Idaho’s “River of No Return” Salmon River begins high in the Sawtooth Mountains and ends 425 miles later at the confluence of the Snake River. After Hell’s Canyon, this is the deepest gorge on the North American continent, and is considered the longest stretch of undammed waters in the Lower 48. The roller coaster rapids, comfortable sandy beaches, and remote location combine to make this river one of the most sought after whitewater adventures in the U.S.

Most trips start at the put-in at Corn Creek and float 86 miles down to Vinegar Creek. The river drops an average of 12 feet per mile and the rapids range from Class IIs to IVs, with the most difficult being “Big Mallard” and the mile-long “Elkhorn.” This is a high volume “big water” river and many rapids feature giant waves also known as haystacks.

The canyon is rich with history with historical sites ranging from Sheepeater Indian pictographs, to the famous “Buckskin Bill” lookout tower, to old cabins nestled in the woods. The scenery is equally stunning, with large pine and evergreen forests. Rafters will see sheep, deer, otters, ducks, eagles and beavers along this spectacular journey.

We feature some of the beautiful Salmon River rafting trips on this site. To book your Salmon River whitewater rafting adventure, contact one of the highly skilled and helpful rafting outfitters displayed on allaboutrivers.com.