Thrill and Splendor on Idaho’s River of No Return

Roller-coaster rapids, languid pools for swimming, and sugar-white sandbars pair a beach vacation with wilderness solitude.

Paddlers explore the Main Salmon River in inflatable kayaks. Maria Coulson

Our wild and scenic river adventure in Idaho began the moment we took off at sunrise from McCall on a 45-minute intrastate flight to Salmon. The single-engine Cessna flew just above forested mountains and saw-toothed peaks in the summer sky the shade of faded denim.

“Flying at 10,000 feet in the Rockies is a unique experience,” Gem Air pilot Jonathan Brady said. “You can see individual trees and rocks in the river, and I can sometimes point out mountain goats.”

Legendary River and Limitless Wilderness

The small town of Salmon is a popular starting point for world-class whitewater rafting trips in the 2.3-million-acre Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. The largest contiguous and roadless wilderness in the lower 48 states sustains one of the longest untamed rivers on the continent: the Salmon that contains the Main Salmon section renowned as the River of No Return.

The Salmon River Canyon’s heavily forested shoreline and emerald green mountains cloister the shimmering, turquoise waterway. Maria Coulson

Draining the central mountains of Idaho, the Salmon wends its way 425 miles and courses through a gorge more than 1,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon. Unlike the sheer walls of the Southwest abyss, the Salmon River Canyon features wooded terrain and emerald green mountains studded with granite outcroppings interspersed with golden blond hills speckled with sagebrush and wildflowers.

Miners and homesteaders first reached the Main Salmon in the late 19th century. Over time, their cabins crumbled and collapsed under the weight of each winter’s snow and disappeared back into the wilderness.

The “River of No Return” romantic moniker was coined by pioneers whose heavy-laden wooden scows could only head downstream and were dismantled and used for lumber at the final destination. They could not fathom that someday adventure seekers would float the fabled river.

Connoisseur’s Choice 

The Main Salmon is more easily navigable with less technical rapids than the Middle Fork, making it popular with families and every skill level. Once named “Best Guided Outdoor Trip” in the United States by Sunset magazine, our Outdoor Adventure River Specialists (OARS) six-day passage charted 92 sinewy miles through the heart of the River of No Return Wilderness.

We spent warm summer days running roller-coaster rapids and swimming in deep, languid pools, and cool nights sleeping on sugar-white sandbars under a flour-spill of stars. It is a rare combination that pairs a beach vacation with the solitude of a vast wilderness.

‘The Magnificent Seven’

The largest river outfitter in North America, OARS bases its reputation on veteran guides, safe and reliable equipment, and great camp food.

Our seven guides shepherded two dozen novice and veteran river rats—ages 12 to late 70s—and masterfully looked out for everyone’s needs and personal safety with courage, courtesy, and good humor. Our party came from across the country and included four families and four engineers; two were women, including my wife, Maria.

“The Magnificent Seven” river guides (L–R): John Evans, Caden Clark, trip leader Daniel Biegert, Louisa Behnke, Hannah Stevens, Mike Neff, and Henry Hill. Maria Coulson

It was both a river tour and tutelage on the geology and history of the watershed. “I am impressed by our guides’ depth and breadth of knowledge of the Salmon River Canyon and their ability to engage in interesting conversations about a variety of topics from literature to pop culture,” said Ben Fearing, who wanted to spend time with his teenage daughter, Emily, before she went off to college next year.

Guide Hannah Stevens, 27, had a clear idea of who relishes rafting the river. “People should take the Main Salmon trip if they have a sense of adventure, if they like trying things that are new to them, if they are willing to be pushed out of their comfort zone,” she said. “People should come on the trip if they want to immerse themselves in nature and to spend time disconnected from the rest of the world.”

Campfire Stories and S’mores

Guide Mike Neff sees the trip as an opportunity for people to get off the daily treadmill. “It allows the child within us to come out and for us to rediscover who we are and who we want to be,” the salt-and-pepper bearded 51-year-old said. “What matters most in life might include sitting around a campfire making s’mores and telling stories with the family.”

Six members of a three-generation clan living in Colorado and Texas shared the exploit. “It’s good for extended family to do a trip like this,” Max Kimball, 14, stated. “You get to spend time together in a new environment away from the hustle and bustle of the city.”

