Great Trips... Made Better With Beer!
Salmon River Beer Float
August 25 - September 1, 2023
Departs every year in August
Spend a week in the Great Northwest, on the beautiful Salmon River. This unique trip features nightly beer dinners accompanied by classic beers from Belgium, Germany, Britain, the Czech Republic, North America and more. Known as "The River of No Return" by Lewis and Clark, and full of rolling rapids, the Main Salmon is one of the world's great rafting rivers. Large, sandy beaches, a canyon deeper than the Grand Canyon itself, varied and abundant wild-life, as well as varied side trips to historical and geographical places of interest make the Main Salmon the adventure of a lifetime. No phones, no work, no worries - just oars and paddles and the roar of rushing whitewater as you go places only accessible by river. Add great beer and food, and even great things get better.
Trip Price (Land-only, Based on double occupancy)
$3399 per person | Single Room add extra $685
Beer Highlights & Brewery Visits*
The Salmon River!
Discover the freedom of traveling by river. Enter the Salmon River Canyon where you move at the river's pace and leave the rest of the world behind.
Beer Dinners - featuring great beer recipes from around the world. You won't believe how good riverside cuisine can be.
Great Beer, Many Styles - from, Belgium, Britain, Germany, France, Holland, the Czech Republic and North America
Great Guides - entertaining and experienced, make sure you have a great trip
Comfortable Camping - adventure and the good life rolled into one. Sandy Beaches, few bugs, starry nights.
Hikes, Hot Springs, History - Living history and great excursions along the way, or just relax in a spectacular river canyon
Overnight Stays*
5 nights comfortable camping on pristine beaches, under an incredible night sky.
2 nights lodging in Missoula on 8/1 and 8/7 is not included.
Included Tours
Land Cost includes:
6 days and 5 nights guided rafting on the beautiful Salmon River, with great beer meals and specialty beers
All meals and great beer on the river.
Guided whitewater rafting and hiking from camp
All necessary river and safety equipment, Coast Guard approved life jackets, Helmets, Paddles, Dry bag for personal items (24"x 40" when sealed), Camping equipment-2 person dome tent, deluxe self-inflating sleeping pads, camp chair and coffee mug
Transportation to/from the river and Missoula, MT
Include Meals
All meals and great beer from lunch on the 10th until lunch on the 15th.
Arrival & Departure
Trip Begins & Ends in Missoula, Montana
Daily Itinerary*
Day 1
Arrive in Missoula, MT, Pre-Trip Meeting (6:00 PM)
Arrive Missoula no later than mid-afternoon. Pre-trip meeting at our office 912 E.Broadway 6pm. Tonights lodging is not included, see lodging information below.
Day 2
Leave Missoula, Get on the River
Depart from our office at 7:00am. Drive to Corn Creek Put-in via the scenic Bitterroot Valley & over Lost Trail Pass. Lunch is served along the way. We'll arrive at Corn Creek around noon. We will load the boats and personal gear and have a river safety briefing. we will start floating around 1:30.
Day 3-6
Rafting and Beer and Food and Hiking and Rafting and Beer and Food and Hot Springs and Beer and Fishing and Campfires
A typical day on the river (times vary from day to day):
6:30 - 8:00 -- wake up break camp
8:00 - 8:30 -- eat breakfast
9:00 -- hit the river
10:30 -- side hike, interest stop
12:30 -- lunch
1:30 -- rafting
3:30 - 4:30 -- arrive at camp, spend the evening relaxing, tasting great beer, and enjoying delicious riverside meals.
Day
Take-out, return to Missoula
Alas we must leave the river. Arrive at Take-out around 11am and have lunch while loading van. Drive back to Missoula via Riggins, Grangeville & Lochsa River. Arrive in Missoula around 6pm. Tonights lodging is not included, see lodging information below.
The Canyon
The Salmon River carves out the second deepest canyon in North America. During spring run-off this free flowing river deposits vast white sand beaches which make camp just as fun as the river!
Choose your craft on the river
Relax and watch for wildlife on an oar boat, paddle with a team on one of our self-bailing rafts, or jump in an inflatable kayak for a more adventurous ride.
The Crew at Lewis & Clark Trail Adventures
Our Salmon River guides have years of experience on whitewater rivers all over the North America, love the outdoors and to share their knowledge of the history, geology and wildlife of Salmon River country. We pride ourselves in our attention to detail in all aspects of your journey….. River and camp safety, teaching you river running and outdoor skills and our amazing camp cuisine. As you travel day to day with our crew you will feel more like part of the LCTA family and less like a guest. Most of all, we like to have fun and we'll do our best to make sure you do to!
