Planning a Lower Salmon River Trip

Didn’t pull a permit for the Main or the Middle Fork of the Salmon? Dry your tears and set your sights on the free-flowing Lower Salmon—112 miles of fun whitewater, plentiful white sand beaches, and lively fishing. For many years, the Lower Salmon has been our crew’s go-to choice for an easygoing multi-day trip that rocks along but isn’t too spicy for intermediate rowers and kayakers. Bonus: You can float the Lower Salmon as a private boater with only a self-permit application acquired at the put-in. (Note: Some, but not all, links in this post are affiliate links.)

Anyone who runs the Lower Salmon falls in love with it, so it seems inevitable that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will start to restrict its use, as it’s already deemed suitable for future Wild and Scenic River designation. But in the meantime, it remains a beautiful, family-friendly trip with easy logistics. The only downside (for some) to the Lower Salmon is the presence of power boats as you get near the confluence with the Snake River. 

Where is the Lower Salmon River?

The Lower Salmon River starts at Vinegar Creek, 25 miles from Riggins, Idaho, then swings west and north, eventually joining forces with the Snake River (below Hell’s Canyon). The typical put-in is at Hammer Creek Boat Ramp near White Bird, ID, and the take-out is at Heller Bar in Asotin, WA, about 20 miles downstream of the confluence with the Snake.

What’s the best water flow to run the Lower Salmon River?

A classic snowmelt river, the Lower Salmon typically peaks at 40,000 cfs to 90,000 cfs in early summer and drops to about 4,000 in the fall. With that volume of water, rapids can get tricky, but it’s nearly always runnable even in late summer when other options have dried up. Unless you’re looking for a white-knuckle experience, avoid flows above 10,000 cfs as the infamous Slide Rapid becomes a flipper (see the description below). You can check current flows at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) flow site for the Lower Salmon. 

What are the rapids like on the Lower Salmon River? 

The Lower Salmon is mostly a pool-drop river, with Class II to Class IV whitewater tucked into narrow canyons. But the “pool” sections roll along at a fairly good clip, making this an excellent choice for groups that want to spend a little time each day running some challenging whitewater and a lot of time enjoying the crazy-beautiful beaches and fishing opportunities. 

The Class II and Class III rapids through the first 30 miles or so are straightforward runs through splashy waves. However, we have learned to respect even the Class II rapids on this river, as every S turn can throw you into a wall with more force than you were expecting. The two rapids that require focused attention and scouting are Snow Hole (Class IV) and China (Class III). Plenty of boaters have posted videos of their Snow Hole and China runs on YouTube, so check those out if you want to see the range of shenanigans that can happen.

• Snow Hole Rapid (Class IV) is tricky because it’s easy to get sucked into the left channel, where a mess of boulders can confound rafters and kayakers alike. It’s a tight spot, so you want to stay away if you can. The perfect line is just right of center, but the waves are turbulent and it’s a big river, so for inexperienced paddlers, it can be hard to hold the line. To scout, catch the big eddy upstream of the rapid on river left (you’ll see a large vertical cliff on the right). Be sure to sandwich the less experienced paddlers in between seasoned boaters and keep an eye out for boaters who end up on the left side. 
• China Rapid (not to be confused with China Creek Rapid) is rated Class III but requires some deft maneuvering and at some water levels can develop a munching hole at the bottom center of the long S turn. At some levels, you can sneak much of the big stuff on the left. You can scout (or walk) the entire rapid on the left.
• Slide Rapid has multiple personalities depending on the water level, hence its Class II-V rating. Formed by a landslide in about 1950, the rapid doesn’t even register as whitewater below about 10,000 cfs, but becomes a raft flipper at about 20,000 cfs. To keep the trip family-friendly, simply run the Lower Salmon at lower flows and you can skip all that drama. 

Scenery and wildlife on the Lower Salmon River

Anyone familiar with the Middle Fork scenery will find completely different vistas on the Lower Salmon. As described in the RiverMaps Snake River in Hells Canyon and the Lower Salmon River guidebook, this area is characterized by authors Duwain Whitis and Barbara Vinson as “massive fracturing of the continental plate, large slabs of which rode up on each other like overlapping shingles on a roof.” The upside for boaters is plenty of ledges and rocks to jump from into impossibly clear, deep pools. 

It’s hard to stop raving about the juxtaposition of the combination of narrow canyons interspersed with open areas and the white sand beaches. The Lower Salmon is a river camper’s dream. We usually run this stretch in late July, and have never had a rainy day, or bugs, or a lack of expansive beaches that can accommodate parties of 20-plus with ease.

