Family Rafting Trips

People ask us all the time: "is this trip suitable for my child?" There are a lot of factors that turn ordinary rafting experiences into perfect family rafting trips. The first thing to understand is that there are a huge variety in river trips in regard to difficulty, season, length, and outfitters.

As snow piles high in the Sawtooth mountain range, it is easy to see why the Middle Fork and Main Salmon have such huge fluctuations in flow (which is generally measured in CFS: Cubic Feet per Second). In the late spring, when temperatures rise and snow begins to melt, the Middle Fork and Main Salmon typically reach their high points for the year. They tend to spike quickly and fall to reasonable levels within a week, sometimes within days. Soon after, our Middle Fork and Main Salmon seasons begin.

Our first trip of the year is generally June 3rd, and features the highest water of the season. Generally speaking, from here on out the flow will continue to decrease. What this means for families is that the further you go into the summer, the rapids become less intense. This does not mean they are any less fun or difficult: sometimes they become a technical maze of boulders and you'll have fun weaving your way through. But, the intensity level does drop out, making these trips more suitable for youngsters.

Weather also plays a part in your decision to bring your children rafting. In our early June trips and late August trips, temperatures tend to be a lot lower (particularly at night and in the mornings) than on our July and early August trips. Water temperature also is significantly cooler during our "shoulder-season" trips.

When it comes to outfitters for your family rafting trip, make sure you choose one with a history and reputation for family rafting trips. Some outfitters solely run fishing trips, others don't allow their guides to mingle with customers, and some run adult-only trips.

At Idaho & Oregon River Journeys, our business was built with family in mind. Our guides are wonderful role models for your children and they will enjoy spending time with them. We are an energetic bunch, always ready to explore, hike, tell stories, and simply enjoy the river passing by. We are safety conscious and love sharing our world with our customers.

If you have questions regarding your family rafting trip, please give us a call at 1-888-997-8399.

Best Adventure Travel Outfitter on Earth

We are pleased to announce that National Geographic Adventure has selected Idaho River Journeys to be distinguished as one of the best adventure travel outfitters on earth. The excitement of receiving this prestigious award won't wear off quickly, but we are already looking forward to capturing the award for a second time in 2010. To read the full review of Idaho & Oregon River Journeys in National Geographic, click here.

Our amazing guides are the ones who make the trips we run so incredible. They are the life and blood of our business and without them we would be any ordinary outfitter. Idaho River Journeys has always been dedicated to bringing our customers the VERY BEST in adventure travel, and we are overwhelmingly delighted to have been recognized at such a high level.

Our customers who took the online survey provided by National Geographic - thank you so much for your participation! We are looking forward to serving all of you in 2009 with big smiles, big rapids, and lifelong memories.

We're headed around the bend;
Can't wait to boat with you again!

Making our trips more affordable...

Our staff recently attended a meeting of outfitters from across the country. It was hosted by America Outdoors, a national association of outfitters offering a wide variety of outdoor vacations.

Jack Rich, a Montana outfitter offering ranch vacations, said something that caught my attention. “What we offer is just what America needs right now. Rejuvenation with friends and family in beautiful, authentic, wild places.”

At Idaho River Journeys we know that taking a family vacation this year might be a tough choice but we think our trips offer things that no other vacation can provide. There is no question that taking a family to Idaho for a week on the Middle Fork can be expensive but we want to help make it as affordable as possible.

Towards that goal, we’ve asked our staff to forego pay increases and we have kept our prices the same, or lower, than last year. We are not cutting quality and will not modify the way we run trips. What we will do is make as many administrative changes as we can to keep prices low while maintaining our very high customer service standards. For example, if you go with us we’re going to ask that you make your final payment by check instead of credit card. This saves us 4% and will help us absorb our reduction in prices.

We will also help you with shuttle and lodging arrangements in Idaho. Rather than fly from Boise to Stanley or Salmon, we are looking at alternative, more reasonable shuttle plans. We will continue to supply just about everything you need for your trip and will help with travel planning and make your trip as hassle-free as possible.

And lastly, if your party wants to go with us but even with our price adjustments, find the cost daunting, call us. We will do whatever is necessary to make it possible for you to join us.

Come boating with us. You’ll be taking a vacation that will create family memories that you will cherish forever.