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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 45 reviews

review us on

Julia Gorodetsky

20:16 12 Sep 23

Phenomenal experience, highly highly recommend! We are a large family with 3 small kids and we had the most amazing time. Our crew was thoughtful, social, and incredibly competent. The food was delicious, my kids had the best time diving from the cliffs, catching every rapid they asked for, and swimming safely in the river while watched over by our two lovely guides, Luke and Grace. It's a beautiful remote part of the river, lots of wild animals, and spectacular Idahoan rainbows every single night.

Trudie Pond

22:10 27 Aug 23

Peaceful and relaxing. Great river guide !

Tren Long

22:14 07 Aug 23

We were lucky enough to send our 2 kids down the Main Salmon with Salmon River Adventures and they couldn't be more stoked! Easy communication pre trip, super accommodating for our needs and we could not be happier. On the water the kids had an incredible time and LOVED the food.I operate a rafting company on a nearby river and can attest that these folks know what they are doing, love what they are doing, and are passionate about sharing it with the world.Everyone needs to do a multi-day rafting or kayaking trip once in their lives, and you should do it with the Hilleke Fam!

Phyllis Jones

02:41 05 Aug 23

Fabulous day trip on the Salmon River, with Luke and Kerry as our guides. Safety and fun were paramount! We were a diverse group from 9 to 73 year olds, and everyone had a blast. Lots of Bald Eagles were spotted along the way. Looking forward to going with them again....and again!

Molly Malone

22:14 31 Jul 23

What a great adventure! A perfect getaway for my kids to run around and experience whitewater for the first time. Thanks to Jason and Kassy for hosting a wonderful experience and thanks to the Hillekes for making this place happen. We’ll be back soon!

Ada King

20:00 25 Jul 23

My two friends and I had a phenomenal three days on the river in mid July with guides Luke and Kelly. We felt like we had the river to ourselves and enjoyed using standup paddle boards in between the rapids areas on the river. Our campsites were perfect as were the foods prepared by the guides. We loved the cliff jumping and side hikes as well as time on the river. We would definitely recommend this company to others looking for a Salmon River adventure!

Pete Nikolai

03:56 24 Jul 23

Luke was our guide and we had a blast! SRAC is the only rafting company in the Salmon-North Fork area that we could find that offers half-day trips. Wear quick-dry pants, long sleeve quick-dry shirt, and floppy hat under your helmet--and/or lots of sunscreen!

Cynthia Lauren Arnold

16:08 21 Jul 23

My family and I had a wonderful visit to the Salmon River Adventure Company. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful, the sounds of the river float around the pine shaded camp. The tents and outbuildings are clean and well kept. We all slept peacefully in a family size tent that hosted a queen and two sets of bunk beds. The accommodations offer the perfect combination of a night outdoors and the comfort of a bed. Not to mention, a clear nights display of stars ,far from the light pollution of town.The food is cooked on site. The bathrooms and buildings are clean and well-maintained. The camp is orderly and well organized. The staff is committed to running the day today as seamlessly as possible. They are knowledgeable, helpful, and very nice. There is a peacefulness about the place. It is the perfect reset vacation. Anyone looking for a wilderness getaway along the Salmon should checkout this amazing camp.

Steven Wojcio

17:34 14 Jul 23

Beautiful spot on the river for some awesome glamping. Tommy and Polly are welcoming, fun, and incredibly knowledgeable. We stayed here at the tail end of a trip down the middle fork and it was the perfect transition back into the real world. Thank you!

Lisa Classen

23:04 11 Jul 23

I recently took a 3 day Learn to Row & Rig course with SRAC and I cannot say enough good things! Polly and her crew were top notch and did everything to make me feel welcome and that all my needs were covered. The food and lodging were great. It’s in a beautiful setting right on the river. My rowing instructor Diana was fantastic. She is an excellent instructor with a wealth of experience, practical knowledge, and a great teaching style. She really helped me develop skills and gain confidence rowing. I made a lot of progress in a short time and had fun the entire time! These folks are a delightful group of talented, skilled and wonderful people!

