Hells Canyon Rafting in Idaho

Trip Highlights

Hells Canyon, home of the mighty Snake River, is the deepest gorge in North America. Marking the border between Idaho, and Oregon, Hells Canyon plunges to depths of nearly 8,000 feet between the Seven Devils range to the east and Oregon’s rim country to the west. Through this tremendous gorge, the warm, clear waters of the Snake River thunder through some of the most exciting, big-wave rapids in the Northwest; in calmer sections, the Snake serves up great fishing opportunities. Hells Canyon’s watery bliss is matched by its stunning rockscapes and the intriguing remnants of past inhabitants, both indigenous and transplanted, creating a rich river adventure that’s hard to beat.

Visiting Idaho is like stepping back in time to an America that existed hundreds of years ago—a beautifully wild land untouched by urban development. Idaho is one of America’s final frontiers, featuring miles upon miles of protected wilderness areas that have changed little since appearing on the U.S. map. In the mountains, valleys, canyons, and forests of these wild regions lie outstanding opportunities for nearly any outdoor adventure imaginable—climbing, hiking, skiing, mountain biking, and our favorite, river rafting, on the roughly 3,100 miles of whitewater that pulse through Idaho’s backcountry.

Price Details

Price

From: USD998 per person (4 Days)

Price Includes

• Skilled professional guide service
• 4 (2) nights catered camping
• Meals from lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 5 (3), with limited beer and wine at dinner
• Expedition equipment
• High quality inflatable rafts and kayaks, colorful handcrafted dories when conditions allow, and related river equipment including paddle, helmet, personal flotation device (PFD)
• Wetsuits and splash jackets for paddlers – weather dependent
• Transfers from Lewiston to the river and back

Price Excludes

• Transportation to Lewiston and back Pre- and post-trip accommodations and meals Meals not covered in the itinerary Single supplement tent ($30 plus tax) Insurance of any kind, including travel insurance Items of a personal nature (an equipment list will be provided) Gratuities

Itinerary

Sample Itinerary

We pride ourselves in running a relaxed and always flexible schedule. Every trip is different depending upon the group, other trips on the water, and sometimes the weather. The following is a sample of what your trip might be like.

The Day Before Your Trip
We’ll meet at 7:00 PM in the Red Lion Hotel for a pre-trip meeting. This is an opportunity to meet your fellow travelers and trip leader and ask any last-minute questions. Your trip leader will give you a thorough trip orientation, then pass out your waterproof river bags so that you can pack your belongings that evening. If you are not able to attend the meeting, please let us know in advance and then be certain to check for a message at the desk of your hotel upon your arrival in Lewiston.

Day 1
We’ll depart Lewiston at 7:30 AM for a charter flight to Halfway, Oregon. An appropriate introduction to our journey ahead, this flight offers a spectacular bird’s-eye view of our pathway through Hells Canyon, and is often considered a favorite highlight of the trip. From the landing strip, we’ll shuttle to our put-in point just below Hells Canyon Dam where our colorful boats and your O.A.R.S. crew await. After an informative safety talk and some brief paddle raft/inflatable kayak instruction, we’re off on our river adventure!

Our first day generally sets the pace for our river trip. Typically, we spend a few hours on the water in the morning, sometimes stopping for a short hike, a swim, or a visit to Nez Perce pictographs or another historical site. Come lunchtime, we pull over and enjoy a delicious picnic on the shores of the river. After feasting and relaxing (or perhaps swimming, a game of Frisbee, or a nature walk), we get back in our boats for more exciting whitewater. Be sure to try your hand at the paddleboat and inflatable kayak! Mid- to late-afternoon, we stop and make camp; you grab your bags and set up your tent while we take care of the kitchen and “living room”—camp chairs and the site for tonight’s campfire (if permitted). Before long you’ll be savoring pleasing hors d’oeuvres and the beverage of your choice—delicious as these refreshments are, they always taste better after a day on the river! Read, nap, or just sit back and laugh with friends and family as we prepare dinner. After a satisfying feast, the evening is yours to spend however you wish. Maybe music, stories, or jokes will bring us together tonight; perhaps the popping of the fire, the whisper of the river and the clarity of the big, star-filled sky will encourage silent reflection on the amazing wilderness that is, for now, our home.

Day 2
Your day begins with the morning light turning the canyon walls the colors of sunrise. Fresh coffee and tea are waiting for you when you get up; grab a cup, sit back, and take in the glory of the awakening river. Soon breakfast is served—omelets made to order, blueberry pancakes, sizzling bacon, fresh fruit, and juice are among the treats in which you’ll indulge. Once you’ve eaten your fill, you’ll pack up your things as the guides break down camp. Then our new day’s adventure begins.

