Middle Fork of the Salmon Hiker Special
Overview
The Middle Fork of the Salmon River has long been considered a classic North American river trip. Revered by whitewater and wilderness enthusiasts worldwide, the Middle Fork Salmon runs through the heart of the Frank Church "River of No Return" Wilderness offering the quintessential whitewater experience combined with unrivaled alpine scenery, dramatic granite gorges juxtaposed against soft rolling hills, hot springs, side creeks and waterfalls, Blue Ribbon trout fishing, and endless hiking opportunities. On our Hiker Special itinerary, intrepid travelers have the unique opportunity to experience the Middle Fork as most hikers could only dream, with the expert support of our experienced guide staff. Each day we set out on a new hike to explore – from the river up – the routes to Bear Creek Point overlook, Big Creek, Veil Falls, and Nugget Grotto. On most days we spend a few hours in the rafts traversing the Middle Fork’s incomparable whitewater, but a layover provides us with more than one full-day hike to some rarely visited gems of the Frank Church Wilderness Area.
Itinerary at a Glance
- Meet your guides for a pre-trip meeting the night before the trip at the Mountain Village Resort in Stanley, ID
- Enjoy a scenic flight to our put-in at Thomas Creek
- Fantastic alpine scenery, deep green forests, dramatic mountains and crystal clear creeks
- Raft for most of the day to camp and enjoy a moderate hike to Loon Creek Hot Springs
- Try your hand at an inflatable kayak on the Middle Fork’s exciting Class III-IV whitewater
- Take an all-day hike to Bear Creek Point overlook
- Feast on a delicious riverside dinner, take a swim, and relax by the fire with a glass of wine
- Watch the scenery change from high mountains to rolling hills
- Forests give way to miles of open grassland dotted with cool glades of pine
- Run classic rapids like Rubber and Hancock
- Have another soak in a hot spring and visit caves decorated with Sheepeater Indian pictographs
- Hike up Big Creek then explore the magnificent Veil Falls plummeting into a natural amphitheatre
- Hike to Nugget Grotto
- Reach the confluence of the Main Salmon and head back to civilization
Although the hikes along the Middle Fork of the Salmon are generally only moderately strenuous overall, trails can at times be steep, rocky and narrow with exposed sections. The Hiker Special Itinerary is therefore not recommended for people who have a fear of heights or children under the age of 12 years.
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