What a wonderful day! We had a blast. The guides are so funny and very personable. We have our two young children with us and thy took that in consideration. Family friendly all the way! We had Mike as a guide ! Wonderful! We loved the stores as well. Our kids had a blast and can't wait to do it again. read more

We visited River Drifters at White Salmon in mid June. Cost was quite reasonable at $60 per person. It is about an hour and a half from Portland it was easy to locate according to their directions. The area was beautiful to see. For us it was a family excursion with out of town family. The age ranges were from 13-50. We had two raft boats. They suited us up with tubbies that fit snugly, a wet suit (sweat suit), life vest and a helmet. Surprisingly, they had a wet suit that fit me. I was impressed because I am not exactly petite. I assumed they gave us so much gear because the water was at about 40 degrees. I would have preferred to go without the wet suit personally however, since they were responsible for my safety I understand. Needless to say I appreciated it when I got hit with water because I was sweating (not perspiring) in that suit. Hopefully I lost a couple of pounds just in sweat. Hee hee. They gave us instructions before heading to our launching area. At the launching area they reiterated our instructions and had us get in. We all had a great time. The guides were humorous and told jokes as well as gave informative information and history of the area along the banks. There were lots of rapids. The guide got two young ladies to "Ride the Bull". That is when the riders are at the front of the raft perched on the nose with one arm in the air and the other they hang on. The guide takes us over a slight fall and the riders fall back into the raft. That was fun! We laughed and laughed. Afterwards, we changed into our regular clothes and reviewed the photos they got of us going through the rapids and periodically through our two hour tour. I would recommend taking the adventure for anyone. read more

"True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realized. Lmao syke, enlightenment actually means sending it on the white salmon river. If you scared go to church. I recommend the church of RiverDrifters.net" -His Holiness, Gyalwa Rinpoche, the 14th Dalai Llama - While you were studying the blade, I was training relentlessly in the way of the paddle. Don't even know what time we got there. Was pretty hung over and honestly just struggling to exist. We threw on our wet suits and gear, and despite feeling pretty cute about myself in my wetsuit, I finally saw my reflection in a car window in the parking lot and laughed because I knew I was going to die alone. Right off the bat that river splashed me with some of its glacier run off and ripped the hangover out of our souls and injected us with an elixir of sobriety. If you're like me and you struggle to meditate, white water rafting is for you. I like to call it Supercalifragilistic Aggressive Meditation™. Each river rapid is followed by a moment of peace and calm, where you are forced to be present and reflect on the person you are underneath all that masculinity & braun as the river removes your emotional armor piece by piece. After hours of this you start to toy with the idea that maybe you actually could learn to accept and forgive yourself for the mistakes you've made in life, for all the people you've hurt. Maybe it's a chance to start fresh. Maybe it's a chance to love yourself. Eventually you're emotionally reduced to like... a newborn baby in a wetsuit, completely vulnerable and subject to the mercy of the river. And this is when the metamorphasis begins. They showed us the waterfall on the drive up and initially I wasn't impressed. Well, that was my ego speaking. I forgot what this waterfall was called but they might as well call it Ego Death Falls. By this point I was getting acutely familiar with the physics of rafting and I realized that waterfall was actually orders of magnitude bigger than any rapid we had sent so far. Sure I was used to being slapped in the face by the river, I was used to the beatings. But I knew enough now to understand that this waterfall was going to drop kick you in the face. Listen to your guide, because you enter that waterfall completely vulnerable, and when you come out you will find a fresh start is waiting for you on the other side. I came out of that waterfall with new perspective. I realized the old me had died. I experienced ego death, and I simply am not the person I once was. I was made anew, I was baptized... I was reborn. Namaste. The rest of this journey is waiting for you with the full day tour package on white salmon with riverdrifters. I highly recommend the full day, because the lower canyon section of the river is one of the most breathtaking things you'll ever see. I've summited Rainier, Baker, I've even been fortunate enough to watch the sun rise in a 7-Eleven parking lot. But I've honestly never experienced views quite like this. These guys really put their backs into making sure you get a lot of adventure for your dollar. Seriously don't forget to factor in a really great tip to the cost of your trip. These guys are playing so many roles for you: rafting teacher, lifeguard, babysitter, geology teacher, rafting pilot, river mentor, bus driver, friend, etc. Special thank you to Mary for taking us under her wing, you were the Gandalf to our Fellowship of the Raft. Our river shaman/guide. Super intelligent, knowledgable and brings a wealth of experience to the table in river sports. She's an avid white water kayaker and I'm pretty certain I speak for everyone when I say we all have so much respect for the life she's living out there, it's just so impressive and if you get to meet her you'll know what I'm talking about. She also put up with six hours of my absolutely abysmal jokes and names for our raft crew. We settled on Paddles and Vibes. read more

