Lodge to Lodge Dory Adventures on the Main Salmon
We are the only company to offer Hand-Made wooden Dory trips on the Main Salmon from Lodge to Lodge. That means you can have the elegance of riding in a classy wood dory by day and have the luxury of a bed and shower in the evening. We do not bring any rubber rafts on these trips and we pride ourselves on having made these wooden dories by hand in Stanley, where we are based. They are amazing boats and the Main Salmon river is a perfect river to use them as it has enough water that hitting rocks is minimized. We offer 4 day trips, but can do as little as 2-3 days if you charter a trip. Please call for pricing on the 2-3 day trips. 4 day trips are $1500. On the 4 day trip, we fly you back to Salmon or Boise from Mackay Bar Ranch. On the 2-4 day trips, we jet boat you back to the put-in at Corn Creek. Accommodations are clean yet rustic. The lodges provide dinner and breakfast for you and we always supplement with fine wine and hor’dourves before dinner. Lunches are either sack lunch provided by the lodge or doen riverside by the guides. Below is a list of lodges we use on these trips.
River of No Return Lodge – Built in the mid-1980s, the River of No Return Lodge is located 18 miles below Corn creek on the Main Salmon River at Smith Gulch. The lodge offers accommodations to guests participating in various activities on the river including steelhead fishing, rafting, and hunting. Each cabin has a shower in the bathroom and the rooms have comfortable beds (no bunks). Propane heaters keep the cabins warm and cozy. The lodge does not have electricity—light is supplied by propane lamps, so be prepared to have a flashlight handy at night when the lights go out. The main lodge is very spacious and comfortable with large sectional couches and books on history to enjoy while relaxing. The dining area is very rustic with a large dining table that seats sixteen guests and a smaller round table that seats eight—great for cards after dinner! Also located at the lodge is the historically registered Blacky Foster Cabin. Built in the mid 1900s this cabin is also known as the Johnny Briggs cabin and was lived in year-round for hunting, trapping, fishing, and mining.
Whitewater Ranch – Located 21 miles downstream from River of No Return Lodge, Whitewater Ranch on Little Mallard Creek was homesteaded in the early 1900s by Eugene Churchill. The ranch has a turn of the century Pelton wheel hydroelectric plant, which generates power for the facility. In some very dry years, Little Mallard Creek may not supply sufficient water to operate the plant, but we normally expect to have electricity when we stay here. There is a dining lodge with several rooms and a bath on the second level. Two modern cabins with two sleeping rooms and a shared bath in each cabin are part of the accommodations. The original two-story homestead cabin is also available for guests. Guests of the same gender can expect to share rooms in separate beds.
China Bar Lodge – This lodge is located on China Bar at the mouth of beautiful Lemhi Creek. It is clean and rustic with a “tree house” feel about it. Delicious family style meals are served in the main lodge or on the deck overlooking the Salmon River. The lodge does not have inside flush toilets for environmental reasons.Bathroom facilities are outhouses. There is a shower in each cabin and a porta potty for use indoorsduring the night. There are two cabins, each with two bedrooms, which accommodate four guests on cot – style beds with comfy foam pads, sleeping bags, and liners. The living area in each cabin alsoaccommodates guests, although according to owner Mike McLean, many folks elect to take their cotsoutside to sleep under the stars.
Mackay Bar Lodge – This ranch is near the mouth of the South Fork River on the Main Salmon. Mackay Bar Ranch has some of the most modern facilities in the canyon. Electricity is provided by hydroelectric with a back-up propane generator. Couples can expect a private room with private bath. Large groups with single participants may expect to share a room with same-gender companions. There is a main lodge for dining and relaxation. Facilities range from motel-type rooms with private baths to cabins with a queen bed and three singles. All have private baths.