Common wildlife on the Lower Salmon includes all manner of trout, various snakes (watch for the western rattlesnake), and birds from spotted sandpipers to kingfishers to chukars, which have a charmingly distinctive call. You might see otters, mink, raccoons, bighorn sheep, and various other mammals. In addition to bountiful trout fishing, you can fish for smallmouth bass, which put up a fun fight and are non-native (and prey on salmon and steelhead smolts), so you can keep as many as you want—no bag, size, or possession limit.

Tips for running the Lower Salmon River

Here’s a quick guide to planning a Lower Salmon River trip, including further resources to check out.

1. Study the river guides

The BLM provides an exhaustive set of information on the Lower Salmon River web site, including:

• 90-page BLM Lower Salmon Boating Guide
• Lower Salmon Fire Pan brochure, which includes photos and required dimensions for fire pans as well as photos and information about approved groovers (river toilets) and the two area SCAT machines for groover cleaning
• Lower Salmon permit information
• Authorized commercial outfitters

The must-have on-river guide is the RiverMaps Guide to the Snake River in Hells Canyon and the Lower Salmon River by Duwain Whitis and Barbara Vinson. Don’t launch without it!

2. Determine your dates, trip length, and group size

Best dates to run Lower Salmon are anytime in the summer or early fall as long as the water flow is between about 3,000 cfs (that’s low for this river) and 10,000 cfs, above which Slide Rapid becomes a menace. To research typical flows at various times of year, check out the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) flow site for the Lower Salmon and our post about Researching Flow Predictions for Your Upcoming River Trip. You can construct a trip length that suits your party, from one day to 8 days, because of the multiple put-in and take-out spots. A run from Vinegar Creek to Heller Bar is 132 miles. We typically put in at Hammer Creek and take out at Heller Bar, which is about 72 miles. Because of the large volume of the river, you can easily run 15 to 20 miles each day and have plenty of time in camp. Check out the BLM’s Lower Salmon Boating Guide for a handy chart that spells out the distances from various put-ins to Heller Bar. 

When planning your trip length, keep in mind that where the Lower Salmon meets the Snake, your progress will slow considerably as you’ll often encounter upriver winds. This section does have a few rapids, but it’s a slog compared with the bubbly whitewater in the narrow canyons of the Lower Salmon. If you want to take out in early afternoon on your last day, make sure you camp at a spot significantly below the confluence the night before.

Group size limitation on the section from Hammer Creek to Heller Bar is a whopping 30, so this is the trip on which to invite all your river friends. Although we tend toward smaller parties, we’ve had up to 25 on the Lower Salmon as the river is big and the beaches are wide. 

3. Study the permit acquisition process and BLM regulations

• No permits are required at all from Vinegar Creek to Hammer Creek: This section is a popular one- to three-day option.
• If you’re running from Hammer Creek to Heller Bar, you’ll need a self-issue permit, which you can get at various put-ins and other places, including: 
  • White Bird Gravel Pit
  • Hammer Creek
  • Pine Bar
  • Graves/Rock Creek
  • BLM Cottonwood Field Office
  • Online at the BLM web site: Self-Issue Permit BLM Lower Salmon River
• Campsites are first-come, first served. But don’t make it a race, even if you’re seeing a lot of river traffic and you get panicky. In the most specific language I’ve seen yet to discourage the despicable practice, the BLM boating guide for the Lower Salmon prohibits camp running: “Camps cannot be occupied before 1:30 pm Pacifc Time (2:30 pm Mountain Time) unless the entire group is present. Occupation includes sitting in the eddy or on shore in front of a camp or beach.” Amen. You can scope out several possibilities for each evening’s camp by studying the aerial maps in the BLM Lower Salmon Boating Guide. 
• Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash at boat ramps and in camp, and you need to pack out their waste. Consider keeping them contained at scouting sites as well, and make sure they have contact info on their tags. (For more about dogs and rivers, see 10 Questions Before Your Bring Your Dog on a River Trip.)

