Hughes River Expeditions

Hughes River Expeditions

Salmon River Rafting Trips

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Specialty Rafting Trips

These specialty rafting trips in Idaho are a Hughes tradition, they highlight special events, special trip focus, or simply an activity that we “outfit & guide” rarely. If you have an idea for a cool trip let us know. We’ll work with you to make it a reality!

*The below SPECIALTY TRIPS are listed in chronological order.*


TRIP: Hot Springs & Hikers Special

RIVER: Middle Fork of the Salmon

Our Annual Hot-Springs & Hikers trip is a blast!  With strong flows in early June we have the ability to put the breaks on and make sure we explore the many hiking opportunities, hot-springs and other riverside attractions that make the Middle Fork Salmon river so special!  Don’t miss your chance to relax in the wilderness in a hot water pool or atop a mountain with scenic views for miles!

Trip Dates

  • June 4-8, 2023
  • 5 Days/4 Nights

Rates

  • $2885/adult; $2725/youth

We are now booking Middle Fork Salmon River Trips for 2023!  To learn more or book a trip click the link below!

Price doesn’t include $4/person/day US Forest Recreation Enhancement Act Fee or $150/person flight, Stanley to the river put-in, payable directly to the pilots at the time of your flight.

Book Our Middle Fork Salmon Hotsprings & Hikers 


TRIP: Fourth of July

RIVER: Salmon River Canyons

Celebrate the 4th of July in the Central Idaho Backcountry and the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness!  Beautiful sand beaches, fun whitewater, and amazing canyon-lands make this the perfect spot to relax your way through the holidays!

Trip Dates

  • July 2-5, 2023
  • 4 Days/3 Nights

Rates

  • $1885/adult; $1780/youth

We are now booking Salmon River Canyons Trips for 2022!  To learn more or book a trip click the link below.

Book Our Salmon River Canyons 4th of July Trip


TRIP: Perseids Meteor Shower Trips

RIVER: Main Salmon River & Salmon River Canyons

The Persieds Meteor Shower is impressive in Idaho!  The shower peaks on August 10-13 and the amazing dark skies in the Idaho Back Country around the Salmon River Canyons makes it the best place to be for viewing!  We are very excited to be in the canyon for this shower!

Main Salmon River Trip Dates

  • August 11-16, 2023
  • 6 Days/5 Nights

Rates

  • $2600/adult; $2475/youth

We are now booking Main Salmon – River of No Return Trips for 2022!  To learn more or book a trip click the link below.

Book Our Main Salmon – River of No Return Persieds Meteor Shower Trip

Salmon River Canyons

  • August 12-15, 2023

Rates

  • $1885/adult; $1780/youth

We are now booking Salmon River Canyons Trips for 2023!  To learn more or book a trip click the link below.

Book Our Salmon River Canyons Persieds Meteor Shower Trip


TRIP: Jazz Trip

RIVER: Middle Fork of the Salmon

jazz-trip-2017-3

Our Jazz Trio or Quintet (year to year) plays for an hour prior to dinner each evening.  This is a very special trip that has become a fan favorite!  It books up quickly so don’t wait until the last minute!

Trip Dates

  • September 2-7, 2023
  • 6 Days/5 Nights

Rates

  • $3150/adult; $2995/youth

We are now booking Middle Fork Salmon River Trips for 2022!  To learn more or book a trip click the link below!

Price doesn’t include $4/person/day US Forest Recreation Enhancement Act Fee or $150/person flight, Stanley to the river put-in, payable directly to the pilots at the time of your flight.

Book Our Middle Fork Jazz Trip


TRIP: Cast & Blast

RIVER: Middle Fork of the Salmon

Enjoy the wild & scenic Middle Fork during Idaho’s Indian Summer. Fly fish for wild, westslope cutthroat trout in gin clear water. For full details check our our Middle Fork of the Salmon page.

This trip gives you the chance to explore the amazing Central Idaho Wilderness terrain with your shotgun in hand and “man’s best friend” by your side.  Between hiking the country side looking for Grouse and Chucker Partridge to floating down the gin clear water chasing West-Slope Cutthroat Trout this is a trip you won’t want to miss!