LOVE this company, staff, and experience! One of my most memorable rafting trips! We came during the month of March which made us their very first trip for the season. They were super friendly and informative. Our raft leader Ryan was great!! He gave us great instructions and made the trip so much fun. Even though it was about 50 degrees out, we got all the proper gear and clothing that kept us warm throughout the trip! The whole experience lasted about 2 hours and we left there at around 2 pm with a start time of 11am. To top off everything, the owner even gave us a FREE usb with all of our pictures!!! Would definitely come back! read more

River Drifters - Tours Near Me - White Salmon, Washington

This was the first time my sister and I went rafting and River Drifters made this entire experience unbelievably epic! Our guides were Charlie and Wes, who were both very personable, professional, and fun! They provided all the gear that was needed and I was happy that they gave us some booties so we wouldn't mess up our shoes. Their gear is pretty solid so I suggest using everything that they recommend you to wear. They also provided a helmet had a gopro mount, which we got some gnarly pictures with. Overall, we had an EXCELLENT, thrilling time. Definitely will come back for more of that whitewater! read more

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Loved these folks! I took my two kids (12 & 14) last weekend and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The trip is filled with breathtaking scenery and the crystalline clarity of the river is unparalleled. Charlie was an experienced and personable guide who did a great job letting the kids take well-measured risks (sitting at the bow of the raft, all Titanic-like). They loved it! Bonus: at the end of the day, I drove my car into a rocky hole in the parking lot and couldn't get it out. Charlie and the other guides helped me get it out and waited until I drove away to laugh at my boneheadedness. Thanks, River Drifters. We'll be back! read more

We had an amazing time rafting with River Drifters! They provide everything you need--wet suits, shoes, fleece, jacket, helmet and life jacket. Make sure to bring a towel though for after when you're changing back into dry clothes! Our guide knew the rapids inside and out and fully explained what to expect. He gave great instruction while on the rapids too. The rapids were raging! Class III and IV rapids that got the adrenaline pumping! We did the White Salmon rafting trip. I highly recommend River Drifters! Even if you fall out (as I did) they prep you ahead of time what to do and to expect the water to be cold (41 degrees) and they have a guide in a kayak following the raft who helps you if you fall out. It wasn't a scary experience at all because they do such a great job. Would love to raft with them again!! read more

Absolutely best rafting company! Signing up online was easy and there was a lot of options for times. Once we got there the staff was great. Super friendly and knowledgable. Mitch was our raft guide highly recommend him. He knows what he's doing but keeps it fun and exciting. If you're considering rafting I would HIGHLY recommend going here! read more

We had a blast... It was my Mother's Day gift I didn't have a clue tell we pulled into the drive way. I have always done The Deshutes thinking this is no biggie.. Let's just say I am done with the deshutes. This is it!!! Whoop,whoopwas such a great bonding experience/outing with my kids. If you get a chance to do this you better JUMP at it I guarantee it will get your heat pumping.. read more

Such a beautiful experience except our guide was somewhat rude and said comments that were not professional at times. The company also didn't have a photographer so we have no pictures of our experience. The river is beautiful and breathtaking but I would recommend going with another company, who offers nice guides and photos. This was near Portland area. read more

I loved this adventure. I jumped off an 18 foot rock into churning glacier waters below and went over a class V waterfall under the protection of our charismatic guide Peter. One of the best things I have ever done. read more

Our entire group of 5 was EXTREMELY nervous about this activity, so much so that we thought about giving up our money and just turning back around... thanks to Dustin and the rest of the River Drifter team, we now cannot stop talking about the amazing time we had!!! These folks are a ton of fun and very experienced- no fear needed! Thank you Dustin also for saving my boyfriend from falling over the boat and drowning :) came in real clutch! read more