4. Check your Lower Salmon River gear list

• Idaho Invasive Species Sticker: Each vessel (raft, kayak, canoe, drift boat) must display the sticker, which you can purchase here.
• Washington State Discover Pass (purchase here) for any vehicles parked at or using the access site at Heller Bar take-out. (You can also check to see whether your shuttle service will take care of that for you—see shuttle info below).
• Idaho fishing licenses for anyone who wants to fish.
• Groover (river toilet): Check out our comprehensive guide to picking the best river toilet if you don’t have one, and be sure to include a privacy shelter (affiliate) for this trip as most of the camping beaches are fairly exposed. Also, note that one of the overlooked benefits of the Lower Salmon is that you can dump your groover at a SCAT station in Asotin, WA, not far from the Heller Bar take-out at Chief Looking Glass Park on 1st St.
• Firepans are required for all camp and cooking fires. Firepans must be at least 12 inches x 12 inches with a 1.5-inch lip, and you must elevate the firepan or set it on rocks to avoid scorching the sand. You can gather driftwood on the Lower Salmon, but not on the Snake section. (Check out the BLM’s guide to the firepan and groover requirements.)
• Water filter: Either bring a filter—we love this MSR AutoFlow XL Gravity Filter (affiliate)—or carry in your own water.
• Dishwater strainers: Kitchen water must be strained into the river and food waste packed out. Strain dishwater into the main river current or in vegetation 200 ft above the high-water line (not on the sand in camp).
• Plenty of heavy-duty trash bags to pack all trash out. 
• PFDs for all: U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III, or V for each person, and one extra per boat.
• First aid kit: This Adventure Mountain Series Guide Medical Kit is our go-to for big river trips. Make sure your first aid kit includes a snakebite remedy as western rattlesnakes are common in the Lower Salmon corridor. Also include remedies for bee stings and poison ivy.
• One extra oar or paddle per boat.
• Throw bags and Z-drags.
• Sat phone or GPS communication device (affiliate), recommended by BLM.
• Sand stake to anchor your boat at beaches: This is particularly important on the Lower Salmon because the beaches are enormous so your bowline might not make the distance to a rock or tree.
• Sun shades for camp: The days are delightfully long on the Lower Salmon, but it can get hot in camp in late afternoon. We love the MSR Rendezvous as it can be arranged in various ways to block the sun. 

5. Advise your crew on personal gear for the Lower Salmon

• Sun shirts: The Lower Salmon is a hot, sunny stretch (but the water is delightfully cold). Make sure everyone has a good sun shirt or two with long sleeves. We recommend sun shirts with hoods (like this Cotopaxi Sombra Sun for women or for men (affiliate links) to anchor down your ball cap when the wind picks up as you hit the Snake River. 
• Water bottles for all—here are a couple of options we love:
  • HydroFlask Wide-Mouth has a big loop (for attaching a carabiner) and a straw, which helps get water down kids and adults alike
  • Katadyn BeFree filtered water bottle, which is a boon for individual paddlers so they can keep hydrated during the day without asking the rafters to unstrap water jugs
• Sunscreen, lip balm, bug spray (although we haven’t encountered many bugs on the Lower Salmon), and poison ivy soap/salve for all. 

5. Plan your put-in and take-out

If you’re launching from the Hammer Creek put-in (about 2.7 miles from Highway 95, west of White Bird, ID), you can rendezvous with your party there and camp the night before launch. Camping is $10 per person per night, plus $4 for each vehicle that’s not being towed. Amenities at Hammer Creek Recreation Site include:

• Concrete boat ramp
• Drinking water (saves having to cart filled water jugs a long distance)
• Restrooms
• RV dump station

Unfortunately, Hammer Creek campsites are first-come, first-served. Plus, no cell service is available here, so you’ll have to go back to White Bird to make last-minute calls.

If you’re not doing the classic Hammer Creek-to-Heller Bar run, or the Hammer Creek site is full, you can camp upriver at Shorts Bar Recreation Site or downriver at Pine Bar Recreation Site (about 11 downstream of Hammer Creek). 

The Heller Bar takeout near Asotin, WA, also has camping, restrooms, and a concrete boat ramp. 

6. Book your shuttle

We highly recommend booking a shuttle service to move your vehicles down to the take-out at Heller Bar. The round trip from Hammer Creek to Heller Bar is 6 hours, so a shuttle service is well worth it. 

For a list of shuttle services in the area, check out the BLM’s list. We have consistently used All Rivers Shuttle in White Bird, ID, and have received excellent service. Their web site has explicit instructions for arranging your shuttle, they can procure the Washington State Discover Pass (which needs to be on your vehicle at the Heller Bar take-out) for you, and they have all the gear you forgot in their store for last-minute purchases (including block and cubed ice).

For more tips on getting organized for your next river trip, check out Time-Tested Guidelines for Raft Meal Planning, Easy River Camp Meals for Every Kind of Eater, and How to Plan a Multi-Day River Trip.

Get on the Lower Salmon this summer

Once you put the Lower Salmon in the rotation, it will become a mainstay for your group—especially if you have kids who like to fish, jump off rocks, run some friendly whitewater, and turn cartwheels in the sand. Heck, that might be you.

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