Middle Fork Trip Details
Headquarters & Starting Point:
- THERE WILL BE A PRE TRIP MEETING THE EVENING BEFORE YOUR TRIP AT 7:00PM MST AT THE STAGECOACH INN IN SALMON, ID. One of your guides will meet the group at this meeting and give everyone their waterproof bags and water bottles and go over trip basics.
- Pre Trip Meeting Location: Stagecoach Inn, Salmon, Idaho
- Pre Trip Meeting Time: 7:00pm MST
- Our guests stay at the Stagecoach Inn in Salmon, Idaho.
Stagecoach Inn
201 Riverfront Drive, Salmon, ID 83467
208-756-2919
We recommend making reservations at the Stagecoach Inn at the same time you reserve spaces on your river trip.
Fishing
All our Middle Fork trips are outfitted for fishing. Many of our summer guests plan to include fly fishing as some part of their Middle Fork trip. Experienced anglers usually prefer to bring their own gear.
Included in your trip:
Fishing equipment and tackle
Fishing guides, pleased to provide instruction.
You can also purchase an Idaho fishing license directly from Idaho Fish & Game Dept. [https://license.gooutdoorsidaho.com/Licensing/CustomerLookup.aspx] Cost is $22.75 for the 1st day, and $7/day for each additional day. Children under 14 can fish on a license of an adult parent.
Guest Experiences on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River
Traveling to Salmon, ID
Salmon, Idaho, can be reached by automobile, charter van/bus, and by charter flight. Missoula, MT is the closest major airpot. Missoula is about 2.5 hrs from Salmon.
Travel Options between Missoula Airport or Boise Airport and Salmon, ID
All Major Rental Car Companies are available at the Missoula and Boise Airports.
Sawtooth Flying Service, Inc. (Charter Flights)
- 208-634-7774
- https://www.sawtoothflying.com
- Great views river over central Idaho backcountry.
Gem Air (Daily Flight Salmon, ID to Boise, ID)
- 208-756-7382
- https://gemairflights.com/
- Gem Air offers a daily flight from Salmon, ID to Boise, ID that can be booked the day of your takeout.
Rental Car
- Missoula Airport Rental Cars
- Boise Airport Rental Cars
- There are no drop off opportunities in Salmon during your trip.
Put-in / Beginning the Rafting Trip
We will leave Salmon around 7:30 am-9:30am. Put‑in for the Middle Fork varies with water, road, and weather conditions. Whenever possible, we put‑in at Boundary Creek. We provide bus transportation from Salmon to the airport. Your trip will start with a backcountry flight to either Bruce Meadows (Boundary Creek) or Indian Creek Airstrip. For the safety of the trip, we sometimes put‑in downstream at the Indian Creek or Thomas Airfields. Regardless of where we put in, the flight cost will around an additional $225/person that is not included in the trip price. We will send out flight payment links prior to your trip. We arrange the flights.
Takeout / End of Trip
Early afternoon the last day, we takeout at Cache Bar on the Main Salmon River, about three miles below the Mouth of the Middle Fork. From takeout, we provide bus transportation back to Salmon and the Stagecoach Inn. This is about 2 hours of driving time. Plan to arrive in Salmon around 3:00 p.m.
End of Trip Options
Following are options you have at the end of your river trip:
- Return to Salmon and spend the night at the Stagecoach Inn. We provide bus transportation back to Salmon. Once in Salmon, use your car, rental car, charter van, charter bus, or charter flight to return to Missoula or Boise or to go to your next destination.
- Gem Air offers a daily flight from Salmon to Boise that can be booked for the same day as your takeout. Gem Air can be contacted at 208-756-7382.
- Charter a flight from Salmon, Idaho, to Missoula or Boise, during the afternoon of the last day of your trip. Plan to arrive in Boise at about 5:30 to 6:00 pm. We provide transportation from the Cache Bar takeout to the Salmon Airport. Sawtooth Flying Service, 208-634-7774.
Vehicle & Luggage Storage
You can store your vehicle & luggage at the Stagecoach Inn.
Trip Insurance & Responsibility
We encourage the purchase of Trip Cancellation, Accident, and Baggage Insurance Policies. These policies cover cancellation, personal property, and personal injury. Many insurance companies offer such policies.
HUGHES RIVER EXPEDITIONS, Inc. spares nothing to assure that all trips we outfit are the safest and best outfitted expeditions available. Our safety record is excellent. However, river running is not without some risk, and you as a potential river runner must be willing to assume this risk. HUGHES RIVER EXPEDITIONS, Inc. assumes no responsibility whatsoever for your personal safety or for damage or loss of your equipment.
We recommend Stefani Bennett with Haynes Creek Travel for Travel Insurance. You can reach her at 208-993-3032 or email her at [email protected].
We’re here to answer any and all of your questions!