Hughes River Expeditions

Hughes River Expeditions

Salmon River Rafting Trips

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Main Salmon – River of No Return

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Our Main Salmon River of No Return rafting trip is a spectacular outdoor vacation! The Main Salmon River is one of the best wilderness river stretches in North America. We float through dense forests, along sage and mountain mahogany covered hillsides, and sheer granite cliffs.

Rafting The Main Salmon River

There are plenty of rapids. Killum, Gun Barrel, Rainier, Devils Teeth, Black Creek, Baileys, Five Mile, Split Rock, Big Mallard, Elkhorn, Growler, Ludwig, Dried Meat, Chittam, Vinegar Creek and many more make the Main Salmon River of No Return a first-class whitewater run.

The Main Salmon River is a Class III-IV whitewater river, with several Class IV rapids.

Memories that will last a lifetime with a wonderful group of new friends experiencing one of the world’s truly magical places together.

P. Renfrow, Seattle, WA

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Wilderness Rafting Trip

The area offers an incredible variety of wildlife, including Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mountain goat, mule deer, elk, cougar, black bear, otter, coyote, osprey, eagle, forest grouse, chukar partridge, and kingfisher.

6.25.41 Barth Hot Springs hot tub MP 22.6We stop to enjoy hot springs and to investigate Sheepeater Indian (Mountain Shoshoni) pictographs, hunting blinds, and teepee rings. Camps are beautiful and often a mixture of large beaches, grassy benches, orchards and remnants of homesteads. You can plan a morning or evening hike directly from camp. Other highlights include visits to the the many historical cabins/sites along the river left from the miners, fur trappers and traders in the Idaho back-country through the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Main Salmon River was protected by Congress in 1980 as a National Wild River under the National Wild and Scenic Act.  We float inside the Salmon-Challis National Forest and the huge Frank Church- “River of No Return” Wilderness (the largest wilderness in the continental U.S. – 2.36 million acres) as well as the 6.25.15 PictographsGospel Hump Wilderness area (206,000 acres).

Thank you so much for the river trip.  Good Equipment, great guides, the best food, and nice folks.”

C. Conley, Boise, ID

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2023 Schedule & Rates

Dates Length Adult Youth
June 24-29 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
July 2-7* 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
July 10-15 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
July 18-23 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
July 26-31 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
August 3-8 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
August 11-16** 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
August 19-24 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
August 27-September 1 6 Days $2,600 $2,475
September 4-9 6 Days $2,600 $2,475

*Fourth of July on the magnificent Main Salmon River of No Return.
**Perseids Meteor Trip. Peak viewing August 11-12.

Book Your Main Salmon River Trip Online

Deposit to Confirm Your Reservation

  • 6 Days – $700/person
  • 5 Days – $550/person

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Recreation Enhancement Act Fee requires collection of $4/day/person. This fee will be added to the above listed trip cost.

Youth Rate applies to kids, teens, and undergraduate students.

This institution is operated under special use permit with the Salmon-Challis National Forest. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Amazing trip on the Main Salmon River!  The crew was INCREDIBLE!!!!  The love they all have for what they do is inspiring.  Their skill in handling the river, their understanding of what each person could handle was both comforting and empowering.  I did things I never would have imagined and felt totally safe.  They were among the finest group of young men I have ever met!  From our first contact with Jerry Hughes all the way through, it was a first rate, first class experience and an unforgettable adventure!”

L. Hochburg, Great Neck, NY

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Main Salmon – River of No Return

  • Main Salmon Gear List
  • Main Salmon Trip Details
  • Testimonials
  • Main Salmon Photo Gallery

Book your trip online!

Questions about a trip?

Call 406-540-4450
We’re here to answer any and all of your questions or send us an email.

Main Salmon Map v2

Client Testimonials

The trip was amazing!! Thanks for attending to all the details. Michael and I had a great time.
D. Dworsky, Los Angeles, CA (2008)
Sure was great to meet everyone.  Zoe and I felt very fortunate to be with such wonderful group of people rafting through paradise.
D. Theophilus, Seattle, WA (2021)
Rafting on the Grande Ronde was really nice. And bears, snakes, eagles, etc. made it all the more memorable. My kids had a great time! Musically, it was the bet yet. Thanks again for your vision of putting a jazz float on your itinerary.
D. Mendenhall, Lakeville, MN (2011)
Thanks for the great river trip. The people on the trip and the guides were wonderful and entertaining. Food was fantastic, and of course, the scenery and fishing were great. On a scale of 1-10 I give the trip a 15!… Hope to see you on the river next year… Run river run!
D. Ambrose, Ellensburg, WA (2010)
Thanks to the great Hughes crew!
Nichols, Langley, WA (2021)
Just wanted to say thanks for the best trip of my life. Amazing part of the country. I hope to do another trip…
B. Butler, Dagsboro, DE. (2012)
Thanks again for an absolutely spectacular experience. Great guides, food, stories,… points of interest, guests, camps, and float…. The perfect crew.
J. Clark, Portland, OR (2011)
Our Salmon River Canyon float trip … was a huge success. All of your guides were extremely professional as well as being good company. As usual, the food and care taken of us was excellent. It was also nice that two of your crew guided us on the Middle Fork a few years ago – it was like adding two old friends to the group. We look forward to our next one.
L. Roberts, Boise, ID (1993)
“The Middle Fork in June was the most beautiful river I’ve ever been on.  Golden memories.  Thanks for a great trip….. Tell “our” guides that we loved being with them and give them our thanks again.”
K. O’Neil, Vancouver, WA (2016)
Our families had a great, great time. The Middle Fork and the 6 days out gave individuals and families a time to gain a sense of perspective and reconfirmed unity. I could go on and on about the benefits… but you all know them. Aren’t we fortunate?
B. Dittman, Lake Forest, IL (2004)
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Middle Fork Salmon

Our Middle Fork of the Salmon rafting trip is a spectacular outdoor vacation! The Middle Fork is famous as America's best river rafting trip. From the put-in at Boundary Creek (elevation 5,700 ft.) to … More Info

Main Salmon River

DSC 8356

Our Main Salmon River of No Return rafting trip is a spectacular outdoor vacation! The Main Salmon River is one of the best wilderness river stretches in North America. We float through dense forests,

Salmon River Canyons

Lower Salmon River Gorge - Idaho Roller coaster rapids, perfect swimming water, and wonderful canyonlands. The Salmon River drifts through quiet pools and surges into churning whitewater. Camping on … More Info

Selway River Trip

The Selway River Trip is a premier mountain wilderness, whitewater, camping, and fly fishing trip that flows through beautiful forested canyons.  It is easy to consider the Selway to be the ultimate

© 2023 Hughes River Expeditions
406-540-4450 • email us • 6400 Caras Lane • PO Box 218 Lolo, MT 59847-0218
Hughes River Expeditions, Inc. is operated under special use permits through the Bureau of Land a Management & United States Forest Service.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.