Lochsa River Rafting

If you are looking for a continuous, explosive whitewater adventure that satiates your appetite for big thrills and exciting, technical rapids, a Lochsa river-rafting trip is for you! This is big water rafting, combining fast and technical maneuvering with a few relaxing sections of slow, lazy waters.

The Lochsa flows through the heart of the Clearwater National Forest in North Central Idaho. It was first of only two American first rivers to be designated as Wild & Scenic, and is still considered one of Idaho’s best-kept secrets. Often compared to California’s Tuolumne River and West Virginia’s Gauley, the Lochsa has the perfect combination of thrilling whitewater and stunning scenery.

From Crooked Fork Creek to Lowell, there are more that 63 rapids, many of which are pushing Class IV or V, so the majority of this trip is active and intense – it a good way! Lochsa (pronounced LOCK-saw) means “rough water” in the language of the Nez Perce Indians, and some compare a trip down this river to running all the major rapids of the Grand Canyon in one day.

The Lochsa is fed by snowmelt from the surrounding mountains and water temperatures fluctuate between the 30s and 40s. The river flows through an inland temperate rainforest with lush vegetation and dense cedar groves. Rafters can expect to see osprey, harlequin ducks, heron, eagles, deer, moose, and sometimes bears. The Lochsa is also an outstanding fishing destination with numerous fish species such as cutthroat, Chinook salmon, steelhead, and rainbow trout