The Perfect Main Salmon River Rafting Itinerary

To begin your journey to the Main Salmon River, you can either meet in Boise, Idaho, or in Salmon, Idaho.

Most guests find it convenient to fly into Boise and meet there. A hotel room can be arranged the night before your rafting trip at the Vista Inn on the airport property. The following morning, you will take an early morning, scenic flight to Salmon, Idaho to meet your guides and begin your rafting trip. At the end of the rafting adventure, you will spend the night in McCall, Idaho where a room will be arranged for you at the Third Street Inn. The following morning, ground transportation takes you back to Boise.

Should your plans have you driving to Salmon and meeting there, you will spend your first night at the Stagecoach Inn. Your guides will meet you for the 2-hour drive to the put in at Corn Creek. At the end of the rafting adventure, you will spend the night in McCall, Idaho where a room will be arranged for you at the Third Street Inn. You can arrange to have your vehicle shuttled to McCall while you are on the river and waiting for you at the hotel there.

Please note that the hotels, charter flight, ground transfer to Boise, and vehicle shuttle are optional and will incur additional fees.

Day 1: Main Salmon »

At 7:30 am, you'll meet your guides in front of the Stagecoach Inn and board the bus that will follow the Salmon River for nearly two hours to the edge of the Frank Church Wilderness. You'll be able to stop at the general store in Northfork before heading down the canyon to where the guides await with the rafts at Corn Creek put in. Choose from oar boats, paddle rafts, or inflatable kayaks and enjoy moderate rapids such as Kill um, Rainier and Devil’s Tooth. More challenging rapids lay ahead. Relaxing time on the river and at camp gives time to absorb the splendor of the surrounding mountain wilderness.

Days 2 & 3: Main Salmon »

Rise in the morning to fresh alpine air, enjoying a hearty breakfast prepared by your guides. Load the boats in preparation for whitewater rapids with tranquil water in between - allowing you to spot wildlife and gaze at mountain vistas that surround. Some excursions to homestead cabins, or hot springs break up the days on the river. At camp, you can enjoy a rousing game of beach volleyball, or explore the landscape. Enjoy a relaxing dinner by the river, and swap stories around the campfire at night.

Days 4 & 5: Main Salmon »

Through a mile deep, heavily-forested canyon, you’ll run Salmon Falls, Big Mallard, Elk Horn and several other exciting rapids. Explore Campbell’s Ferry Ghost Town and Buckskin Bills Compound. Lower in the canyon, thick forest gives way to steep granite cliffs. Large sandy beaches and glass-like pools provide favorite play spots for swimming and beach volleyball.

Day 5 »

Top off your final day with two of the largest rapids on the trip – Chittam and Vinegar Creek. After lunch, you’ll enjoy a scenic ride to the resort town of McCall, Idaho.

Permit Holder and Trip Operator: Action Whitewater

Planning for your Main Salmon River Rafting Vacation

Guests on the Main Salmon Trip have the option to drive and meet in Salmon, Idaho or arrange flights into Boise, Idaho the day prior to the rafting trip.

Meeting in Salmon, Idaho:

Meeting in Salmon, Idaho, means arriving the night before your river trip. The following morning, you will meet the other guests from Boise. If you plan to meet in Salmon, you must shuttle your vehicle from there to McCall.

We make the logistics easy with our travel package. This includes lodging the first night in Salmon, a vehicle shuttle, and lodging the last night in McCall.

To add this package to your itinerary, please call us at 866-904-1160.

Meeting in Boise, Idaho

Meeting in Boise means arriving in Boise the night before your river trip and boarding a flight (arranged through Western River) to Salmon, ID, the morning of your river trip. Most travelers take this route, flying into Boise Airport(BOI) from various distant locations.

We make the logistics easy with our travel package. This includes lodging the first night in Boise, a charter flight to Salmon, lodging the last night McCall, and ground transportation back to Boise.

To add this package to your itinerary, please call us at 866-904-1160.

More Travel Planning for this Trip

After your Main Salmon River Rafting Vacation

The picturesque town of McCall, situated on the southern shore of Payette Lake, is a fun and quaint little town with shops, restaurants, nice parks and plenty of options for continued play in the deeply forested mountain plateaus of central Idaho.