These guys ROCK!! This was our first time white water rafting and we were not disappointed. The guides were extremely helpful and patient, answering all of our questions and explaining everything in great detail to those in our group who were a little more paranoid about the safety. We were 5 adults (mid-30's) and we had an absolute BLAST! Our guide, Josh, was a lot of fun. Pat - the main guide and he guy giving us all our instructions when we arrived - was also very patient and a lot of fun. I HIGHLY recommend doing ALL the "optional" items (including the cliff jumping, the class 5 falls at the end and the bridge jumping). Thanks River Drifters for a very wonderful day!! read more

Wonderful experience and guide(Mitch) was excellent. Thrilling ride especially the rock jump and don't miss the end.. read more

Really awesome! Best white water rafting we've done. Super beautiful. Great guides. A must! Thanks!!!

The area is so beautiful, if your coming from Portland give yourself some extra time the traffic out of town can be intense. This was an exciting trip and it completely exceeded our exceptions! A friend I went and we had a wonderful time . We can't wait to go back. River Drifters provided all the proper gear to be comfortable and safe. Listen to what the suggest they know what they are talking about. Jamie was a great guide! She provided us with a great ride and much knowledge about river rafting. They have nice changing areas and everyone is so helpful and friendly. Awesome adventure, read more

Rafted in early September. Just my wife and I and the guide because it was midweek and just after Labor day. The guide ( I apologize for forgetting his name) was excellent; personable and professional....he knew how to make the trip fun and adventurous and yet respectful that my wife had a shoulder injury and was not able to paddle or hold on tight for much of the trip. The gear was top notch (splash jackets were available to repel the water), the lunch was fresh, tasty and filling (I expected cheap, stale and not good so that was an unexpected bonus) and the adventure of the river and the changing landscape was exactly as advertised. Everything from the website was accurate and we felt safe. Highly recommend River Drifters. Note: The river is not all that wide. The trip may not have been as fun during peak season with a lot of rafters on the river. Secondly, be prepared to paddle against strong currents. I underestimated how tiring it would be from the website. read more

This was such a fun rafting trip! We were a group of 9. We did the full day rafting trip.They were so great at accommodating us. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. Are tour guide was Oscar. I've gone rafting several times. He was by far the best guide I've ever had. We absolutely adore him. He went out of his way to make the trip extra fun. He had had great info about the the river. He also had great info about rafting and how to get yourself out of scary situations if you fall into the water in certain rapids. We learned a lot about rafting for future trips. The river is breath taking and going down Husum falls was a adrenaline rush. We also loved how you jump right into class III IV rapids. They provide lunch. We were expecting some soggy sandwiches. What we got was the most amazing lunch. The best pork we've ever had. Seriously, Better than lunch at a restaurant. I strongly suggest using this company for your next rafting trip! Also don't forget to tip your tour guide :) read more

Seriously the best experience ever! so much fun!! Our guide was so professional and funny and nice! Absolutely love it and will go back!!

I highly recommend River Drifters!! This past August I spent a week in Hood River, Oregon. The prior year I had done a rafting/supping trip down the Deschutes River with River Drifters, and had an absolutely phenomenal time, so I decided to do it again this year! This time it was down the White Salmon River. During both trips, River Drifters has made the experience absolutely seamless, stress-free, and always a blast. Each guide I have had the chance of meeting has been friendly and totally professional. Rafting can seem a little daunting to some, but these guides put us at ease the minute we met them. They really took the time to make sure everyone was safe and comfortable, and having fun, every step of the way. My favorite part was definitely the cliff jumping... It's an awesome way to challenge yourself while have an awesome time!! read more

This adventure was AMAZING!! Our raft guide, Peter, was phenomenal and extremely patient with everyone on our raft. He explained everything thoroughly and allowed us to practice many times before we went down the Husum Water fall. I've never done anything like this before and now can't wait to do it again. This experience exceeded my expectations by a hundred fold and I would recommend it to everyone!! I am so thankful that the entire staff were easy to work with and now have photos of a lifetime to always remember this experience. read more

We had an incredible full day trip on the White Salmon River with our guide Eric. The water level was high and fast which made my first ever rafting trip even more exciting. The scenery in this area is absolutely breathtaking and river drifters took some amazing shots of our group that we had the option to purchase. I'm so glad we took that option . We split the $60 for all pics so it was doable. I highly recommend you take the full day. It comes with lunch too and we were all starved. Thanks River Drifters! read more

