Jackson Hole: Snake River Rafting Class II-III with 12-Person Max

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/17

Duration3h–4h

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Paddle the Snake River Canyon with Space to Move

You drive to the Snake River, paddle or hold on through Class II-III rapids with a guide and eleven others, swim in calm sections, and change into dry clothes at the take-out before the shuttle back. The 12-person limit means you're not fighting for space, and the whole experience takes about four hours from office to office.

3h–4h

Step-by-step itinerary

Snake River rafting adventure

Arrive at office 30 minutes early
Check in and sign waivers
Rent river shoes or wetsuits
Board bus for 30-minute drive
Meet guide and safety orientation
Gear up with life jackets
Launch on 8-mile Snake River trip
Navigate Class II and III rapids
Enjoy calm stretches and swimming
Change into dry clothes at take-out
Bus ride back to office
Shop souvenirs and view photos
Leave gratuity for guide

The Experience

The bus pulls away from the office at 180 Powderhorn Ln and winds through Jackson for thirty minutes before the canyon opens up and the sound of water gets louder. You're heading to the Snake River launch with eleven other people maximum — not sixteen crammed into a standard raft, but twelve, which means your paddle stroke has room and your guide can actually see you. Lewis & Clark has been running this stretch since 1971, and the difference between a crowded boat and a managed one becomes obvious the moment you hit Big Kahuna, the first Class II rapid that sets the tone for the day.

Once you're geared up with a life vest and splash jacket (free for everyone), your guide takes the center oar frame and gives you the choice: paddle assist or hold on and watch the canyon walls rise around you. The 8-mile run mixes real whitewater — Lunch Counter and Champagne rapids come fast — with calm stretches where you can actually swim if the water's warm enough, or just float and look up at the rock. The self-bailing rafts are stable enough that families and first-timers don't feel like they're about to flip, but they still move fast enough that you feel the river doing the work. By the time you reach Sheep Gulch at the take-out, you're wet, tired, and there are changing rooms waiting right there so you're not sitting in damp clothes for the ride back.

The whole day runs about four hours from check-in to when you're back at the office. You arrive thirty minutes early to sign waivers and rent wetsuits if it's cold (free for kids twelve and under), then the bus takes you back after the raft. There's a three-dollar Bridger-Teton National Forest fee per person sixteen and older that you pay at check-in, and if you want to see the action photos a guide took during the run, you can get information on how to access those before you leave. Free parking at the office, and the schedule runs rain or shine — whitewater is a wet sport anyway, so a little rain just adds to it.

What’s included

Round-trip transportation from the office to the river launch and back.
professional guide.
life vest and splash jacket.
wetsuits free for children 12 and under.
changing rooms at the take-out.
free parking at the office.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Lewis and Clark River Expeditions

Is this one for you?Right for families and first-timers who want real whitewater without the intensity of a smaller boat, and who value having room to paddle with personal attention from the guide. The 8-mile run takes about four hours total, including the drive and changing time, so plan for a half-day commitment.