Yankee Fork
|
| Put-in: |
Polecamp Flat |
| Take-out: |
Sunbeam |
| Difficulty: |
Class III, IV
|
| Length: |
3 miles |
Sunbeam Run
|
| Put-in: |
Basin Creek |
| Take-out: |
Torrey Hole |
| Difficulty: |
Class II, III, IV
|
| Length: |
13 miles |
Panther Creek, Upper
|
| Put-in: |
Trapper Flat Campground |
| Take-out: |
Birch Creek Campground |
| Difficulty: |
Class III, IV, V
|
| Length: |
8 miles |
Panther Creek, Lower
|
| Put-in: |
Clear Creek |
| Take-out: |
Salmon Confluence |
| Difficulty: |
Class III
|
| Length: |
4 miles |
Pine Creek Run
|
| Put-in: |
Pine Creek |
| Take-out: |
Panther Creek |
| Difficulty: |
Class III
|
| Length: |
7 miles |
The Main Salmon
|
| Put-in: |
Corn Creek |
| Take-out: |
Carey Creek |
| Difficulty: |
Class III, IV
|
| Length: |
82 miles |
Vinegar Creek Run
|
| Put-in: |
Vinegar Creek |
| Take-out: |
Riggins |
| Difficulty: |
Class III, IV
|
| Length: |
25 miles |
Riggins to Whitebird
|
| Put-in: |
Riggins |
| Take-out: |
Hammer Creek |
| Difficulty: |
Class II, III, IV
|
| Length: |
34 miles |
Lower Salmon Gorge
|
| Put-in: |
Hammer Creek |
| Take-out: |
Heller Bar |
| Difficulty: |
Class III, IV
|
| Length: |
73 miles (53 on the Salmon, 20 miles on the Snake) |
|
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. Lewis & Clark declared this river impassable by boat or foot. 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 private trips start at the put-in at Corn Creek and float 86 miles down to Vinegar Creek. There are plenty of options to extend your journey, the best of which is landing a permit to do the Middle Fork the week before. Boaters can also float past Vinegar Creek, and there are many opportunities to take out beyond there, although the river flattens considerably for the remainder of the journey.
The section after Corn Creek 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. This is a great river for rafters and kayakers with intermediate skills.
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.
This is a permitted river, and boaters must enter into a lottery if they wish to run it during peak season. Careful camp planning is important on this trip, and some sites may be reserved with the Forest Service on the day of departure.
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