Winding Waters River Expeditions & Day Tours

Winding Waters River Expeditions & Day Tours

Winding Waters River Expeditions & Day Tours
5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
All inclusive whitewater rafting adventures on the Snake River through Hells Canyon, the Salmon River in Idaho, and the Grande Ronde River in Oregon. Fun, family-friendly vacations. Additionally, Grande Ronde and Wallowa River fly fishing. Based out of beautiful Joseph, Oregon.
Joseph, Oregon

Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles160 reviews
Excellent
159
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
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AshleyETackett
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
I just returned from my 5 days floating through Hells Canyon & I cannot recommend it more highly. This was my first rafting trip, and I am now convinced that I want to make room for this magical experience every year. Along the way, our group saw bear, big horn sheep, Native American pictographs and historic homesteads. I kayaked through my first whitewater & loved learning how to read a river and gain confidence on the water. The guides were all wonderful, talented & generous with their services. Their intimate knowledge of Hells Canyon and their many shared stories were highlights of my trip. And then there was the food; delicious and plentiful and a huge variety. Our group had people ranging from 8 years to 72 years. It truly is a wonderful way to share time with friends and family. Thanks for creating such an incredible experience, Winding Waters!
Written August 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anne T
12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Couples
I have floated with other river companies and Winding Waters surpasses any previous experience.
The guides are professionals, but fun! The food is excellent.
I encourage anyone traveling with Winding Waters to read blog posts on the website. You will pick up useful tips for packing and other protocol on the river.
All WWR staff, from booking to returning to the boathouse, were attentive to our comfort and safety.
Written June 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Teri J
Tualatin, OR6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Couples
The 3 night : 4 day raft trip on Hells Canyon was fabulous and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment considering this was our very first time. The guides and camp team were clearly passionate about theirsport, provided great history of the River, wildlife and homesteads we hiked to. Traversing the rapids was a breeze with our expert guides !

The catered 4 days was over the top with class A service, plenty of high quality,healthy food options ( breakfast,lunch and dinner), a highly engaged staff to meet everyone’s individual needs that went above and beyond!!! ( to include locating my bag at the boathouse and arranging through river connections to bring it to our camp — thank you !!! …..) I’ll keep a better eye on my better half next time 😎!

I can’t say enough about Winding Rivers Raft expeditions …. ⭐️ 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 they are the best outfitter!
Written August 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris L
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
This was our fourth trip with Paul and Penny and the crew at WWRE. Five days down Hells Canyon in mid-May was one of the most unique and incredible outdoor experiences of my life. It's not often people get to see the canyon filled with green hillsides, rushing side streams, abundant wildlife and wildflowers and snow way up on the rimrock.
There is a reason WWRE sells out of their seasonal trips so quickly. It starts with Paul and Penny being the type of owner/boss most of us wish we had the opportunity to work with just once in our careers. It trickles downstream to their Trip Leaders and support staff, all of whom love what they do, offer exceptional customer service and genuine love for the out of doors.
Written May 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David K
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
Snake River. September, 2021. Eight guys 70 years old or close thereto. High school friends coming together from five states covering both coasts. Experienced hikers, reasonably fit and ambitious, but not so much time on rivers. WINDING WATERS was a perfect match for us. Paul and Penny were accommodating about our schedule and overall very easy to do business with. Their “we can do that” attitude and friendly tone filtered across all the staff; from the first time we set foot in the boathouse we felt very welcome by everyone we encountered. I cannot say enough about the five women and men who staffed our trip. They were knowledgeable, capable, accommodating, and caring. Very quick to learn names, preferences, food allergies, and sensitive to wanted to engage in conversations (or not) about which topics. They also gave us a good orientation about how to be and how to paddle in the raft and what each day on the river would be like. The crew were very poised and comfortable, spending time with us at dinner and afterwards for stargazing, philosophizing, and much shared humor. We enjoyed them both in camp and on the river. The rafting and kayaking gear was all in top shape and right-sized, and the camping gear – cots, pads, bags, tents - was both comfortable and very well maintained. And the food you see on the website was very much how we ate (or should I say “dined”); quantity and quality were well above and beyond what you would expect, need, or prepare for yourself! The worst thing I can say is that one dessert was not to my liking; but my brother was very quick to take it off my hands. The pace of the trip – time on the water broken up by hikes and lunch – worked very well for us. If I didn’t have to work, I’d go back tomorrow!
Written September 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kat Down South
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Friends
Our Winding Waters trip down the Salmon river was unbelievable. We slept under the stars every night and had amazing meals every day. The staff was very professional yet social with the guests and went out of their way to make us comfortable on every stop. The only things I would recommend would be bring multiple hats, a larger sized carabiner and extra chapstick! We look forward to our next trip!
Written July 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angela C
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Friends
I never kayaked, though was a bit familiar with white water in the East. This trip is for those who love being outside, in water, and love being active, not necessarily experienced. Everyone in my group used the duckies, which are optional and so exhilarating. The guides are very experienced, knowledgeable about history of the area, and devoted to assuring a safe and fun experience. The food was FANTASTIC. They prepare/ cook on site which was incredible. There was steak salmon sushi, great salads, and dessert.
We saw eagles daily, some Big Horn sheep, and one river otter. Lots of birds and butterflies too. Penny and Paul are thoughtful and knowledgeable. I highly recommend Winding Waters.
Written August 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephanie A
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Friends
The Photography and Wildflowers trip was my first whitewater rafting trip and definitely won’t be the last. My friends and I selected Winding Waters for our annual get-together because of their experience and excellent online reviews. Paul, Penny, and their team delivered on all expectations –great food, comfy camps, epic whitewater rafting, and beautiful scenery with lots of flowers and wildlife. The standout factor though was the people – incredibly competent and knowledgeable river guides and staff all of whom clearly enjoy what they do, thereby ensuring the rest of us got to experience the best of “river life.”
Written June 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

seajnt
Port Townsend, WA6 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Friends
At a ripe ole 67, this was my first overnight trip of it's kind on the river. Mother nature graced us with very hot temps and thank goodness for all the splashes and swims *and* for the umbrellas and canopies provided at camp. Going to the groover in the middle of the night was a challenge finding my footing in squishy sand avoiding occasional sharp rocks but I managed to keep from falling off the path or spraining anything. The crew (surprisingly many women) were *outstanding* working so hard to feed us, set up and break down everything in addition to skillfully and safely piloting us down the river. We saw and heard a variety of birds that one of our group interpreted well. Gotta love the Canyon Wren! We also saw deer and Bighorn Sheep, some perched precariously on basalt ledges high above the water. Noting the miriad rock angles and formations was fascinating! So much history! It was fun to suddenly see croppings of green bushes, then maybe some Ponderosa Pine. The brown hills in July? - meh. The crew occasionally made sure to have fun too, ambushing each other into the water where it was safe. A few of our group chose kayaks or * duckies* to run. Group paddling was an option too which I tried, but my arthritic knees said no. I always had the option of sitting tight with one or two others and holding on while being paddled along by one or another of our guides. Everyone was attentive and always available to assist. I would consider doing another trip - like a day trip down a different river.
Written July 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sheena G
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
This was truly the trip of a lifetime. Everything was perfect. We had the best crew and we had so much fun. The food was excellent. Even with all the rectrictions and necessary changes due to COVID-19, they still made it the best trip I have ever been on! I would absolutely float down a river with them again! If you have the chance to take a trip with them, please do it! You will not regret it!
Written September 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Winding Waters River Expeditions & Day Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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