Salmon River basic information

At over 400 miles the Salmon River of Idaho is the longest un-dammed river in the United States and one of the best for whitewater rafting.  The Salmon River has 7 main sections that are popular for rafting/floating:

  • The Stanley section - Popular for day trips with some lower volume technical whitewater
  • Below the Stanley section to Shoup - Multiple areas in here that are very popular for drift boat based fishing but not great whitewater.
  • Shoup Day section - Put in at Shoup and head down River fo some fun class III rapids.
  • The Middle Fork of the Salmon - One of the more famous multi-day river trips in the world.  Lottery Permit required during core season
  • The Main Salmon - A world class river trip perfect for adventure seekers or families depending on the time of year. Lottery Permit required during core season
  • The Riggins Section - 4 hours to 3 days of fun whitewater in deep canyons.  
  • The Lower Salmon - The final section with four unique gorges, huge sandy beaches, and fun non-technical whitewater.


If you are planning to float the Main, Riggins, or Lower we can help get you set up with rental gear.  If you are looking to do any of the other sections we would suggest starting by calling Blackadar Boating in Salmon Idaho.

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