hells canyon adventures

The jet boat tour was just right for kids and the elderly. Not to big of rapids. We saw a black bear, mountain sheep, an eagle and got to watch someone reel in a big fish. Beautiful scenery. The drive there is long and the roads are windy, but still worth the trip.

Took my husband on a surprise trip to do the Hell's Canyon Adventure jet boat ride. It was a long drive from home, but worth it. He was really surprised. The captain and crew were very capable. Did the 6 hour Kirkwood adventure. The rapids were neat, and we felt safe. Got to see a small black bear, 4 beautiful bighorn sheep, and watched some anglers reel in a huge (5-6 ft. long) sturgeon. Weather was perfect. We also stayed at the Hell's Canyon Adventures lodge and had a nice quiet evening there. It was way out of the way, and was only a half hour drive to the boat dock. It was worth the time to get there.

The tour we took was to just past wild sheep rapids. It was a free upgrade for us. Not sure why. However we truly should have bit the bullet and paid for the longest trip. We just didn't get enough rapids! Think this is a good tour for folks with kids. The guide was knowledgeable and kind. The fault was ours not theirs as we booked the wrong tour. If you go, go for the gusto! Beautiful area!

My husband and I did the Kirkwood tour with our two kids (8 & 10) and loved it. Such a beautiful place and a wonderful way to see Hells Canyon. Had a delicious spread for lunch and as a super hot day (104 per our car upon return) the captain did an extra stop for us to jump in the river. We felt safe and in good hands the entire time. Would recommend.

We took the 4 hr. Kirkwood Ranch Jet Boat Tour. Our reservations were handled with care. The captain was very capable and we felt at ease under his command. The tour was also educational, outlining the history of the homesteads on the river and statistics of the canyon and Snake River itself. Being on the river is the only way to grasp the enormity and beauty of the canyon fully.

I had the pleasure of staying, with a visiting friend, at the Hells Canyon Adventures Lodge for two nights in late May, 2014. We also took the "Kirkwood" jet-boat tour from the same firm. The lodge was plain on the outside but totally comfortable, spacious, and clean on the inside, with great made-to-order breakfasts expertly prepared by Marla, our hostess at the Lodge. The rooms are bunk-style, so be prepared, but it just so happened that we had the lodge to ourselves on the nights we stayed. We were very happy with the accommodations, and would definitely stay there again! The jet-boat tour was a thrill that has to be experienced to be believed - it was amazing! Our Captain was Mark (senior) and his son Mark (junior) is also a great Captain on the tours. Everyone we met with Hells Canyon Adventures was just super, and they all take their responsibilities toward safety and customer satisfaction as top priorities. Special thanks to both Marks (junior and senior), Marla, Brandie, and also to Mike Bell, another great jet-boat Captain. Your firm, your people, and your Adventures are the best of the best in Hells Canyon. Thanks to all and we will definitely be back!

This review covers my extensive web search and experience with Hells Canyon Adventures via emails. After many hours of researching various options for a jet boat tour in Hells Canyon, I settled on Hells Canyon Adventures. Since I was searching "Idaho" websites, it took some reading to realize we could reach the departure point going through Oregon. And, Hells Canyon Adventures offered an afternoon trip, giving us time to travel several hours on the day of our trip. Brandie was extremely helpful as we exchanged numerous emails. She provided recommendations for tent camping. Brandie forewarned of road construction on our route. Every question I asked, she promptly and courteously answered. Unfortunately, a group has Hells Canyon Adventures booked the afternoon we'll be passing through.

This is an update from my review dated Aug. 8,2013. I did receive a letter from Brandie L. acknowledging a need to more accurately represent advertising of their tours. May see some changes in the future? She also generously offered to, "make it right" on a future tour with Hell's Canyon Adventures...apology accepted. Thank you Brandie!

In June 2013 we had the pleasure of experiencing Hell's Canyon with a two hour jet boat trip through the canyon on the Snake River. The rugged beauty of the canyon was fascinating. Our boat captain was very informative providing information on the geology of the canyon and early Indian inhabitants. He also shared stories of white inhabitants complete with a murder mystery. We made a suggestion to the owners that a sign might be added when you arrive at the dam. You have to drive across the dam to the other side of the river to board the boat. My husband was hesitant to do this which resulted in a delay for our tour. The owners were most gracious and accommodating of our mistake. Thank you Hell's Canyon Adventures for being an exciting part of our Oregon adventure.