Zach Lilly, 12, and Max Kimball, 14, roast marshmallows over a campfire. Maria Coulson

It was the first time his mother, Kendra Kimball, a third-grade teacher in Dallas, had spent much time in the outdoors. Working toward becoming an Eagle Scout, Max showed his mettle. “It’s been wonderful to see how kind, respectful, and helpful he is with everyone,” she said with evident pride. “He has stepped in to help me and a few others set up their tent and helped someone trying to pull a heavy bag up a hill.”

Canyon Wrens and Breath of Wind

After a leisurely and hearty breakfast with choices such as hot coffee and orange juice, fresh fruit and granola, and pancakes with eggs and bacon, we would break camp and take to the river.

It was cast in cool blue shadow as the line of yellow rafts and kayaks spooled out from the sandy shore. We drifted down water clear as gin and through pools so quiet the only sounds heard were canyon wrens and breath of wind.

The remoteness and tranquility of the Main Salmon’s corridor makes it a natural habitat for fish and wildlife. We glimpsed rainbow and cutthroat trout that would make any angler proud. Bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and mule deer stared back at us. We heard chortling chukars in the brush and gazed at red-tailed hawks and golden eagles soaring in the bright sunlight. Osprey pairs perched like sentinels on the edge of their large stick nests atop towering conifer snags.

Cast of Crafts

Just as variety is the spice of life, the full gamut of OARS vessels made time on the River of No Return even more exciting and enjoyable. The cast of crafts featured oar rafts where the guide rows and you relax, paddle rafts with six paddlers and the captain in a raised seat at the stern, hard-shelled and sharp-bowed dories, thrills-and-spills inflatable kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards. You could go on more than one type of watercraft each day.

Our favorite boat was the wave-dancing dory that captures every nuance of whitewater. Stevens described the diminutive dory as the “Mercedes” of the Main Salmon and the 18-foot oar raft as the “minivan.”

“I am not the healthiest person but can handle this trip just fine,” claimed Adam Beech, 30. “I rode an inflatable kayak for the first time today, went right through some rapids, and fell off in the middle of one. Lotta fun and refreshing! I spent the rest of the day in the paddleboat. My arms are a bit sore, but it’s great!”

Whitewater Chaos

With every passing mile, we felt more in sync with the natural rhythm of the river. Rollicking rapids punctuated slow-motion floats. The torrents could come so fast there was no time between to apply sunscreen.

The boat bucked like an unbroken stallion as it plunged into whitewater chaos of roaring and churning turbulence. Afterward, from an eddy below the run, we watched rafts plunge beneath the surface with only the guide’s head visible. Abruptly, they would shoot up through a wall of water, drenching our delighted, high-fiving trip mates.

An oar raft rides through roller-coaster rapids. Maria Coulson

“I had not been on big whitewater for probably 15 years,” civil engineer Ella Cooke, 42, confided. “It’s a thrill when you’re on the paddle raft up close to the rapids watching the water drop out from right beside the boat as you’re still trying to paddle, and there’s no water there anymore!”

The guides had good river maps and much time on the Main Salmon. But they would scout on foot from the riverbank to plan the best route and maneuvers for the ever-changing river flows of riveting Class III rapids like Salmon Falls, Split Rock, and Big Mallard.

Captivating Campsites and Close Companions 

The river was only part of the OARS experience. After floating for a few hours, lunch was often on a white sand beach. The guides set up a table and put together an assembly line of sandwiches, chips, and cookies. At lunch break or later in the afternoon, they led hikes with dramatic views that were challenging but manageable for city dwellers in reasonable shape.

The campsites were often captivating. “Tonight, we’re camped on a pristine beach cocooned between the river and a cliff wall,” Stevens observed. “There are green mountains surrounding us and a blue pool for swimming. As a guide, I get to come to some of the most beautiful places in America, and the River of No Return is one of them.”

A beach campsite, snuggled between the river and a cliff wall. Maria Coulson

Each evening, everyone grabbed a chair and formed a circle for engaging conversation and a delicious dinner—sirloin steak, sauteed Idaho potatoes, garden salad, and apple cobbler, for instance. The guides were attentive and accommodating to special diets.

Author and environmentalist Edward Abbey wrote in National Geographic about his trip four decades ago on the Main Salmon: “There’s something about a progress down a river that brings out the best in anyone.” He also held that before the journey was over, the voyagers would become one “reasonably happy family.”

We had not known each other and might not otherwise spend time together. But we bonded because of the isolation, the teamwork, the nurturing guides, and the absorbing adventure. The River of No Return expedition is far different from a vacation at a five-star hotel or on a luxury cruise.

This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.