6 Day Main Salmon Teen Kayaking Trip
Date: June 26, 2023 – Aug 1, 2023
Length: 79 miles
From: $1600
Age: 12-15
River Rating: Class I-III
Includes: Camping, Healthy Meals & Snacks, River Equipment
6 Day Main Salmon Teen Kayaking Trip
FUN. ADVENTURE. GROW.
Educating and inspiring through authentic outdoor experiences.
DATES & RATES
COURSE OVERVIEW
This six day course is for young paddlers (age 12-15 years old) wanting to take their kayaking skills to the next level on the Main Fork of the Salmon River.  The “Main Salmon,” in the heart of the incredible Frank Church – River of No Return wilderness, is world renown for its beautiful landscapes, white sandy beaches, abundant wildlife, and blue waters. Each day we will take down camp, run the river together, and set up camp downstream.
On the water teens will learn to safely “read” and run the river including scouting rapids, evaluating hazards, using a throw rope, hand signals, etc. The students will be in their kayaks every day and have the opportunity to hone their river running skills; strokes, advanced maneuvers, and play boating techniques. This is a “hands on” course and teens will be actively involved in all aspects of the trip including decision making, teamwork, and collaboration on the river. Not only will Teens develop river running skills, but also basic river trip/outdoor living skills such as setting up and taking down camp, meal prep and cooking, and sanitation.
The course also has an environmental education component. We teach the students about river conservation and ways to help protect the river. We believe that Teens that love the river, will motivated to protect it.
**This course is offered in collaboration with North Fork Guides
**You must have previous kayaking experience (solid roll 2/3 of the time in class II) for this trip. Please reach out if you have any questions.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Riverfront platform wall tent accommodations
- Small camp size (max 16)
- Highly individualized professional instruction
- 1:4 child coach to child ratio in the water
- Review your performance with video analysis
- Homemade snacks, breakfast, lunch & dinner daily*
- High quality river equipment
- Transportation to and from the town of Salmon and to all sections of the river*
*Should your child have special diet requirements and/or limitations, just let us know when booking your camp. We will work with you to meet those critical needs.
*Not included: airfare, travel insurance
FOR PARENTS
Safety
- CPR and First Aid trained staff
- 1:4 child coach to child ratio in the water
- Learn river safety skills
- Learn kayaking fundamentals and paddle various sections of Class I-III whitewater on the Wild and Scenic Salmon River
- Sandy beach river access
- Challenge course for team building on the property
- Rock climbing on the property
- Frisbee golf course
- Trails out the back door
- Healthy homemade meals and snacks with kid friendly options*
- Natural spring potable water for hydration
*Should your child have special diet requirements and/or limitations, just let us know when booking your camp. We will work with you to meet those critical needs.
REVIEWS
What People are Saying
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Quick Info
This six day course is for young paddlers (age 12-15 years old) wanting to take their kayaking skills to the next level on the Main Fork of the Salmon River.  The “Main Salmon,” in the heart of the incredible Frank Church – River of No Return wilderness, is world renown for its beautiful landscapes, white sandy beaches, abundant wildlife, and blue waters. Each day we will take down camp, run the river together, and set up camp downstream.
*This course is offered in collaboration with North Fork Guides
