Lower Salmon information

The Lower Salmon is an absolutely incredible river trip and one of the last 3 or 4 good PNW multi-day river trips one can do without having to go through a lottery.

Logistics:

Most popular Launch points

  • Hammer Creek - Most popular.  If you are launching here at normal flows and will not have a motor for the snake you should consider taking 5 days.
  • Pine Bar - Ramp was recently re-built making it much better - If you are not using a motor this is a good launch point for a 4-day trip.

Takeout point:

  • Heller Bar on the Snake.

Shuttle:

  • Contact - All River Shuttles

River Levels.

This section of river changes significantly with different river levels.  Common Summer flows are 15,000 to 3,000 CFS at White Bird.  Above 19,000 this section of river should be considered EXPERT only as the slide rapid becomes extremely formidable.

Whitewater:

Checkout the BLM‘s new guidebook. They did a great job - BLM LOWER SALMON GUIDEBOOK

Advice:

  • Take a small outboard motor or plan on spending a night on the Snake.  Rowing the full Snake river section in a day is a long day.
  • Don’t take a big camp if you have a small group. Large groups do not have very many spots to choose from and there are many great small camps.
  • Keep the beaches clean - Bees and rattle snakes are attracted to what you leave behind so be considerate of others.
  • Bees and rattle snakes in later summer can be a very real thing.
  • Bring lots of sunscreen.
  • The summer thunderstorms can bring very significant wind gusts so be prepared.
  • If you need rental gear - we can help you out!

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