Home » About Us

About Us

The Hilleke Family

Tommy and I have always had a dream of having a family run river business. Over the past 15 years, we have looked at numerous ideas. From rafting companies to campgrounds, our vision has remained constant – to have a place where we could get people out on the river together.

Since the property was purchased in 1986 for the BSA, the camp has been teaching kids how to whitewater kayak and transforming lives. Previously known as the “Salmon River High Adventure Base”, there has been a long history of developing river runners and passionate whitewater professionals. We plan to continue that legacy and open up our adventures to everyone. Our camp is located directly on the banks of the Salmon River with various levels of whitewater right out the door.

Tommy and I founded SRAC in 2021 with the mission of getting people on the river and creating “peak adventure” experiences.We are so excited about our location and sharing our love for the river with others. We feel it’s a perfect location to develop skills and most importantly lifetime river runners. Families that play together, stay together! Check out our Family Kayak Camp or Family Whitewater Camp to learn more.

We are a true family run operation and enjoy meeting the people that come to stay with us. Our four boys and Tommy’s parents, are a part of the Salmon River experience. We hope you get as much out of being on the river with your family, as we have with ours. We all share a common love for the river and want to share that with you.

Hope to see you soon!

-Polly Hilleke

A Legacy of River Running

Tommy Hilleke

Tommy is an internationally renowned expedition kayaker with many first descents on rivers around the world. He is the only male kayaker to hold 6 Green River Narrows Race champion titles. Tommy’s passion for running rivers continues today. He continues to race the Green and is the safety director for the Green Race and the North Fork Championship. The river brought us together and our four boys have been raised paddling rivers throughout the west. It is truly our passion!

Press

Click on one of our press releases to learn more about Salmon River Adventure Company.

Families That Kayak Together, Stay Together – The Hilleke Family’s Story

10-Year-Old Kayaker Sets World Record As Youngest To Paddle Through Grand Canyon

Adventure Advice From Parents Whose 10-Year Old Just Kayaked The Grand Canyon

Bodie Hilleke Follows Family Legacy, Becomes Youngest Kayaker To Navigate Grand Canyon

A Grand Adventure – Bodie Hilleke Became The Youngest Paddler Ever To Complete The Grand Canyon

Dauntless – Crushing It In Your Own Life While Raising Dauntless Children

Why The Hilleke Boys Are The Next Generation Of Kayaking Brothers That You Should Know About

What People are Saying

Salmon River Adventure Company

5.0

Based on 23 reviews

review us on

Robin and Gabe Dawson

02:04 01 Aug 22

Our daughter had a wonderful time and couldn’t stop talking about all the staff and campers. She left kayak camp feeling confident in her ability to wet exit and read water. She didn’t get her roll but in listening to her process the experience, it’s clear her instructors and staff were supportive, knowledgeable and fun! She/we can’t wait for next summer. As soon as she got in the car, she was talking about the two week option.

Gina D'Orazio Stryker

17:11 28 Jul 22

The crew at Salmon River Adventure Co were amazing, kind and knew their stuff. My children went for a weeklong summer camp and had a blast. We will be back for certain. It’s a perfect little spot along the river -pastoral and pristine. Our hosts Polly and Tommy were welcoming kind and oh so generous. Deepest gratitude for a wonderful week on the river. see you next season.

Matthew Brockman

22:31 27 Jul 22

My 15-year-old son finally asked to learn how to paddle. Rather than sacrifice him to the river gods, like the well-meaning friends who taught me 30 years ago, we decided learning from experts was the way to go. The combination of delicious food, non-stop games/activities for the kids (when they're not in the river) and a stellar location made for an ideal week off-the-grid. The instructors were patient, knowledgeable and encouraging. Our trip was truncated due to injury and a forest fire but neither did anything to take away from the experience. My son has the caught the bug and made clear his intention to be back next summer for more. I'm fully onboard.

Kenneth Belanger

11:11 17 Jul 22

Can't recommend Salmon River Adventure Company highly enough. Had an amazing whitewater raft trip on the lower river the first day and decided on a full-day inflatable kayak trip the second. Polly and Tommy are outstanding hosts and our guides (David, Karley, and Allie) were fantastic. Will definitely be returning!

Emily Hightower

18:28 04 Jul 22

This was LIFE CHANGING for our 15 year old son. The team at SRAC took excellent care of him. When we dropped him off he had just started rolling in the river after running rivers on rafts for many years. When we picked him up, we had the chance to bring him to the Middle Fork for a week on the river together. We didn't expect him to be ready to kayak the entire stretch, but thanks to the excellent river safety and paddling skills taught by this team at SRAC, our kiddo was confident, smart, and SOLID on the river! He paddled the entire stretch and showed river savvy on waves, scouting rapids, playing, catching essential eddies, and even helping out some swimmers. Thank you for instilling the kind of river ethic that has already changed how his life will turn out. The campground and facilities helped the kids feel and you could feel the way everyone of all levels progressed and connected throughout the week. The incredible instruction, positive guides, and river competence will have us coming back year after year.

Ian Anderson

16:53 28 Jun 22

The owners, Polly and Tommy, have created something truly magical at the Salmon River Adventure Company. It's a spectacular riverside location on the site of a former Boy Scout camp with all the facilities you need and nothing you don't.I camped for a week with my two kids (ages 12 and 14) who were part of a kid's kayaking camp (Full disclosure, I'm friends with the owners, so I got to camp with them). Both my kids had an incredible time and were paddling class II-III whitewater with confidence by the end of the week. Their guides made their experience so fun, safe, and inspiring that I'm now shopping for two new kayaks.The camping is peaceful, the bathhouse is clean and newly renovated, and the kitchen serves up tasty meals. Most importantly, the staff is amazing, with tons of experience and positive, infectious energy.Whether you're staying for a week and learning to kayak for the first time, or just rafting for a day, I can guarantee that the team at SRAC will provide you and your family with an amazing adventure.

‹

›