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Middle Fork Salmon
 The Middle Fork is proof that people were meant to take river trips. . . .
One hundred miles of pristine river blessed with clear water, dreamy hot springs, tumbling side streams, fine fishing, and excellent rapids make the Middle Fork the classic mountain river.
Starting out as a creek-like stream in a heavily forested canyon, the Middle Fork grows into a full-fledged river as it pounds its way through the sheer, rock-walled Impassable Canyon. Along the way there are vistas of breathtaking variety, sidestreams beckoning to be explored, campsites protected by majestic pines and rapids that change throughout the season and provide plenty of excitement. The water is gin-clear and the fly-fishing for native cutthroats is superb. There may not be a better river trip on this planet.
Our 6 day Middle Fork Salmon trips begin in the quaint Rocky Mountain hamlet of Stanley, Idaho and end in the rugged cowboy town of Salmon, Idaho.
"The only complaint is that the trip ended too soon."
Teresa Burns Gunther
"My husband and I recently returned from an ARTA trip on the Middle Fork. We were with two children and five grandchildren. The trip was a 50th wedding anniversary present from our children. We had a wonderful time. It was perfectly organized. The guides were knowledgeable about the history, flora, fauna and geology of the area. They were aware of us at all times; life jackets buckled, helmets on properly, swimming safely. Their skill in navigating the river and rapids was extraordinary. I never felt a moment of fear. On top of all this, they were great cooks, always cheerful and entertaining. Their perfect organization was almost unbelievable. I will always recommend ARTA to anyone. Thanks for a marvelous experience."
Juliet Gerlin
ARTA GUIDE
THAD STAVN
 Thad is from Minot, North Dakota; ask him something about the weather and he’ll tell you about frozen lakes, 80 mph winds and 50 below zero. He is a lifelong outdoorsman; ask him something about his favorite place and he’ll go on and on about peaks and valleys, rivers and canyons, creeks and chasms. He is an expert climber; ask him about mountains and he’ll mesmerize you with tales of the Tetons and briefs from the Beartooths. He loves to ski; ask him about snow and he’ll enthrall you with stories of Alaska and airplanes and avalanches. He is an obsessive angler; ask him something about fish and he’ll toss you a beer and lie to you for hours about hatches and patterns, spring creeks and secret waters, 24-inch cut-bows and two-pound browns. He is blond-haired, blue-eyed and 100 percent Scandinavian; ask him something about himself and he’ll stare at his shoes.
Meet more of our guides...
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For Left Brained People:
In one word: Dynamic
In another word: Hotsprings!
Expect to: Unwind
Meeting Place: Stanley, ID
Length in days: 6
Length in miles:100
Gradient: 27 feet/mile
Overall difficulty: IV-
Highest difficulty (#): IV (6)
Rapids/day: ~ 20
Signature Rapid: Impassible  Canyon
Types of boats: Oar, paddle and inflatable kayak
Hiking: A
Scenery: A
Wilderness: A
Fishing: A+
Campsites: A
Wildlife: A
Swimming: B
There is so much to do on a Middle Fork trip that you may need to go more than once, and a lot of people do; (and, because it is a free-flowing river with dramatic changes in flow between June and August, those who do return feel like it is a different place). Where do we begin? The whitewater is amazing, not just in difficulty but also in consistency and constancy: the whole river is like a continuous, frolicking riffle interrupted by a couple of noteworthy pulse-quickeners every day; an uncommon arrangement thanks to some unique geology, (the river flows due north). The water itself is stunning, “gin-clear” is the expression a lot of people use but it seems inadequate. Let’s just say you can see fish swimming around at the bottom of 20 foot deep pools. Lots of fish, in fact, which is why the Middle Fork is world-renowned for its fly-fishing; beginner or expert you will be spoiled. The scenery has something for everyone; dense forests to start, dramatic cliffs to end, photogenic views all along. Then there are enchanting side streams, fascinating Indian rock art, abandoned homesteads, easy trails and a spectacular waterfall on day 5 that almost tops all the other attractions. And hotsprings! In one day you can run a legitimate Class IV rapid, visit 800 year old pictographs, hike up a pristine side stream, soak in a hotsprings, see a bighorn sheep and catch an 18-inch cutthroat trout on a dry fly; (and some people have done the last three at the same time).
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