Today is an exciting whitewater day, culminating in two of Hells Canyon’s biggest rapids: Wild Sheep and Granite. Our anticipation builds as we stop at the top of each rapid, looking down at the thundering whitewater that awaits us. Those of us brave enough to paddle the inflatable kayaks get some last-minute instruction before we challenge the big waves and drops, flying through the frothy rapids and coming out slightly wet (maybe very wet!), but elated.

As the roiling rapids give way to more gentle stretches, we may stop and hike up Granite Creek for viewing Native American pictographs. Or, perhaps we’ll float down to Bernard Creek for a hike to McGaffee Cabin—a homestead preserved from the early 1900s—and panels of Indian pictographs.

This section of the Snake River offers excellent trout fishing. During periods of calmer water, or perhaps at lunch today, the anglers in the group will have some great opportunities to cast their line in deep pools.

Days 3-4

Whitewater action continues with big hits like Waterspout, Rush Creek, Somers Creek, Tryon, Lookout Creek, Five Pine, Wild Goose, and Deer Head rapids—some of which are great for swimming!

A visit to Kirkwood Historic Ranch and Museum provides a taste of living history, exhibiting the lifestyle of Hells Canyon’s inhabitants in the 1930s. This is also the site of extensive historic and prehistoric Indian artifacts, which are displayed and interpreted in the Kirkwood Museum. This scenic ranch is a must-see on any Snake River trip. Further downstream, Pittsburg Landing offers an even more fascinating look at the life of the early Native Americans in Hells Canyon. Lodge rings, petroglyphs, and other artifacts still remaining on the shore teach us more about the inhabitants who prospered for thousands of years along the Snake River.

This is the ending point of the 3-day trip. After visiting Pittsburg Landing, we’ll say our goodbyes, then those of us leaving will take a three-hour ride back to Lewiston; those staying on for the 5-day trip will continue down the river. As the water becomes calmer, we’ll refocus our attention on the rocky canyon walls, looking for resident wildlife—including bear, deer, elk, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep—and marveling at the majestic beauty on such a grand scale as only Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America, can capture. We’ll also see evidence of development and multiple-use impacts as we continue our float.

Those looking for a challenging climb might have the chance to negotiate the steep but scenic trail to Suicide Point. Panels of Indian rock art are highlights of possible hikes to Temperance Creek and Deep Creek. The latter is also the site of a darker history; in 1887, 31 Chinese men were murdered here for their gold. Other interesting destinations for the avid to explore are Salt Creek and Coon Hollow.

Day 5
Depending on our individual trip’s schedule, we could have an early start and get under way after a cold breakfast, or we may enjoy a hearty breakfast and a more leisurely pace, but we are now much more accustomed to our life in the wilderness. The thought of returning to “civilization” brings mixed emotions—sadness at leaving Hells Canyon and our new friends, and perhaps excitement at the prospect of returning to creature comforts. Our final day’s float brings us past the Snake’s confluence with three major rivers: the Imnaha, Salmon, and Grande Ronde. After the latter, we reach our take-out point at Heller Bar. A 45-minute shuttle ride brings us back to Lewiston, where we bid farewell to our guides and fellow travelers. It doesn’t take us long to realize that although we have left the river, the river will never leave us.

Other Info

Accommodation Details

Reservations and Deposits
An $800/person non-refundable deposit is required at the time of reservation. The balance is due 120 days prior to departure.

Cancellations and Refunds
If you find it necessary to cancel your trip, please notify us as soon as possible. All cancellations are not refundable. We regret we cannot make exceptions for personal emergencies. For this reason, we strongly urge you to investigate trip insurance (see Insurance).

If you transfer from one trip to another, there is a $50/person charge up until 120 days before the trip. Transfers made after this time will be treated as cancellations.

Medical
Under most circumstances, if you are of an adventurous spirit and in reasonably good health, you should have no problem enjoying a R.O.A.M., Inc./RO.A.M. Adventures, Inc. trip. People with medical conditions, including pregnancy, should have a physician’s approval before taking an adventure travel trip.

Insurance
Although every effort is made to insure a safe trip for all, we strongly recommend that you protect yourself, your belongings, and your vacation through the purchase of a short-term traveler’s policy. A trip cancellation policy covers your non-refundable payments in most cases, should you have to cancel your trip at the last minute due to illness or injury. Trip participants should realize that in the event of illness or injury on an adventure travel trip, evacuation can be prolonged, difficult and expensive. Personal belongings and cameras are carried entirely at the owner’s risk, and R.O.A.M., Inc./R.O.A.M. Adventures, Inc. accepts no responsibility for lost, damaged, delayed or stolen property.

Acknowledgement of Risk
Everyone is required to sign an Acknowledgement of Risk form before the trip, acknowledging awareness that some risks are associated with the trip. Safety is of the utmost concern on our trips. However, due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will sign this form and return it to our office before the trip begins. Anyone who refuses to sign the form will not be allowed to participate, and consistent with R.O.A.M. cancellation policy, there will be no refund of the trip fees at that time.