I just had the worst customer service experience. With all the great reviews, and my friends would went on the trip, I was NOT expecting this kind of an interaction at all. I wasn't able to go after all on my trip because of a last minute work problem. We had booked a full boat and I let my group know. I didn't let the company know - I should have. It automatically charged my card and I reviewed everything I could find but did not realize their cancellation policy. That's fine - I have since found it on my invoice. I can eat the money. What I am most upset about is my experience calling the office to explore my options. Kathy was aggressive, argumentative, breathtakingly condescending and rude. An absolute nightmare. I was in my breakroom at work and after the phone call 4 of my coworkers (who could hear her raised voice through my phone) asked me if I was okay. They'd heard everything. They all asked what company that was and voiced they were never going here. She asked me where /I/ work, if I know how to read, said "would you do this on an airline? How bout a hotel?" Wow! I was not prepared for such an onslaught! I said "that's different! Look I'm just trying to see if there is a compromise here, I know your trip wasn't hurt because my group booked the whole boat!" She said : "oh REALLY. Is it. Is it now." I asked her to stop talking to me this way and she refused. I asked for her name and she refused. She hung up on me. I called back and asked for a manager. She told me she was the only manager and finally told me her name was Kathy and "that was all I was getting." At this point, obviously I don't care about the money. I understand the inconvenience I caused and in my work crisis, I missed the fine print. That's my fault. I AM truly disturbed by how horribly treated I was. I work with people in billing/customer service every single day. Never in my life can I understand a customer service rep like this. read more

Noah was our guide and was awesome! We did the half day on the White Salmon River. They provided wet suits, booties, splash guards, helmets, paddles. All you have to do is show up and help paddle! There is a spot where you can jump from a bridge into the river and a rapid where you can sit on the front and ride the bull. These guys are very skilled and make this a fun trip! read more

We had a party of 11 go out on 2 rafts on the Clackamas river with Brian and Cody from River Drifters as our guides. They were amazing tour guides!! The entire event went from 10-3p (suiting up to departure) included a sandwich/water/cookie lunch for only $75/person. The river was of course beautiful but the guides threw the experience over the top. My boat was manned by Brian. He would try to run the raft over the most fun parts of the river. If all the passengers enjoyed it he'd let us do it again! During the calm parts of the river he would tell family friendly jokes & try to get to know everyone. He took every opportunity to push my 12 year old in the water (it never got old)!! She got to 'bull ride" (sit on the front of the raft) most of the time. I would highly recommend this company and request Brian & Cody (they go together). They go were requested:) Side note: make sure you don't take your valuables because you'll have to leave them in the car. A car got broken into while we were out rafting. read more

Great rafting trip! This trip including everything: great rapids, cliff jumping, a grand finale drop and then some bridge jumping. It was all the fun and excitement that one could pack into a trip. Incredible! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great half day trip. Thanks River Drifters! read more

Awesome experience with great guides that are talented and experienced request Mitch he did an awesome job! Don't forget to tip ;) read more

Awesome adventure! Definitely worth the extra mileage to get here. The staff is super friendly. There were 10 boats that day and they were WELL organized and kept everyone on time! Clean bathrooms and changing areas. I took my 10 and 12 year old boys, it was perfect for them, lots of excitement without fear! We did the 1/2 day tour but definitely would go back for full day! Guides definitely earn a BIG tip! read more

We've done rafting before, but this surpassed past experiences! A half-day trip takes you across a 7.5 miles run across White Salmon River. There were 4 of us in a raft + a guide (2 adlts, 2 teens - 15 & 11). The activities were age appropriate for everyone: rafting, swimming in the cold lake, jumping to the water from a cliff, and going over a 10 ft. waterfall while on the raft (our 11 year old was asked to walk that part). Our guide - Mitch, was so calm and professional, made us feel safe through class-5 rapids, and ensured we felt comfortable throughout the experience read more

This is a top of the line outfit AND BEWARE a rain-or-shine outfit. We had a great trip through the fog and mist and were extremely well taken care of. They are serious about safety, as they should be. Shout out to Ryan and Michela, particularly to Ryan. He did most of the paddling. read more

