Salmon River

The Salmon River is Idaho in its purest form — 425 miles of wild, undammed river flowing through the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness, the largest roadless wilderness in the contiguous United States. Known to early pioneers as "The River of No Return" for the treacherous rapids and deep canyon that prevented upstream travel, the Salmon today is a mecca for multi-sport wilderness adventures that combine world-class fly fishing with whitewater rafting, wildlife viewing, and camping in some of the most remote terrain in North America.

For fly anglers, the Salmon divides naturally into three distinct fisheries. The Upper Salmon, flowing through the Sawtooth Valley near Stanley, is a clear, cold freestone stream born in the flanks of the Sawtooth and White Cloud mountains. Rainbow trout and Yellowstone cutthroat averaging 12 to 15 inches rise freely to attractor dry flies in the classic tailout pools and riffles of the valley floor. Highway 75 follows the upper river closely, providing easy access to well over 100 miles of public water. The town of Stanley — population under 100 — serves as the jumping-off point for both the upper river and multi-day wilderness expeditions.

The Middle Salmon, flowing through the Frank Church Wilderness, is the crown jewel. Access is primarily by multi-day whitewater raft trips that float hundreds of miles of river through a canyon deeper than the Grand Canyon. The fishing for native Chinook salmon, steelhead, cutthroat, and bull trout is extraordinary — but so is the isolation, wildlife, and scenery. Jet boat trips from Riggins and licensed outfitter float trips are the primary access mechanisms for this section.

The Lower Salmon near Riggins transitions to summer steelhead and fall Chinook territory. The section from Riggins downriver hosts one of Idaho's most productive steelhead runs, with sea-run rainbow trout averaging 6 to 12 pounds entering the system from August through November. This is big-river swinging territory — two-handed spey rods and sink-tip lines are the norm, with classic Atlantic salmon patterns adapted for Western steelhead taking fish in the deep runs and seams below Riggins.

Bull trout, a federally listed threatened species, are present throughout the Salmon drainage and must be released immediately upon capture. Their presence indicates the high water quality that makes this system one of the most ecologically significant rivers in the West.