We took the overnight trip from the put-in below Hell's Canyon Dam 110 miles downstream to Lewiston, ID, and then back again the next day. The boat proved itself river-worthy and is the only way to venture upstream through the rapids. The majority of the trip was scenic and fun. We saw much wildlife including mountain sheep, river otter, turkey, heron, chuckar, grouse, and more. The historical sites were interesting. We counted the trip as one of our favorites.

Mark and I (Brandie) appreciate Douglas' review of our Granite Creek Adventure. He seemed to enjoy all aspects of the trip other than the fact that we didn't stop at pictogrpahs as our brochure states. On July 26 when Douglas took the Afternoon Granite Creek Tour the temperatures in the canyon were between 104-110. Mark, the Captain of the trip, made the decision to not hike to the site because of the extreme heat and inserted a swimming stop instead. Our Captains will always choose comfort and safety for our customers first. After our season is over our company is going to discuss how to better advertise the adventures we offer.Doug also mentioned that our office did not contact him back after he called and spoke with me. I spoke with Doug on July 31. I mentioned to him that I wanted to visit with Mark and that I would contact him again. After I visited with Mark, I wrote Doug a letter. The letter was mailed on August 1. I wanted him to have my opinion of the situation in writing so that there was no miscommunication. I believe that my letter addressed his concerns.

THANK YOU! We so appreciate your feedback! Glad you enjoyed the lunch. It's good to know that the small little things get noticed and are appreciated!

So glad you included Hells Canyon on your bucket list and then allowed us to share a day with you in Hells Canyon. You obviously love it as much as we do! Thanks for sharing! Word of mouth keeps us in business!

We booked the Granite Creek jet boat tour over Memorial Weekend. The tour is 2 hours long, departed at 2:00 pm from the bottom of the Hell Canyon Dam. The reservation process was very easy. Detailed information was sent to us via mail, with the exact directions to the launch area. Follow their direction and allow plenty of time. The drive from Baker City is long on canyon roads, not freeway driving.Our group was small, consisted of 4 people, so we took off in the smaller boat. It had plenty of power for the rapids we went through. We went up to the dam then made our way through the canyon. Our captain explained along the way, always mindful of the motor noise. He was very knowledgeable, humorous, and very skillful at navigating through the rapids. Due to the smaller group, everything was very lay back and easy going. We never felt rushed or "just another tour another day down the canyon"We tied off near the trail that led us to some Indian pitcographs. Wear sturdy shoes for good footing, as part of the trail is rocky with loose gravel/dirt. There were a group of rafters that negotiated the nearby rapids that day, we took the time to watch them get challenged by the rapids. We also saw a bald eagle soaring through the air, that was a treat. No bear or deer sighting on this trip.The weather was quite sunny, the beauty of this area is indescribable. This is a "must-do". We ended up returning after 2,5 hours. We felt this is the right amount of time, anything longer than this may feel like a long long boat ride. There were no food on this excursion, it wasn't needed, but if you wanted, packing a snack would be good. They did offer cold water at the end of the hike.Cost at this time was $80 pp, and you do sign your life away.

Truly an unbelievable adventure! We took the Overnighter trip down to Clarkston, 120 miles one way and back again. Went through class 3, 4 and 5 rapids. Stayed at the Red Lion Hotel in Lewiston over night before our return trip back home. They fed us really well...great lunches. We saw all kinds of local animals; Mule Deer, Golden Eagles, Black bears, Big Horn Sheep. Visited famous landmarks, saw pictographs. There was so much to take in that it was almost an overload of excitement and adventure. We had a professional photographer on board with us during the entire trip and she took 1,100 photos. Our captain, Mark was an expert on all the local info and history. He was laid back and funny...he knew exactly how to work the rapids. I would highly recommend this trip, but only for older teenagers and adults. It's a very long, long boat ride... We would consider doing this trip again. Really Kool!