Snake River Trip Details

Snake River Rafting Vacations offer a wonderful variety of attractions, from big roller coaster waves and beautiful side hikes to excellent fishing and interesting cultural sites. This page gives you logistical information on your trip, from where we start and end (note the difference between ending points for 3/4 day trips and 5/6 day trips) to the types of craft we use. If you still have answers after looking through this material, see our Common Questions page or contact us!

Logistics can be different depending on the length of your trip. The boxes below explain the variation on trip details between 3/4 day drips and 5/6 day trips.

Headquarters & Pre-Trip Meeting
Meet at the Frontier Motel about 8:00 p.m. the evening before the trip. During the meeting, we will discuss the trip, check out trip gear, and handle any last minute details.

Hunter's Inn also offers lodging in Cambridge. Hunter's Inn offers a mix of standard motel rooms and old fashioned hotel rooms, and is located 2 blocks from the Frontier Motel.

We recommend that you make reservations at the Frontier Motel or Hunter's Inn at the same time you reserve spaces on your river trip.

Getting to Cambridge
If you are driving, you can reach Cambridge, Idaho by taking Highway 95. Cambridge is 100 miles north and west of Boise, via Interstate 84 and Highway 95.

If you will not be driving your own car, you have three transportation options:

Option I: Arrive in Boise and rent a car at the Boise Airport. (Avis, Hertz, National, Budget, etc.)

Option II: Arrange for At Your Service to meet you at the Boise Airport and provide van service between Boise and Cambridge, before and after your trip. At Your Service - 800-250-5815. Their 2009 rate will be $175.00 for the van plus $15.00 per person. Yellow Cab also offers service between the Boise Airport and Cambridge. Their flat taxi rate for 2009 will be $225.00. You can also arrange for vans that carry up to 7 passengers for the same $225.00 rate. Yellow Cab - 208-345-5555.

Option III: Large groups can arrange charter bus transportation between Boise Airport and Cambridge, before and after your trip. Check with Hughes office for cost and details.

Leaving Lewiston/Clarkston (for 5 and 6 day trips only)
Lewiston/Clarkston is serviced by commercial bus and airlines, and has rental car service. Horizon Air (800-547-9308) offers flights from Lewiston/Clarkston to Boise. Check with Horizon Air for timing and frequency of flights. If you need to spend a night in Boise, we recommend the Vista Inn Best Western. 208-336-8100 or 800-727-5006. The Vista Inn provides free limousine service to and from the Boise Airport.

Another option is to fly or drive from Lewiston/Clarkston to Spokane, WA. Spokane has a major regional airport. Driving time is approximately 2 hours. Groups can arrange charter vans. Please check with our office for details.

Car Shuttle
If you elect to drive to Cambridge before the trip, plan to have your car shuttled to Clarkston to meet you at the end of the trip. Contact Frontier Motel (208-257-3851) to arrange your shuttle. Cost is approximately $165/vehicle + gas. Shuttle cost is not included in the trip price.

Fishing
If you are interested in fishing during your trip, be sure to check out our Fishing page, which has answers to your questions, as well as a link to a PDF that will tell you everything you need to know!

Raft Configuration and Group Size
Most Snake/Hells Canyon trips number a total of 24 people. (18 guests, 5 crew & 1 camp helper). A typical trip has 1 supply pontoon, 3 oar rafts, 1 paddle raft, and 3 inflatable kayaks (kayaks can be used as solo or tandem boats) -OR- 1 supply pontoon, 2 oar rafts, 2 paddle rafts, and 3 inflatable kayaks. Be sure to let us know the type of craft(s) you prefer. The Forest Service, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, limits our total number of rafts & kayaks per trip to a maximum of 8 craft.

Storing and Transporting Luggage That You Do Not Take On the River
You can arrange with Hughes and the Frontier Motel to have non-river luggage transported to meet you at the end of your trip.

Weather
Spring and Fall in Hells Canyon bring warm days, cool nights, and possible thundershowers. Daytime temperatures may range from 55-90 degrees. Summer is very warm. Daytime temperatures may range from 70-105 degrees.

Trip Insurance and Responsibility
We encourage the purchase of Trip Cancellation, Accident, and Baggage Insurance Policies. These policies cover cancellation, personal property, and personal injury. Many insurance companies offer such policies.

Hughes River Expeditions, Inc. spares nothing to assure that all trips we outfit are the safest and best outfitted expeditions available. Our safety record is excellent. However, river running is not without some risk, and you as a potential river runner must be willing to assume some risk. Hughes River Expeditions, Inc. assumes no responsibility whatsoever for your personal safety or for damage or loss of your equipment.

"Hughes River Expeditions, Inc. has the right to make schedule changes to 'alternate rivers' when necessary due to high water, low water, forest fires, log jams, debris flows, and other events. When you book a trip with HRE you agree to make such schedule changes when required by events beyond our control."