All trips depart from Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures: Headquarters at 912 E. Broadway in Missoula, MT. Detailed instructions will be provided, hotels are close-by.
Travel Details, Air Options and Lodging in Missoula, MT
Air Travel to and from Missoula, MT -- Flying: Missoula Airport is served by Delta, United, and Alaskan Airlines. Basing your vacation in Missoula puts you in the adventure zone. Other destinations like the Lolo Trail, Lochsa River, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness are within a short drive from Missoula. Driving: Missoula is located in northwestern Montana at the crossroads of I-90, Hwy 93, and Hwy 200.
If you want to continue traveling west or south from the take-out near Riggins, ID, private vehicle shuttles can be arranged. Call for prices and reservations.
From the Airport to the hotel: Taxis and vans are available and meet arriving flights into Missoula's compact and convenient airport.
The trip begins at Lewis & Clark Trail Adventures in Missoula at 912 E. Broadway in Missoula, MT. Detailed instructions will be provided, hotels are close-by.
At the end of the river trip: We travel by bus from Riggins to Missoula, the trip takes about five hours, but we have a good time on the way.
Recommended Lodging In Missoula:
Goldsmiths B&B (Across the street from LCTA Headquarters)
www.goldsmithsinn.com 406-721-6732
Double Tree (Two Blocks from LCTA) 1-800-222-TREE
Holiday Inn Express (Two blocks east of LCTA. Offers discounts to LCTA clients) 406-549-7600
Weather and Camping
The weather is generally great this time of year with sunny afternoons and clear, cool nights. Afternoons can get a little hot, but you won't notice with the cool river always a splash away. Complete details will distributed before the trip.
You might be surprised by how comfortable the camping is. Each year, during its free-flowing spring runoff, pounds of white sand are deposited on the banks of the Salmon, making lots of clean sandy beaches. Evenings are spent swimming, hiking, eating and beer tasting, with campfires and a universe of stars above. The guides and crew are expert at making camp life easy, complete with a clean, sanitary, portable bathroom system.
Trip Deposit (per person)
$400.00
Number of person:
* The deposit is refundable less a $50 cancellation fee up to 60 days prior to departure. For cancellations made less than 60 days prior to departure, the full deposit will be forfeited. For cancellations made after final payment, refunds will be made (where possible) according to service contracts and supplier guidelines; these refunds will be based on recoverable expenses. See the full Terms and Conditions here.
TRAVEL DETAILS:
Air Travel is not included. Travelers are encouraged to use mileage awards, travel outside group dates, or visit other European cities while abroad to make the most out of the trip. Please confirm the trip's operation before purchasing air tickets.
Most Trips officially begin in the lobby of the first hotel. Meeting times, information about getting from the airport or train station to the hotel, the detailed itinerary, hotel addresses, and a trip roster will be included with your Final Trip Documents, which you'll receive 2 - 3 weeks before the trip.
How we travel on tour: All included excursions and visits include transportation. Within the cities, we rely on walking and private or public transportation (uber, taxis, busses, trams, etc.). Travel between cities is by private motor coach, luxury van, ferry, and/or rail.
REGARDING INCLUDED MEALS AND BEER:
We don't mess around when it comes to food and beer. Restaurants -- tried and true -- have been carefully selected, based on quality, local knowledge, and insider tips. On a Beer Trip, included meals mean you may order as you please - including beer, appetizers, dessert, etc. We are not stingy -- a lot of food and beer is included on every Beer Trip.
PLEASE NOTE:
A BeerTrips beer tour is best suited for somewhat adventurous, beer-loving travelers who want the camaraderie and structure of a tour, as well as the opportunity to explore independently. Planned events, brewery visits, locally guided tours, and some excursions are, of course, formally "guided". Travel days, on trains, public means, or the beer bus, as well some group walks, are blissfully unstructured, though travelers can always rely on the support and assistance of the trip leader.
THIS ITINERARY IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE:
In rare cases, it may be necessary to alter the itinerary based on brewery or hotel availability, force majeur, acts of dieties, common sense, or bad weather, etc. Smaller breweries, as well as the Trappists, are often unable to commit to hosting groups until a couple of weeks before we arrive. Substitutions, when necessary, will be as good as what we replaced. And, don't worry, the beer is always good!