Why It’s Called the Salmon River

The story begins long ago, during a time that cannot be remembered—only recorded. An ancient civilization once inhabited the Salmon River lands. The Nez Perce are a descendant group of this civilization, which considered the Salmon River sacred ground, a terrain abundant in a rich food source: fish.

Thanks to the plentiful steelhead and salmon in the river, this ancient tribe was able to survive on the land and settle along the river generation after generation. It’s obvious in name alone: the Salmon River is based on this recorded history of the life existing within it.

The River of No Return

The river’s recorded story begins in the early 1800s. The famous explorers of the early U.S., Lewis and Clark, came across the foaming and roaring waters of the Salmon River in 1805. Fur trappers came along soon afterward, and then the Gold Rush began. Gold was discovered in the Salmon River in the 1860s, bringing on an era of mining, expedition, and further discovery.

Few towns were built along the river, and diverging sections of the river became known for different purposes. Men used its waters to transport lumber, but due to hardy rapids and the slew of twists and turns, they couldn’t return to their point of origin. This section of the Salmon River was hence nicknamed “the River of No Return.”

Discovering a Place in the World

The Salmon River in Idaho has a wide multitude of assets. We know fish to be one, which is why it’s called the Salmon River. We also know its wild rapids are forces of nature to behold and explore. But beyond the exhilaration of the white waters, there’s also peace and tranquility in this free and wild country.

Based on its own history, this area is rudimentary, an almost untouched place of untamed nature that offers a glimpse of the great Northwest as it was before exploration. When the waters are calm and smooth as glass, nature reflects in them with stunning transparency. The Salmon River in Idaho is one of the best places in the country for a person to find a place where they belong, if only for a day. So why not take a tour?

Salmon River Fishing Trips

The Salmon River is a wild and scenic river that’s a spectacular sight to see, perfect for a variety of enjoyable outdoor activities. Related to its very name, the Salmon River is a prime locale for salmon fishing. As an inland river, the Salmon River defies the laws of nature and science. Salmon are an incredible species born in fresh water that then travels out to live in the salt water of the oceans and return to the river to reproduce. The salmon travel from the Pacific Ocean, up to the Columbia River, and into the Salmon River.

For fishing the Salmon River in Idaho, River Adventures offers guided fishing trips to catch chinook salmon. Guided expertly through the scenic waterway , these fishing trips on the Salmon River are once-in-a-lifetime experiences.