This was our fourth trip down the White Salmon. All four times were fun. The previous three were with a competitor. Today, with River Drifters, we were impressed at the condition/quality of the gear and the precision the guides dispensed it. We felt that this outfit was really professional. Then, we were assigned to Travis. He is/was an arrogant dickhead. I've rafted on dozens and dozens of rivers in many different states. Everytime the trip AND guide have been great. Today our guide sucked. One of the other guides told me that all of the other guides can't stand him either. River Drifters is a good outfit. The river is a blast. Just don't let Travis be your guide. He would have ruined the trip for us if we didn't have so much fun talking about him on our drive home. read more

"Every time I go on this river, I learn something new." - Larry, River Drifter Guide. Our guide was fantastic. Clearly a life long learner. Super knowledgeable about the geology, flora, and fauna of the Clackamas River area. Willing to talk, answer questions or just let us sit quietly. I was a little apprehensive about Class III and IV rapids, but Larry's directions were smooth, seamless and we all stayed in the boat! Thank you!!! read more

Just came back from a white water rafting half-day trip this weekend, booked with River Drifters. It was our group's first time rafting and the experience was amazing. River Drifters did an excellent job of organizing and getting even us first-timers ready to go! Our awesome guide Mitch made it a blast for us and kept the entertainment going. Highly recommend River Drifters...We are planning to book a whole day trip next time we go. Loved it that much!! And you must try the 25-foot bridge jump if you get the chance :) read more

River Drifters is one of two companies that put in 2 miles upriver to give you loads of class 4 rapids. Wear non-cotton for under the wetsuits or nothing or you could get cold. Places to change there. Shouldn't be your first raft trip as it is a big challenge. Super fun but not for the faint of heart. We jumped off 18 ft rock and went over 10 ft waterfall. Waterfall is fun and not too dangerous if you do it right. Deschutes in Bend best for beginners, then Deschutes in Maupin for moderate, and then White Salmon for experienced rafters. River Drifters is the best one to book with. read more

It was an unforgetable experience! Eric was our guide and he educated and trained us appropriately for the difficult part. Everyone should try it once in their life! read more

River Rafters on the White Salmon River Rocks! It is the most fun we had all summer! We have never done this before and we have 3 children (2 teens and 1 preteen). I was very cautious/concerned about safety. Although we paid in advance, my husband I agreed if we were the slightest bit concerned when we arrived, we would walk away and lose our money. We were very satisfied to find that this company is TOP NOTCH. They are extremely organized, have quality gear, and their guides are extremely experienced and superb. I felt confident that we were in good hands, Everyone on the entire trip...those we didn't know too, had a blast. The scenery is amazing, the trip is exciting and peaceful all at the same time. My family can't wait to go again and we would highly recommend this company to anyone. read more

I had an awesome time at River Drifters! Instead of doing the half day trip, my group went with the full day. I honestly didn't know what to expect on this trip. Despite it being my first time white water river rafting, and not knowing how to swim, I would go again in a heartbeat. My guide, Eric, was great. His instructions were easy to follow, whether you're a novice or a seasoned rafter. Not only that, he showed us some I interesting historical marks. But the best part of the whole trip was when my friend tried to throw me off the raft (he attempted 4 times). And on the third attempt, he failed, but I was successful, with some help from Eric. If anyone is seeking a thrill adventure, and doesn't mind getting wet, this is definitely the spot to go to!!! read more

River Drifters is awesome. They are the best guides on the White Salmon!!!

I had the chance to take a rafting trip down the White Salmon River in August 2014 with River Drifters and it was absolutely awesome! Their equipment (wet suits, fleeces, booties, splash jackets, helmets, etc.) was in great shape, the initiation process was informative, and their staff are fun and completely professional. Our guide, Charlie, knew every aspect of the river and knew the perfect balance between safety for everyone on the raft and letting us have a great time. The White Salmon rapids are legitimate rapids that are a ton of fun to navigate through and the scenery while going down the river is absolutely beautiful! The water is pretty damn cold, so make sure you take advantage of all of the gear that River Drifters offers - you'll need it. We had options with other rafting companies, but when we were going down the river and saw the rafts and gear that the other companies used in comparison to River Drifters, all of us were so happy we chose wisely. The trip was hands-down the best rafting experience I've ever had and it added to an already great long weekend in the Hood River region. I highly recommend River Drifters for anyone looking to go white water rafting in the Hood River area! read more

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It really amazing. I would like to suggest it to my friends. This is the #1 choice of rafting.