Idaho whitewater rafting means exploring more than three thousand miles of rivers — more than any of the other lower 48 — through trips easy enough for a five-year-old and trips that will challenge the best whitewater rafters on the planet. The mighty rivers of Idaho can be tamed in rafts, kayaks, canoes, drift boats, jet boats or whitewater dories. Idaho also offers hundreds of experienced guides and licensed outfitters to help you get your whitewater on no matter what level you’re at.

The trips can last anywhere from six hours of drifting down a river, to week-long camping trips that stop at some of the most astounding natural tourist attractions in the United States. The longer trips involve everything you associate with traditional camping, from gourmet fireside cooking to fishing for your supper.

Here are some of the best Idaho river journeys the Gem State has to offer:

Snake River

The flatlands in southern Idaho lull you into a false sense of security as you watch the beautiful scenery float by…and then, the Snake plunges you into Hell’s Canyon. The South Fork will show you some top-notch fly fishing and pleasant rafting trips until you hit the rough-and-tumble Murtaugh area just east of Twin Falls.

Payette River

Just north of Boise, the Payette offers fairly easy paddling, with the South Fork fairly calm and the North Fork offering up Class III rapids at the worst — an area known as the Cabarton Run. The Payette also offers top-tier half-day trips for beginners and families.

Salmon River

The Salmon River is by far the best. Known as the “River of No Return” for some of its dangerous stretches, the Salmon also offers long, beautiful stretches of easy drifting if that’s your speed. Famous as one of the best catch-and-release trout fisheries in the world, the Salmon runs through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, the single largest designated wilderness areas in the lower 48. The Middle Fork of the Salmon offers trips of 3, 5, and 7 days that explore this heartstoppingly beautiful area.

No matter which river you pick — even one of the dozens that aren’t mentioned here — a single Idaho whitewater rafting trip will etch its mark upon your heart for the rest of your life.

If your goal is to see the outdoors at their wild extreme, a Salmon River white water rafting trip is Idaho’s answer to your need. If you’ve got the drive to feel your pulse pounding in every part of your body as you pit yourself against some of nature’s best worst, you’ll find it here. Whether your passion is for kayaks, rafts, or the more dangerous whitewater dories, Idaho can accommodate — and do it in some of the most starkly beautiful natural settings on Earth.

Of course, if Idaho whitewater rafting is on your agenda, you’ll soon end up at the Salmon River. With two different locations featuring different levels of difficulty and intensity, the Salmon River can fit any whitewater agenda. The main fork of the Salmon is known as the River of No Return — if you’re not already an experienced whitewater rafter, the main fork probably isn’t the place for you. The middle fork, on the other hand, is a much more family-friendly environment where people as young as five years old can participate freely in the rafting trips.

It’s important to stress that the main fork of the Salmon is for experienced rafters with top-notch equipment. If you don’t have a few years of whitewater rafting under your belt, all the right gear, and a guide, the River of No Return may just live up to its name. The middle fork is only available for family trips from July through September, but there are several 5-day and 6-day trips that will bring you through some of the most intensely beautiful natural settings you will ever experience.

The best part about the middle river rafting trips is that each day will take you not just down the river, but also past other natural tourist attractions that are worth stopping at and enjoying on their own. The trips are the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors in a variety of ways. Whichever part of the river you choose, you’re sure to bring back memories of Idaho’s beauty which will last you for your entire life.

May your new year be full of happiness and Joy and health in Abundance.

Yours for rivers, James

In terms of the sheer variety of outdoor recreational activities like hiking and fishing Idaho is one of the most diverse places in America. The locals tend to take these everyday pleasures for granted as part of their live here in the Gem State, but visitors to our neck of the woods will find it beckons them to return again and again.

To Idaho’s natives, fishing is a way of life. No one asks if an Idaho man fishes, but rather when, and where. With thousands of miles of rivers and creeks — more than in any other state except maybe Alaska — and more than two thousand lakes and reservoirs, you can fish your whole life away and never stand in the same place twice.

Idaho’s fishermen, both native and migrant, quest out every spring to Lake Pend Oreille, Lake Coeur d’Alene, and Priest Lake up north, on the lookout for the Kamloops Trout, the Mackinaw Trout, and the fresh-water Chinook Salmon. Some of them chase down the elusive White Sturgeon, a magnificent creature that can live for a century and weighs as much as a small car. The Snake and Salmon Rivers are the best places to hunt down that unique game fish — but it’s best to bring a licensed professional with you; they’re not easy prey.

The rivers here in the Gem State are packed with all kinds of Salmon and Sturgeon and a giant mess of Steelhead, probably the most popular game fish in the state. Fishermen after those fish should head to the Clearwater, the Little Salmon, the Lower Salmon, the Upper Salmon, and the Snake Rivers.

Of course, it’s Trout fishing that made Idaho famous. Every creek, river, and lake in the state seems to be teeming with all manner of Trout. Trout can be snagged on bait spinners, flies, and just about any kind of lure. You can go trout fishing on a drift boat, from a kayak, an innertube, or a dock, or even just standing on the shore.

And no mention of all the fishing Idaho has to offer would be complete without mentioning the Whitefish, Perch, Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Bluegills, Crappies, Catfish, and other warm-water fish that await the fishermen in the southern part of the state.

Yeah, there’s pretty much every kind of sport fishing, vacation fishing, and even occasionally survival fishing here in the Gem State, and the friendly folks here will be happy to help you find that perfect spot to have a perfect afternoon catching the perfect fish. That’s why the locals call Idaho the Fisherman’s Paradise.