THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Two adventures in one day: a three-hour Side by Side backcountry ride, a riverside lunch at Mad River, and an eight-mile whitewater run through the Snake River Canyon. Perfect for families and first-timers.
Two adventures in one day: a three-hour Side by Side backcountry ride, a riverside lunch at Mad River, and an eight-mile whitewater run through the Snake River Canyon. Perfect for families and first-timers.
Book with Mad River Boat Trips
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Mad River Boat Trips · Jackson, Wyoming
CLASSIC boats -> CLASSIC adventure delivers a true doubleheader on the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The day combines a three-hour guided Side by Side ride across scenic backcountry trails with a riverside lunch and an afternoon whitewater run through the Snake River Canyon. Check-in is at Mad River, 1255 South Highway 89 Jackson Wyoming 83001; plan to arrive thirty minutes before your scheduled departure.
The Side by Side leg opens onto rolling sage, lodgepole pines and wide mountain views that frame the Tetons on clear days. After a boathouse lunch at Mad River, guests load into rafts and launch from West Table Boat Ramp to run roughly eight river miles toward Alpine, exiting at Sheep Gulch Boat Ramp. The Snake River here carries a Wild and Scenic designation and cuts a dramatic canyon through basalt and glacial deposits, producing varied hydraulics and eight named rapid sections: Station Creek, Double Draw, Blind Canyon, Big Kahuna, Lunchcounter, Ropes, Champagne and Cottonwoods.
This combined itinerary suits families, first-time rafters and anyone looking for an active, varied day. Rapids sit mostly in class I to III, so paddlers will encounter splashy approachable rapids and calmer braided stretches ideal for spotting riparian birds and river otters. Guides outfit every trip; wetsuits, booties and wetsuit jackets are available to rent for cooler water. Group size is limited to 12 and Mad River manages transfers from the boat wedge to the river to keep logistics simple.
Practical details matter: guests must be at least eight years old and above 50 pounds. Expect roughly three hours for the Side by Side portion plus the afternoon raft trip; the river section covers eight miles and includes about eight sets of rapids. Standard gratuity is not included; Mad River recommends twenty percent of the rack rate for guides and staff.
Why book this experience? The mix of motorized exploration and whitewater in one day is rare in Jackson Hole. You will get wind-in-your-face trail miles, a riverside lunch, and an accessible canyon run with scenic geology and varied river features. The Wild and Scenic designation means the corridor preserves a mix of wildlife habitat and dramatic river cuts carved through basalt and glacial sediment, offering both easy floats and punchy rapids close to town.
If you want variety, efficient logistics, and a family-friendly adrenaline fix, this combo covers it. For visitors based in Jackson, the short drive to Mad River and included transportation make it possible to pack a full adventure into a single afternoon. Reservations fill quickly in summer and space is limited to twelve guests per group, so plan ahead, confirm any rental wetsuit sizes, and arrive prepared to enjoy a full, well-organized outdoor day today.
moderate.
5–6 hours.
Moderate fitness; able to sit in a UTV and handle intermittent paddling and brief hikes from rafts to shore.
Guests must be at least 8 years old and over 50 pounds to join this trip.
Check-in is at Mad River, 1255 South Highway 89 Jackson Wyoming 83001; arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled time.
The whitewater section runs about eight river miles, launching from West Table Boat Ramp and exiting at Sheep Gulch Boat Ramp.
Rapids range from Class I to III, with eight named rapid sections including Big Kahuna and Champagne.
Yes, wetsuits, booties and wetsuit jackets are available to rent for cooler water conditions.
Yes, transfers from the Mad River Boat Wedge to the river and back are provided on every Mad River trip.
The Snake River through Jackson Hole has a newly designated Wild and Scenic status that protects the river corridor and its recreation values.
Operators emphasize leaving no trace and limiting group sizes to reduce riverbank impact; follow guide instructions to protect habitat.
Mad River Boat Trips operates guided rafting and instructional experiences on Wyoming’s Snake River, based near Jackson Hole. The company runs a five-day Guide School that teaches boat navigation, safety, and maintenance through hands-on training in a scenic canyon—ideal for aspiring professional guides and experienced paddlers seeking skill development. For visitors seeking half-day excursions, Mad River offers Classic Boats trips: a 3.5-hour raft combining calm scenic floats and class I–III rapids aboard spacious, non-paddling and paddling positions suitable for families and first-time rafters. Small Boats trips deliver a more intense whitewater experience in eight-person rafts with six paddling stations, where guests should expect to get wet and participate actively. A Snake River Scenic Float Trip provides a tranquil option for wildlife viewing and photography, with guide rowing along braided channels past eagle and osprey nesting sites and views of the Teton Range. All trips are guided by experienced, certified river guides who emphasize safety, environmental stewardship, and local history interpretation. Equipment is inspected and maintained to industry standards, and instruction is scaled to group ability and age. Reservations are recommended, particularly for Guide School and small-boat adventures. Mad River Boat Trips combines technical training, family-friendly scenic floats, and adrenaline-driven whitewater runs to serve a broad range of river enthusiasts visiting Jackson Hole and the Snake River corridor. Safety briefings, modern life jackets, and clear pre-trip communications help guests prepare; flexible cancellation policies and transparent pricing support confident booking for families, solo travelers, and groups, year-round and across seasons locally today.
Book with Mad River Boat Trips