D H

02:57 06 Jul 23

SRAC, Salmon River Adventure Company, is the place to go to experience the North Fork of the Salmon at its best. The owners and staff really treat you like family. They have a ton of knowledge about whitewater paddling from all over the world and the U.S. and share it with you in a way that seems tailored to your specific interest, whether that’s riding along in a raft, paddling your own inflatable kayak, or learning “combat rolls” in your hard-sided kayak.Their camp straddles a beautiful stretch of the river, with cozy and bright glamping tents with views upstream. For the adventurous, a short hike off the back of the property gives you a panoramic view of the camp and river.The food and accommodations were great, and the owners and staff were friendly and professional. Meals were fun shared experiences where we talked with other guests about our adventures on the river that day. The staff joined in and stuck around to visit with guests and offered suggestions about new places to paddle and skills to learn.Our family of six, ranging from brand new paddlers to experienced rafters and kayakers had a great time. We all learned something new and look forward to coming back often in the years to come. Thank you, SRAC for a vacation that was both exciting and relaxing for our whole family!

Nick Wigston

21:30 05 Jul 23

We just stayed a few nights in the new Glamping Tents at the Salmon River Adventure Company. What a great experience. We are used to more rugged camping but it was really nice to sleep in a real bed and have food cooked for us while still getting to be out side along the river. The staff is amazing there and they took great care of us. We will be back.

Polk Deters

20:44 04 Jul 23

Tommy & Polly are super hosts. Their whole crew knocked it out of the park. It is a true glamping experience, with styled out canvas tents that all have a view. River time, hiking time and eating time are all things to look forward to. Thanks SRAC!

Emily Jackson

22:31 26 Jun 23

What an incredible experience! The whole crew made sure my family felt safe, adventurerous and well fed! We will be coming back for more next year as it really brought our family close together!

Anthony Barnes

23:15 25 Jun 23

There was 4 of us on our half day rafting trip down river and absolutely loved it. The views were spectacular and the rapids were just right. Luke and Kassy are so nice and knowledgeable. We will definitely re- book and recommend to all our friends/ family. Thank you so much. Tony/ Tammy Barnes.

Greer Mallette

14:51 06 Mar 23

We had a great family trip with SRA last summer, even in the face of difficult circumstances with the Moose fire. The folks at SRA went above and beyond to make the trip a success. Strongly recommend.

Sam Koerber

18:06 07 Aug 22

We love this camp. My kids had an absolute blast and an adventure they will never forget. This place is a treasure, a true Wild West experience, and a dream in the making. It’s camp with kayaking as the activity. The setup is perfect for basically all levels. Beginners can learn in deep, clear, class 2 rapids. The water is not that cold in July. More advanced boaters will have a blast playing and working on tricks in Idaho class 3 and 4. Kids that are already running class 5 rapids and want to go to Keeners will have just as much fun here and maybe more. The options are limitless.My daughter Lucy was worried she’d be the only girl but it ended up being about half and half and she can’t wait to return. We dropped the kids off and explored the surrounding area. A lifetime of adventure surrounds this place. Hot springs, adventurous mountain bike rides, kayaking, backpacking, you name it.Sign up early and plan a trip. I’m a big believer in low expectations so my advice is to not talk it up too much to your kids. Get the ball rolling and let it be what it is.I can’t say enough. We are full of gratitude for the bold dreams and hard work of the Hilleke family, the heartfelt dedication from the staff, and also the heroic efforts of the firefighters to spare this place as the Moose fire burned through.Thank you! And we we wish you the best!Sam

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!

Palisky Holas

21:04 09 Jul 22

Amazing experience! Lot of fun! Every moment of the experience was memorable and enjoyable, from the time we arrived to check in, throughout the time on the water, and afterwards. The staff were kind, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about their work. We adored our guide as both a professional and as a person. I cannot speak highly enough about Salmon River Adventure Company! We will definitely do another trip when we return to Salmon.

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.