winding waters river expeditions & day tours

Our family of four (including daughter 14 and son 11) enjoyed and savored every bit of our Hell's Canyon three day rafting trip with Winding Waters. This family owned business does every aspect of its planning and execution in the best way one could imagine. Paul is simply outstanding as the leader of the organization and head guide. He's kind, patient, encouraging, great with kids, very flexible -- as well as extremely competent, level-headed and wise. The river, rapids and country were spectacular as anticipated. What elevated this experience to the highest levels was the care taken by Winding Waters in every one of its aspects, from setting up all of the equipment, to preparing superb food (way above expectations) to providing truly interesting and involving experiences in addition to the rafting itself. These included superb fishing (small mouth bass and trout), hikes to see rock paintings and an old cabin, swimming in the river, jumping of a HUGE boulder into the river, kayaking in the rapids... and then there was sleeping in tents or if you wished (as did my wife and I) under the stars. What more can I say... if you want to do a river raft trip with your family and friends, this is where to do it. And I'd love to come back for their fishing expeditions, and their music-themed river trips. Our never-ending thanks to Paul and the entire company.

From the time we considered a raft trip with Winding Rivers, our plans fell together seamlessly with the kindness and assistance of Paul and Penny. We arrived in Joseph a few days early, and stayed after, so we could tour the foundry and hike in the Wallowas, and take a dip in the lake. It is a beautiful part of the world, and Winding Rivers is professional and takes you off on a great adventure.

We had an amazing 6 day trip with WWRE in Hells Canyon in late July. Our family has used commercial outfitters for over 20 years on western US rivers and are huge fans of ARTA and AzRA. Since neither of those run Hells Canyon we had to look outside our comfort zone and we are extremely glad to have found WWRE to add to our list. They were every bit as uncompromising as the big guys in their standards for river and camp comfort, enjoyment and safety, but as a smaller outfitter they were able to be a lot more flexible in meeting the many different requirements of our group.The commitment the owners feel towards the river, their guests and their community comes across both in their website and in every aspect of the trip. The website is very informative and gives a really good flavor for what the company does and what it believes in. Pre-trip communications and planning assistance were excellent, and they provided a nice and useful overview of the Joseph/Enterprise area. The van drivers (often unsung heroes) to and from the river were great. Each of the guides was extremely knowledgeable not only about the water but also about the geologic and cultural history of the Canyon. The food was phenomenal (Best. Pineapple upside down cake. Ever.) and the commitment to using local food sources and then recycling leftovers into next year’s pork makes a difference. It was hard to leave leftovers, but next summer’s pork should be pretty tasty. Camp setups were great and there were plenty of in camp activities for folks. Fishing gear and a guitar supplied by the guides made both of our boys (12 and 14) very happy. We had people in our group from around the world and for differing trip lengths, and the guides really went out of their way to make sure everyone had a great trip. Trip pacing was good - days never seemed to start too early or end too late.Nothing really negative – it was initially hard for us to let someone else set up our camp but we got used to that pretty quick. If you wanted to pitch in and help in camp you were welcomed.All in all a fantastic trip and we highly recommend Winding Waters for any river trip.

We went on a 5-days Snake River/Hells Canyon adventure with WWRE (Robin, Todd and Morgan as our guides) and it was one of the most amazing vacations I’ve ever had. I’ve never camped outside longer than one night before and I was a bit worried about spending 4 nights in the wilderness – but it turned out to be absolutely amazing!If I had to pick three things that made the vacation unforgettable it would be: the nature, the food and our guides. The views of Hells Canyon are unbelievable. Combination of adrenaline rush of going through rapids and serenity of floating in a kayak through one of the most magnificent nature sites out there – you just have to experience it for yourself. No cell service, no internet, just basic human interaction was a very refreshing experience. You can listen to and actually hear your friends, your partner, your kids. Maybe for the first time in years…  It felt amazing.The food that was served on the trip was extra-ordinary. And you can trust me on that – I am the pickiest eater out there. The company definitely does not cut any corners with the quality of their food. The freshness, taste and quality were outstanding. Half of the stuff was home-made, as in smoked ham, cheeses, pickles, etc. Wonderful Robin actually baked cakes and brownies for us, right on the river bank. And when she pulled out a jug of cold milk to go with the freshly-baked brownies I was about to cry – it was so sweet and touching. I could go on and on about their food – I miss it every day And finally – our guides. The most fun, cool, attentive and caring folks you’d ever meet. It’s a very demanding job, mentally and physically, and yet all three of the guides were extremely accommodating and had the best attitude in all hours of the day. It was absolute pleasure to get to know them, chat with them and to simply observe them do their job. You could tell that they are very knowledgeable and experienced at what they do. This being a pretty active adventure– it’s important to have the guides whose judgment you can trust, someone who can give you good advice and keep you safe and happy. And that’s exactly how we felt about Morgan, Robin and Todd. They helped us have a fun and safe river experience and we are all very grateful for that.All in all – we had an amazing time on the Snake River trip with this outfitter and would turn around and do it again any day. We can wholeheartedly recommend WWRE. They are the best.

