Best Rafting trips for Families with Youngsters

By youngsters, I mean kids in the 5 - 12 range. From raising three kids and going on a lot of trips, I can tell you that there is nothing more fun than rafting, camping, eating outside, sitting around a campfire, looking at stars, sleeping in a warm and cozy tent and just hanging out along a river. And miraculously, it seems like kids even enjoy being with their parents when its a rafting vacation with lots to do. And for Mom, its a chance to share experiences with the family and never worry about meals, or any of the other daily chores.

My favorite trip with kids is floating Idaho’s Main Salmon. The rapids are fun, campsites often on big, sandy beaches, the water is warm enough for swimming and there are enough side attractions to keep everyone busy and engaged in the trip. We have paddle rafts and kayaks on every trip so the boating is seldom dull. Very often a family with youngsters will join us on the Main and then a few years later, when the kids are teens, come back and run the Middle Fork of the Salmon with us.

Compared to other family vacations, going on the Main is a terrific value. There are no hidden costs, just about everything is provided, and you won’t be nickel and dimed by side attractions. For most families, the most economical way to do the trip is drive to Salmon and have your car shuttled to McCall where it will be waiting at the end of the trip. This saves on air shuttle costs and gives you a way of visiting other sites before or after your trip. We offer student discounts which will save additional money. A family of five will save $500 by choosing a 5 day instead of 6 day trip. We cover the same distance, just boat a little longer each day.

We’ve done a lot of family rafting trips so give us a call if you have questions or concerns. You might also find our Just for Moms web page helpful. It answers a lot of questions we hear from families planning to join us. Call us at any time. 1-888-997-8399.

July 14 - 19, 2007 Main Salmon Trip

Our July 14th Main Salmon trip was a blast. Our party consisted of 18 guests and 4 guides. We floated the 81 miles from Corn Creek to Carey Creek in 6 days. The canyon was hot with daytime temps in the 90s so occasional dunkings, both intentional and random, provided entertaining relief. We used a variety of boats including a paddle raft, 4 single kayaks, and that old relationship tester, a double kayak. If you were on the trip, thanks for joining us.

Our Camps and miles:
Day 1: Blackadar Hole, 17.2
Day 2: Magpie, 29.5
Day 3: Mallard, 37.1
Day 4: Haynie Bar, 53.4
Day 5: T-Bone, 71.6

Guides:
Tom Tremain
Julie Guthrie
Bob Volpert
Jo Schroeder

Approaching Bailey on Day 2. Hey, where is the kayak at the top of the rapid going?:


Tom and Lisa checking out the boats following them through Bailey. All the kayaks made it fine:


Steve has a perfect run:


Helen just taking it easy:


Peter cools off at camp:


Day 5 brought us to the Jewel of the Salmon, the stretch of slow water just below the South Fork of the Salmon. Greg celebrates with a nap:


Kayak jousting:


Heading to take-out on the last morning. We’re about an hour away:


Lisa and Mary cooling off:


Thank you all for the great trip!
-Team IRJ