Snake River (Hell's Canyon)

America Outdoors outfitters offer amazing whitewater rafting, paddle boating, hiking, fishing, camping, scenic floating, team-building, jet boating tours, family trips, lodging, kayak trips (inflatable and whitewater) on the Snake Wild and Scenic River in Hell's Canyon.

Hells Canyon, North America's deepest river gorge, encompasses a vast and remote region with dramatic changes in elevation, terrain, climate and vegetation. Carved by the great Snake River, Hells Canyon plunges more than a mile below Oregon's west rim, and 8,000 feet below snowcapped He Devil Peak of Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains. There are no roads across Hells Canyon's 10-mile wide expanse, and only three roads that lead to the Snake River between Hells Canyon Dam and the Oregon-Washington boundary.

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (HCNRA) straddles the Snake River, forming the boundary between Idaho and Oregon. The 652,488-acre recreation area was created by an act of Congress in 1975. Although the HCNRA includes portions of the Nez Perce, Payette, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests, it is managed by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The Hells Canyon Wilderness comprises nearly 215,000 acres within the HCNRA.

About 67.5 miles of the Snake River in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area were designated in 1975 as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Here, the river is managed to preserve its free-flowing character and unique environment while providing for continued public use. The outstanding remarkable values for which the river was designated include: scenic, recreation, geologic, wildlife, fisheries, and cultural resources (historic & prehistoric).

The 31.5-mile section of the river between Hells Canyon Dam and Upper Pittsburg Landing is designated wild under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This act defines wild as "free of impoundments and generally accessible only by trail" representing "vestiges of primitive America." The 36-mile section of river downstream from Upper Pittsburg Landing to mile 180.2 is designated scenic, which is defined as "free of impoundments with shorelines and watersheds still largely primitive, and shorelines largely undeveloped, but accessible in places by roads." An additional 4.2 miles of the river from mile 180.2 north to the HCNRA boundary at the Oregon-Washington line is recommended for scenic designation.

The Wild and Scenic Snake River corridor extends approximately one-quarter mile back from the high water mark on each shore. The river corridor itself is not wilderness and wilderness regulations do not apply. Developed campsites and human-made structures exist, and some motorized equipment is allowed. Some areas on either side of the corridor, however, are designated wilderness, and are closed to all mechanized travel. If you want to visit the wilderness it must be on foot or horseback.

Although uncommon on most wild and scenic rivers, powerboats have been used on the Snake River in Hells Canyon for many years and Congress included specific language in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area Act which allows their continued use.

Hells Canyon of the Snake River

The mighty Snake River winds its way through Hells Canyon, the deepest river-carved gorge in North America. At the mouth of Granite Creek, approximately seven miles downstream from  Hells Canyon Dam, the river elevation is 1,480 feet. The canyon depth here is 7,913 feet when measured from He Devil Mountain, towering over Idaho's Seven Devils range at 9,393 feet. Above Rush Creek Rapids, Hat Point Lookout offers a spectacular view of the canyon from 6,982 feet, the highest point on the Oregon rim.

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area has 925 miles of trails, which provide outstanding opportunities for hunting, fishing, backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking, photography and many other recreational pursuits. The Snake River National Recreation Trail extends 30 miles from Pittsburg Landing to Butler Bar on the Idaho side of the Snake River. On the Oregon side, the Snake River Trail (Trail #1726) parallels the river from Dug Bar to Battle Creek, 45.5 miles. Both trails offer several loop possibilities on side trails leading up to the higher elevation bench and summit trails. Only about 12% of the National Recreation Area is accessible by roads.

Rapid Classes in Hell's Canyon:

Rapid	Low Flow	High Flow
Wild Sheep	IV	V
Granite Creek	IV	V
Lower Bernard Cr	IV	III
Waterspout	IV	III
Rush Creek	III	IV
Imnaha	III	III
Wild Goose	II	III