The Salmon River originates in the Sawtooth and Lemhi Valleys of
central and eastern Idaho. Springs and snowmelt from the
Sawtooth and Salmon River mountains feed this wild river. The
river flows undammed along its 425-mile total length and drains
about 14,000 square miles within the borders of Idaho. It is the
longest free-flowing river in the lower 48 states. From
elevations above 8,000 feet, the Salmon cascades to an elevation
of 905 feet before it joins the Snake River in Hells Canyon,
near the Idaho/Oregon border. The Salmon River is historically
known as The River of No Return. For more than 105 years after
the first European Americans came to the area, only one-way
trips down the river were possible. The most commonly used boats
were wooden scows, designed to carry heavy loads and withstand
whitewater. They were then dismantled and used for lumber at the
trips' conclusion. It was from these trips that the Salmon's
nickname, "River of No Return," originated. Historically, wooden
rafts, swimming, cable c