Canyon Cuisine: Not Your Average Outdoor Eats

Wilderness adventures are wonderful in so many ways, but anyone who’s ventured into the back-country for more than a day or two knows that escaping the daily grind and getting out into the wild requires some sacrifices. The creature comforts of home, like fresh delicious food, are often the first trade-offs for being surrounded by the quiet majesty of nature.

That’s why many of our guests are surprised, even shocked, to learn that our back-country meals don’t consist of reconstituted, freeze-dried anything! Instead, your group will be treated to a carefully curated culinary adventure that’s as pleasing to the senses as the river and canyon themselves.

So, what will you eat during your whitewater rafting trip?

Our multi-talented guides are pros at turning the ordinary into something extraordinary – even in a mobile camp kitchen.

We break from the river each day for lunch, and the guides will roll out an impressive spread of cold cuts, cheeses, fresh salads and homemade cookies with all the fixings. In the afternoon, the gear boat goes ahead of the group to set up camp and the riverside kitchen. That means when YOU arrive, you get to settle in with a cold drink and a delicious appetizer while the guides prepare dinner.

Each meal features hearty and delicious courses like grilled local Idaho trout and juicy Idaho steaks, with rosemary beer focaccia bread baked in a Dutch oven right there in camp. You’ll savor pork tenderloin medallions with a Hells Canyon Apricot Chutney. (Many of the ingredients are locally sourced, some from Hells Canyon itself).

And don’t think for a minute that you need to forego appetizers or dessert. We’ll cook up baked brie with huckleberry compote, pineapple upside down cake, or fresh peach cobbler with blackberries you helped pick that day. We even do a dutch oven fudge brownie with drizzled chocolate and raspberries. Produce homegrown in our HCR greenhouse adds a fresh flare to the seasonal river fare.

In the morning, you’ll wake to the smell of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee. And instead of serving up a regular stack of pancakes, our talented guides-turned-river-chefs will allow you to start your day with a scrumptious treat like lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes with bacon and fresh fruit on the side

We also pack plenty of snacks, fresh fruit, granola bars, chocolate — and even complementary beer, wine, sparkling waters, juices, and sodas are provided in moderate quantities.

And here’s something seasoned back-country travelers will appreciate: We always have plenty of ice. ICE!!!

But amazing food isn’t the only luxury you’ll find on a Hells Canyon Raft trip.

Guides pitch and dismantle tents each day, so when you roll off the river, your tents are already set up. That means you are free to hike, explore the campsite, fish or simply pop open a full-sized camp chair and relax while you take in the canyon views. Hells Canyon Raft staffs our trips with one guide for every 3-4 guests, which allows us to set up a luxurious river camp and allows you to fully embrace the river experience.

Our safari style camp includes all camping gear such as roomy four-person tents that are for one or two guests, and thick self-inflating mattresses. We encourage guests to bring their own sleeping bags but do offer freshly laundered sleeping bags for rent for guests who need them.

For those with an interest in fishing, our team makes it easy to ‘wet a line’ and to reel one in! We provide all the equipment, so you don’t need to spend your pre-trip time carefully deliberating over what gear to pack and what might be effective under different fishing conditions. Our guides have all that covered. They know what works on trout, bass and even the elusive 10’ white sturgeon. What’s more, there is always a guide ready and willing to keep the kids’ lines untangled and in the water.

Another benefit of a trip with Hells Canyon Raft is that we take care of all the logistics. We are happy to help with your pre- and post- trip hotel reservations and arrange vehicle shuttles, as well as airport pickup, and group transportation. (Costs not included in trip price).

Sound tantalizing? Let’s talk! The Hells Canyon Team is here to answer any questions you might have about this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.