IWC Middle Fork of the Salmon River – Idaho

Experience the “River Of No Return”!

Located in the heart of the Frank Church Wilderness lies the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, a.k.a “The River of No Return”. This wilderness area is nestled in central Idaho and is the 2nd largest gorge in the lower 48 states. Dubbed the crown jewel of the rafting world, you, your family, friends, or company group, can experience the vacation of a lifetime floating the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. This trip combines all of the best adventures that Idaho has to offer: Nature, whitewater, great fishing, hiking, camping, tasty backcountry Dutch oven cuisine, hot springs, ancient history, sunshine, campfires, starry nights, no cell phones, wildlife galore, and so much more! If you’re looking for an experience that delivers unforgettable memories, then this trip is for you.

Over 6 days, you’ll continuously witness dramatic changes in geology and scenery, as you travel up to 100 miles on modern, self-bailing rafts and inflatable one-man kayaks (an optional way to witness the river, if you’d like to try riding solo), with extensively trained and qualified guides. The equipment is excellent and the rafts are high, dry, and very stable. The season is broken into 3 sections (early, mid, and late season), each featuring a different experience on the water. This is a highly sought-after trip, recommended for all skill levels and all anglers and outdoors(wo)men ages 4 and up, with previous clients rating this mountain adventure as “over the top fantastic”! This is the trip of a lifetime, specializing in making memories.

Your week of adventure will begin the evening before, where you and up to 23 others will gather into the picturesque alpine town of Stanley, Idaho. In Stanley, you can bear witness to the beauty of the Sawtooth Mountains and enjoy the simple things the evening before launch (and gather any last-minute supplies/snacks). Here is where you’ll meet the family-owned and operated guiding company that will do everything they can to ensure your trip into the wilderness won’t be your last. You’ll meet for a group pre-trip orientation at a local shop to go over any questions, do a quick introduction to each other, and be given dry bags to keep your gear dry for the journey ahead. That evening, you’ll stay in a local lodge (not included in the rates, but we will arrange lodging for you upon booking).

At 8am the next morning, a chartered bus will be ready to take you to the beginning of your wilderness vacation. A 2-hour scenic drive will drop you off at Boundary Creek, and a US Forest Service employee will give an educational river use orientation, followed by the guide’s river safety orientation.

Once you become an expert in all the safety requirements asked of the government and guiding company, you’ll be given a life jacket to wear for the week, and then you’re ready to take off on the water! Over 6 days, you’ll dive deep into the forest, with little intrusion from the outside world. The river starts off in the alpines, so it’ll be a little cold to begin, but this class IV river will drop 28 feet per square mile, so it won’t be long before you’ll be enjoying sandals, bathing suits, sunscreen, and basking in the sunshine.

This is a place to get away from society and be wild and free, and the energetic crew that will be guiding you through your journey on the river will help to take your experience over the top.

The tireless crew prioritizes service, kindness, attention to detail, and they are extremely professional. The outfitter holds true to his mentality of “if I wouldn’t trust them with my family, I won’t entrust them with yours”. Each guide is extremely knowledgeable of the landscapes and will share fun hikes, special hot springs, historical areas such as where the Sheepeater Indians made their home, and of course their amazing backcountry cooking skills and customer service. They also have a “go with the flow” attitude, meaning, aside from specific circumstances (like going through a rapid), if you want to fish, then fish… if you want to swim, then swim; There’s little rules on the river and they want you to enjoy every second of it.

Other things to look forward to include, but are not limited to, jumping off rocks, laughing, making new friends, abundant wildlife like Shiras Moose, Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, majestic Bald Eagles, Osprey, and Idaho’s state bird (the Mountain Bluebird).

You will not want this wilderness vacation to end!