Getting There and Staying There

If you have been seeking an outdoor area to explore, look no further. The Middle Fork of the Salmon River offers pristine whitewater for rafters, interesting historic towns and unique lodging experiences.

Driving

Rafting or kayaking trips depart from Stanley, ID located about a 3 hour drive north of Boise on HWY 21, which is a lovely scenic highway. From Twin Falls, drive north about 3.5 hours on HWY 75 through Sun Valley. The ending point for trips is Salmon, ID located close to the Montana border on the Main Salmon River. ECHO works with a shuttle service that can drive your car from Stanley to Salmon while you're on the river.

Flying

Salmon Air in IdahoIdaho's main airport is located in Boise and is served by most major US airlines. From there, you can fly in a small plane to Stanley with McCall Air. They can then fly you from Salmon back to the Boise airport after your trip.

McCall Air also offers flights to all of the airstrips located along the Middle Fork, as well as charter flights to various backcountry areas and cities in the Pacific Northwest.

Lodging

Lodging choices are limited due to the remoteness of the area, but the small towns offer delightful locations from which to explore the area before or after your rafting trip.

In Stanley

Meadow Creek Inn & Spa in Stanley, IDThe Mountain Village Resort (800) 843-5475 is an excellent choice, which has natural hot springs, a restaurant and a general store. They also have suites to accommodate large groups of 6-8 people.

Meadow Creek Inn & Spa (shown above) (800) 811-5745 offers nice getaway packages with a full service spa. They even have a tipi massage!

Redfish Lake Lodge (208) 644-9096 has free evening concerts on the lawn in the summertime. They have rustic cabins, lodge rooms, restaurant, dinner cruises and offer shuttles from the Stanley Airstrip.

In Salmon

Stagecoach Inn (208) 756-2919 is situated right on the Salmon River with a beautiful view. They offer a free airport shuttle and downtown is within walking distance.

Syringa Lodge (877) 580-6482 has rustic looking rooms with an incredible view of the Beaverheads, a mountain range in neighboring Montana. Room rates include a full breakfast.

Trail's End Motel (208) 756-1499 has truck & trailer parking. Pets are welcome and for $5 extra, your horse can rest easy in the corral.

Wagon's West Motel (800) 756-4281 has a hot tub and you can picnic on their island in the Main Salmon, where they maintain a BBQ and firepit. You can literally catch a steelhead, and cook it right there! They are also within walking distance to downtown, but have river-view rooms of the Main Salmon River.

Weather

Stanley, ID Elevation 6240

Average Temperature

Salmon, ID Elevation 4045

Average Temperature