Selway River

The Selway River begins its journey high in the Bitterroot Mountains near the Idaho-Montana border. Heading north into the rugged Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area, the river travels through isolated and primitive country before its confluence with the Lochsa River near Lowell. Our trips cover 47 miles between Paradise Guard Station and Selway Falls in the heart of the Wilderness Area, offering a wilderness river experience with few equals.

The Selway is a steep, free-flowing river in a geographically compact drainage basin and has a wide range of flows. Rapids vary from long, technical rock gardens to large, crashing wave trains. The nine mile stretch of nearly continuous rapids below the confluence with Moose Creek earns the river its deserved reputation as one of the best whitewater runs in the United States. Between rapids, the river flows though quiet pools and stretches of crystal clear water over a mosaic of colorful rocks.

Whitewater, however, is only one of the many appealing features of the trip. We will have time to hike, fish, swim, and enjoy the many fascinating natural elements of the canyon. The Selway was one of the original rivers to be protected in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and the Forest Service manages it in a highly primitive condition. Only one group, with a maximum of 16 people, is allowed to launch each day. Few people are able to float this wild and primitive stretch of river, and we come away from each trip with a new appreciation for this wonderful remnant of primitive America.

Our Selway trips are operated under a Special Use Permit on the Bitterroot and Nez Perce Clearwater National Forests and we are an equal opportunity service provider and employer.