft carry everything else.
|
3 days
|
Class
Run the Rogue River Trail lodge to lodge with a light vest while the raft carries your bags.
