Considered one of the best overnight wilderness runs in the country, Idaho's Main Salmon River floats through the heart of the 2.2 million acre Frank Church Wilderness Area. Every summer thousands of boaters enjoy the "Main's" roller coaster rapids, deep canyon, warm weather, and great big sandy beaches.
The canyon that the Main runs through is the second deepest canyon in the Lower 48, second only to Hell's Canyon of the Snake. Over 400 miles of undammed water also gives the Main the recognition as the longest stretch of undammed waters in the Lower 48.
The run described here is 86 miles long and drops at an average of 12 feet per mile. For private boaters, it is recommended that you purchase a map at least so you know where reservable camps are.
Most groups decide to launch from Corn Creek. At Corn Creek groups must check in with the Forest Service to pick up their permit. Permits are given on a lottery basis. To find apply for a Main Salmon River Permit, click here.
Groups have the option of reserving camps or camping at unreservable sites. Many of the big and desirable camps must be reserved. Details about reservable/unreservable camps are available at Corn Creek. After pushing off from Corn Creek, the first named rapid groups will encounter is called Killum, named after the Killum family that lived along the river. Gunbarrel follows and then Rainier a few more miles downstream. Stop at Legend Creek to check out some pictographs.
Devil's Tooth is the next named rapid. None of these rapids are very consequential and it would require a major human error to overturn or wrap a raft. So, skipping ahead to some of the bigger stuff. Bailey Falls, Big Mallard, Elkhorn, Chittum, and Vinegar are the largest rapids on the river. If it is your first time down, they are all worth a scout. At extremely high water, Whiplash rapid becomes the biggest obstacle on the river. Some groups elect to portage this rapid when the water is very high.
Most trips on the Main Salmon range from five to eight days on the river. Longer trips are possible in three ways. The first choice, which seems to be the most appealing, is to win a Middle Fork permit and combine your trip on the Middle Fork with a trip on the Main. If it is permit season, you will still need to stop at Corn Creek to fill out another river permit. The second option is to put-in above Corn Creek, like the town of Shoupe. There are camping opportunities along this stretch of river, fun rapids, but the road is there as well. The third option is to continue your trip past the Vinegar and Carrey Creek boat ramps. You can take-out at Spring Bar or go even further. If you don't mind really flat water, you could continue past Riggins! The possibilities aren't endless, but there are a lot of them. If you are someone with a lot of time to kill, it is worth researching.
As far as vehicle shuttles are concerned: just pay for it. It is a long, long, long drive and worth the money.