We went on the 4-day Snake River trip which included musicians and was led by Morgan. Todd and Jared manned the gear boat and did a wonderful job of setting up and breaking down camp each day. We benefited from Jared's knowledge of fishing when he caught a sturgeon during our first night out! Kai, Robin and Morgan did a masterful job of getting us down the river safely, sharing information about the geology and inhabitants of the area and pointing out wildlife as we floated by. We were so impressed by the attentiveness and knowledge of the Winding Waters crew. "Magical Moments" came when the musicians played and sang their songs (most of which were written by them!) during evenings and often during our lunch breaks. Especially memorable was a session on the porch of an old homestead and in a depression which was an ancient Indian home. For us, this was a trip that we will always treasure. John and Valda Lundblade

In the middle of July I went on a 4-day trip on de Lower Salmon with Winding Waters. I'm Dutch and I've seen many places, but this was one of the most impressive experiences I have had in a long time. In the daytime we had plenty of options to choose what we wanted to do: SUPping and training your thigh muscles, paddling duckies and enjoying the beautiful surrounding of the Hells Canyon or staying on the big rafts and having interesting conversations with the guides that knew everything about the nature and it's genesis of the landscape. After a lovely day on the river we arrived around 4 at the campsite: a well picked white beach. Over there the guides pampered us with ice-cold drinks and appetizers, and in the evening an sumptuous dinner. They made the whole trip extra special, because of their urge to make everything perfect. Well they totally accomplished that, I'll always remember this trip!

These folks are great! The Grand Ronde is a gorgeous river -- and the drive to get there is wonderfully pretty, too. The guides were very friendly and fun to talk with. I learned a lot from my guide who is a science teacher during the school year. He knew a ton about the geology and birds. Excellent food for a float trip, too!

This is what I posted to Yelp after our first trip, and it remained completely accurate after our second. We love these guys and can't wait to leave on Sunday with 16 students for trip #3 - many students have chosen to return with us every year!We got home late last night from a five day trip down the Lower Salmon with Paul and Craig (and Todd and Celia) from Winding Waters. There were 15 people in our group and 12 of them were students between the ages of 11 and 16....it could have been a really challenging trip. I don't think a single thing was less than perfect. Paul and Craig are unfailingly warm, kind, knowledgeable, and organized. I've been around a great many whitewater guides and this is who you want planning and executing your trip. Every day was filled with river fun, cozy beach camps, and we were *remarkably* well fed. I won't recount every moment of how great it was, so message me if you'd like more detail. We started planning next year's trip the very first day on the river with them. They are the kind of people you feel lucky to have met, and we can't wait to see them again.

WWRE did a great job setting up and carrying out our one day trip from Troy to Boggans. It was a great time with excellent food and a pleasant and knowledgeable guide.

Our group of ten had a blast floating The Snake for three days, two nights., June 2-4. Everything from start to finish was seamless. The river itself is indescribable - beyond stunning. The guides and crew, Morgan, Robin, Todd and Emma were fun-loving, responsible, knowledgeable, hard working and great foodies. They provided a chill atmosphere while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and safety. The rafts were brand new, the kayaks and paddle board were great quality. The water guns' extravaganza was ridiculously fun and perfectly timed. Those rapids were a blast- check out Winding Rivers The Green Room on youtube- so, so fun!Camp sites were gorgeous. Each meal was varied and delicious - the staff went to great lengths to satisfy all. I highly recommend Winding river, you won't be disappointed. They are simply The Best!

Just returned from a four night /five day trip down the Salmon and Snake Rivers with Paul and John from Winding Waters. While the fishing was slow, the service and food was some of the best I have experienced on a guided trip. From selecting sites, to setting up camp and preparing great meals as well as camp set ups, this operation was great. Highly recommended

We loved the Winding Waters River folks ~ we had nothing but fun and they really know how to make sure that everyone is comfortable, well-fed and mostly having a blast in the water. We all felt safe and their daily routines were never rushed and we never felt like we were missing anything. We would recommend these guys HIGHLY and probably will come by with a different crowd to do it all again!

We just returned from a 3-day 2-night rafting trip with our family of five (children ages 7, 9, and 11). We tend to be picky travelers but I can honestly say there was not one improvement suggestion that I could make. Everything was perfect, including the food, planning, the guides...everything. We rarely take vacations that are 100% relaxing but this was exactly that. Paul, Morgan & co. were phenomenal across the board, fantastic with our kids, and great all around guides. The pre-trip planning was very well thought out and seamless. We will definitely be going again, and are in the process of talking all our friends into it as well. The one change we will make is to go for longer. 2 nights just doesn't cut it!

We took our 8 year old on his first ever river trip and so we wanted something easy - not much white water, more of a float, and that is what we got. Penny brought her daughter along which was perfect - my son and her daughter had a blast together. The river was spectacular, the trip to the put in and take out was long but the views were great and the drivers friendly. We had a variety of boats & kayaks to choose from. My husband, who is more adventuresome, was in a kayak all day. My son and I stayed in a boat. They set up lunch and it was yummy. The river is beautiful, the land stark. We saw birds and even a bear at the river's edge! I know they do lots of longer trips and serious white water trips as well. I think they can tailor for your needs. And the place is specacular.

Just finished my 3rd river rafting trip with this company. This one was with 3 generations of our family and everyone had a ball. The kayaks and water guns make it fun all day long. Paul and his staff take such good care of us that we will keep coming back.