Wilderness whitewater rafting & fishing trips
There are many rafting trips of one or two days duration throughout the country, but few rivers can provide the experience of multi-day wilderness trips. Of the few, several are in Idaho. The Salmon River has three wilderness sections, the Middle Fork, the Main Salmon (the legendary “River of No Return”), and the Lower Salmon.
Aggipah River Trips, a small, local, family-operated rafting guide service since 1977, offers whitewater rafting and fishing trips on all three. Our multi-day river rafting trips on the Salmon River range from 3 days to 6 days and potentially up to 3 weeks. Aggipah provides trips only on the Salmon, so we know it better than if we were spread out over a number of rivers. We also provide Fall and Spring Day Steelhead Fishing Trips in the Salmon City area, Cast & Blast Steelhead & Chukar Trips, Trout Fly Fishing Trips on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, and non-whitewater day floats near Salmon (link).
There is no “best” outfitter. Most outfitters, though they use similar equipment on the same river, have somewhat different visions of running a trip. The “best” outfitter for you is the one that best matches your interests.
Best whitewater rafting section of the Salmon River
Every white water rafting river has its own characteristics and personality. The “best” river rafting trip is the one that matches your interest and available time. Your preference might be on-the-edge whitewater, or hardly any whitewater at all. You may be interested in only a quiet day trip, or spending a week or two camping along the Salmon River–or drifting gown the Salmon each day and spending nights in riverside lodges instead of camping. Fishing might be an interest for you, either dry-fly fishing for trout or steelhead fishing from a drift boat. You may be interested in a spring trip when there are essentially no people on the river, the big game animals are still near the river, flowers are blooming, and sense of wilderness is greatest, or you may prefer the warmer, more secure weather of mid-summer. Large sand beach camping with swimming may be a choice, especially if there are younger kids in the group. Regional history, both natural and cultural, may be an interest.
The Salmon is one of the classic wilderness whitewater rivers. By choosing time of the year and section of the river, the Salmon River can stimulate nearly any interest–but not necessarily all interests on the same trip. We offer multiple day camping trips on all three back-country sections of the Salmon, the Middle Fork, the Main Salmon, and the Lower Salmon, and day trips near the town of Salmon, as well as a variety of fishing trips.
Whitewater rafting with lodge stays
We can arrange river rafting trips on the Main Salmon River in which we stay in riverside lodges each night, instead of camping. This is a particularly attractive option in spring or fall, when weather is more unsettled than mid-summer and nights can be chilly. Steelhead fishing can be combined with these trips. We can also arrange to mix lodge nights and camp nights on the Main. We can arrange to spend one or two nights of a Middle Fork trip at a lodge. Call us for special arrangements.
Half day & 1 day scenic river trips
This leisurely Salmon River float is ideal for families and groups of all ages who want to spend a few relaxing hours on the river while visiting Salmon, Idaho. Families and groups of all ages can indulge in this relaxing, non-whitewater, Salmon River float beneath the rocky peaks of the Continental Divide.
Custom river trips
The backcountry away from phones, traffic and every-day distractions is the perfect destination for family reunions, class reunions, seminars, corporate getaways and employee incentives. We also can arrange water-color painting workshops, private river rafting trips and trips with a local historian or naturalists.