Trip Dates

  • September 28-October 3, 2023
  • 6 Days/ 5 Nights

Rates

  • $3960/Angler (based on 2 anglers/boat/guide)

We are now booking Middle Fork Salmon River Trips for 2023!  To learn more or book a trip click the link below!

Price doesn’t include $4/person/day US Forest Recreation Enhancement Act Fee or $150/person flight, Stanley to the river put-in, payable directly to the pilots at the time of your flight. Indian Creek Airfield to begin the trip.  

Book Your Middle Fork Cast & Blast 


TRIP: Cast & Blast

RIVER: Salmon River Canyons

This is another trip we are very excited to announce!  Steelhead & Small-Mouth Bass fishing and Chuckar-Partridge hunting!  There are a lot of techniques out there for steelhead fishing and we are happy to cater to them all!! The classics are pulling plugs and spey fishing and we are happy to have a mix of different styles on the trips!  Bring your gun, your rod and your dog if you’d like and this is sure to be a trip you aren’t soon to forget!

Trip Dates

  • September 21-26, 2023
  • 6 Days/ 5 Nights

Trip Rates

  • $3450/Angler (based on 2 anglers/boat/guide)

*Charter opportunity for exclusivity available to groups of 8 or more!

We are now booking Salmon River Canyons Trips for 2023!  To learn more or book a trip click the link below!

Book Your Salmon River Canyons Cast & Blast Trip 

River Trips

  • Main Salmon – River of No Return
  • Selway River
  • Middle Fork of the Salmon River
  • Salmon River Canyons
  • Specialty Rafting Trips
  • Family Rafting Trips in Idaho

Client Testimonials

Thank both you and your crew for the Great Trip we just experienced on the Middle Fork.
C. & R. Gore, Wilsonville, OR (2021)
Joyce and I just wanted to say thanks again for the great trip. Everyone had the time of their lives.
E. Remais & J. Gordon, Ketchum, ID (2007)
Such a rare and unique opportunity to get away from city life and experience river time…. I enjoyed every moment, going between boats, great food, kids being kids, and good company. No one could have justly described the experience until I tasted it myself…. I am already thinking of my core friends who need to experience this and with whom, I shall travel with next year down the Snake. Perhaps a JAZZ trip also in a couple of years…
J. Karotkin, Los Angeles, CA (2011)
Your guides were among the best I ever witnessed.  I told Colin the same, and that the Selway is the best river trip in the West.  What a canyon and forest.
J. Moodey (2019)
“Thank you for your help in making possible the celebration of my 67th birthday on the Salmon River…. I enjoy supporting and booking family run businesses like yours.  From all the information about the trip, to help on gear list and lodging, you have made this planning fun and easy.  You can tell that this is a first rate river expedition.”
S. Husmann, Orange Beach, AL (2016)
What a wonderful Salmon River trip – in all ways…. Every detail of the trip – great Guides, great food, great equipment – great place!  I was so impressed with all the Guides – their skill, their knowledge, their demeanor…. Thanks for all you did to make it so special.
Evans, Evergreen, CO (2021)
I’m writing to thank you and your crew for our experience on the Salmon, Middle Fork, August 1-6, of this year. Your crew was beyond merely profession, rather somewhere over in the superb…. Not only the gourmet food… and the stacked Dutch ovens and all so tasty – Wow! I understand why so many among the guests were ‘old timers’ with you on that River….with wonderful memories.
E. Kehret, San Leandro, CA, (2014)
We enjoyed our Wallowa-Grande Ronde float trip very much! I hope another year we can again raft in ‘Hughes Style’.
W. Gibble, Gig Harbor, WA (2000)
Thanks so much for a wonderfully fun week!  Our family can’t wait to do it again.
Prugh, Jackson, WY (2021)
I’d like to thank you and your great crew for a wonderful rafting trip. It was the perfect celebration for our 50th anniversary and we were very fortunate to get all of our children and grandchildren together for the trip. ..The trip was a great adventure and it seemed to have something for all ages of our family from 5 to 76. Your rafting team did a wonderful job of guiding us through the rapids as well as taking care of our every need over the five day trip… Please also express our sincere… Read more
A. Stauffer, Palo Alto, CA (2010)
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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.