Middle Fork of the Salmon
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Idaho's Middle Fork of the Salmon is the quintessential river trip. You'll travel 75 or 100 miles (depending on water flow) through the heart of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. You'll encounter hot springs, Big Horn Sheep, breathtaking scenery, world class trout fishing, and a river that doesn't let up with nonstop Class II and III rapids.
Featured Middle Fork of the Salmon Outfitters
ARTA
River Trips (800) 323-2782 is a non-profit organization
that offers trips on Idaho's Selway, Main Salmon, and Middle
Fork of the Salmon Rivers.
ECHO
River Trips (800) 652-3246 runs legendary family
trips on the Middle
Fork of the Salmon
River. They are the largest outfitter on the Middle Fork.
O.A.R.S. (800)
346-6277 offers award-winning customer service and 39 years
of rafting experience on Idaho's
Middle Fork of the Salmon River.
The
Middle Fork starts at Boundary Creek in a dense forest of Lodgepole
Pines. You'll notice the whitewater action right away with continuous
Class II and III rapids for the first 15 miles. This first section is
littered with great camp sites and natural hot springs.
Around mile 20, you'll run Pistol Creek Rapid, a classic S-turn with cliffs on both sides. Then it's another five miles to the Indian Creek Airstrip and Guard Station. Many rafting trips start here by flying everything in. This saves potential problems that can occur on the upper 25 miles during higher water and lower water.
The Middle Fork of the Salmon travels through various types of vegetation and geology for it's entire length. After Indian Creek, the majestic Ponderosa Pine starts to appear more and more often. The pink granite of the Casto Pluton is one of the many amazing geologic features of the canyon.
The
last 25 miles are known as the Impassable Canyon. Here the river walls
become more vertical and it would be nearly impossible to walk alongside
the river. The trail that follows the Middle Fork
from Boundary Creek now leaves the canyon and travels up the Middle Fork's
largest tributary, Big Creek. The rapids become more frequent, the scenery
more stunning, and the campsites more dramatic.
The trip ends by "turning the corner" onto the Main Salmon. Here you'll run the Class IV Cramer Creek Falls which is a big water rapid with huge waves and the potential to flip boats. The most commonly used take-out is the Cache Bar boat ramp.
Middle Fork Resources
- Matt Leidecker Photography - Photographer and Author of The Impassable Canyon and Middle Fork of the Salmon Comprehensive Guide.
- Middle Fork Outfitters Association
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