Hells Canyon Jet boat tours, Idaho

[Retired_02]

We are visiting the Coeur d'Alene ID area in August and would like to do a jet boat tour into Hells Canyon on the Snake River. If anyone has done this trip can you give us any recommendations as to what company to use, or to avoid? Was the trip worthwhile as far as scenery, etc. Any info would be great, thanks.

[Us_out_West]

We visited Hells Canyon, about a 2 hour drive (just the truck) from our base at Mt. View RV Park in Baker, and took a fantastic Jet Boat Tour ride on the Snake River. Hells Canyon Adventures jet boats are located at the base of the dam.



You'll see how much we enjoyed by viewing the photos in our Trip Journal entry for Baker City.

Link.

[tvfrfireman]

I grew up in Clarkston Washington, right across the river from Lewiston Idaho. It is only about 115 miles to Lewiston from CDI if you come down through Moscow Idaho. As far as a place to stay. Granite Lake RV park in Clarkston is very nice. We stay there when returning to class reunions. You can walk to Costco and Walmart from the RV park. The park is right on the river and bike path that runs for miles along the Snake River. I may be mistaken but I thought the jet boats loaded just down stream from Granite Lake RV park. You can call the Jet Boat companies and find out. I wouldn't do any of this without a reservation.

[Supercharged]

Did it from the south, waist of money. They would stop and show us a rock and talk for a long time then to the next weed or rock. Paid to much went to little.

[2gypsies1]

x3 on Hells Gate State Park. We did not enjoy our boat ride. As stated in another post, we weren't told it was going to be an amusement park ride. We had a young kid driving and he took pleasure in doing 'S' curves constantly. It actually made me motion sick. We finally asked him to stop which fortunately, he did. If they advertised a calm ride, we would have enjoyed it.

Keep in mind that in August it will be very hot but the boats have a cover over them. I mention this in helping you to choose a shaded place to park your RV and Hells Gate State Park has plenty of shade.

[jamesu]

accsys wrote:
Can't add to what has been said already but you will also fund that Hell's Gate State Park near Lewiston an ideal place to stay for a couple of days rather than commute from Coeur d'Alene if you can fit it in.

I concur. Lewiston is where you rent these excursions, and Hells Gate SP is a beautiful park for camping. Coeur d'Alene is a long way from Hells Canyon.

[accsys]

Can't add to what has been said already but you will also fund that Hell's Gate State Park near Lewiston an ideal place to stay for a couple of days rather than commute from Coeur d'Alene if you can fit it in.

[ScottG]

Be warned that there are basically two types of "tours". One is a leisurely tour up the River and the other is a fast boat that spins around, beats you up, gets you wet and is basically like a long roller coaster ride.
Both are fun depending on what you like.

[enblethen]

Several different ones.
We went with the smaller boats from Snake River adventures. Snake River adventures
Snake Dancer was our second choice. Snake Dancer