Rafting Hell's Canyon, Idaho: The Scenery

This post concludes my series on rafting the Snake River through Hell's Canyon. Part 1 was a discussion on arriving at this remote place. Part 2 featured highlights of the whitewater we encountered in Hell's Canyon. Today I wanted to discuss some of the scenery you'll see in the Canyon, which overall is quite impressive.

35 Hell's Canyon

42 Camp Day 2

Hells Canyon was carved by the Snake River over millions of years. In places the canyon is quite tight, with steep hills on either side. In other spots the canyon is wide, with open views of distant forests and peaks. Measured from the top of Idaho’s Seven Devils Mountains on the east rim, Hells Canyon drops 2,436 meters (almost 8,0000 feet) in the vicinity of Granite Rapid. You don't really get a good impression of how deep the canyon is from the river itself.

Most of the rock in the Canyon is basalt, a result of the area's volcanic history. In some areas you'll find granite and limestone, but basalt dominants.

There are large sections in the mid-stretch of the Canyon -- north of Pittsburgh Landing -- where thousands of hexagonal basalt columns are found. These columns are formed by cracking as molten lava cools and solidifies. These basalt columns are arranged in some impressive formations.

Glacial activity, with intermittent massive floods, occurred during the last 2 million years and amplified the river’s erosive power. Floods were especially marked at the end of Ice Ages and caused significant widening of the canyon.

The landscapes are largely desert. In the spring you can expect to see green hills but when I traveled in late summer the hills were mostly brown after almost 2 months with no rain.

You're sure to see some wildlife on your trip. During our adventure we spotted 6 black bears, lots of deer, and several herds of bighorn sheep. I got good photos of the largest herd getting a drink from the Snake River (see below). One of the advantages of rafting is that you get to quietly approach the animals and don't spook them, as a motorized boat would.

You'll spot structures from the homestead and sheep-ranching era which began in the late 1800s and continues today. Life in Hell's Canyon was hard, and many individuals left their homesteads, with only a few ranches surviving for the long haul.

76 Snake River

39 Hell's Canyon

As you get further downstream and closer to Lewiston, modern homes start appearing on the riverbanks in spots. These seem to largely be vacation homes which are accessed by jet boat.

There are many small things that make a river trip like this special. The changing light on the canyon, a lovely sunset, a beautiful patch of wildflowers.

73 Wildflowers, Snake River

69 Dusk at Camp 3
(Alpenglow on basalt in Hell's Canyon)

1000 Sunset, Day 2 (One of several lovely sunsets)

I didn't know what to expect of Hell's Canyon before my journey because it is not commonly visited or written about. But I was pleasantly surprised at the scenery, enjoyed the whitewater experience, and met a group of fine people. A trip well worth experiencing.