Hells Canyon

River Stats

Hells Canyon is the deepest canyon in North America, and as one imagines the bottom of a big canyon should be, this one is filled with thrilling whitewater, arguably some of the biggest rapids in the Pacific Northwest.  The Nez Pearce have a legend which claims “Coyote dug Hells Canyon with a big stick to protect their ancestors.” Anyone who has experienced the rugged rock walls and grassy slopes rising from the edges of the surging whitewater can understand why the indigenous people believed this was a remote and protected local. 

Between the whitewater of Hells Canyon, there's plenty of time to kick back and marvel at the snow-capped peaks that tower more than a mile above this unbelievably deep gorge, deeper than the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. Staring up one sees below the snow line far above the mountainsides are covered in golden grass and pine forest and we commonly see soaring eagles, ambling bears or wild mountain goats.

When you arrive in camp the fun in Hells Canyon is often just beginning.  After a day crashing through whitewater arrival in camp means it is time to stretch legs with a great hike up into the hidden reaches of the canyon or to spend some time casting in the river for bass, trout, or possibly even an enormous Snake River sturgeon.

So come to Idaho and explore one of the most rugged and awe-inspiring locations in North America as you float through the bottom of Hells Canyon on the Snake River.

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