From the busy but not over-commercialized little water-sports and ski resort of McCALL , 110 miles north of Boise, Hwy-55 climbs steadily to merge with US-95 and follow the turbulent Little Salmon River . Just south of the hamlet of Riggins, thirty miles on, comes the only good opportunity to see Hell's Canyon from Idaho. With an average depth of 5500ft this is the deepest river gorge in the USA, though its low-relief formation, hemmed in by a series of gradually ascending false peaks, means that it lacks the impact of the steep-walled Grand Canyon. Nevertheless, it is impressive, with Oregon's Wallowa and Eagle Cap ranges rising behind it and the river glimmering far down below. Hwy-241 leads towards the overlooks; the final few miles of dirt road require a 4WD vehicle and permission from the Riggins forest ranger office on Hwy-95 (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; tel 208/628-3916). The canyon is also accessible by road from Oregon and by boat from Lewiston.

RIGGINS itself reclines in a steeply rising T-shaped canyon. This is prime white-water rafting country, and outfitters, spread along a one-mile stretch of the one-street village, outnumber cafés and shops. The Chamber of Commerce (tel 208/628-3441) has details. From Riggins, US-95 heads north along the Salmon River Valley for thirty miles to the rumpled terrain around White Bird , the start of Nez Percé country.

There are few compelling reasons to visit industrial LEWISTON , 110 miles north of Riggins (which was Territorial capital for one brief year before Boise took over). One is to drive down the old road into town from the top of Lewiston Hill, just north - what seems like an intricate network of roads crisscrossing a series of mounds is, in fact, a single tarmac ribbon, which twists and turns for several miles down the steep hillside. Another is the Lewiston Round-up , a massive rodeo held on the second weekend of September.

For the rest of the year, the main reason to subject yourself to the nasty smells emanating from the local paper mills is for the fantastic journey down Hell's Canyon on the Salmon River. Boats sail past abandoned mine shafts and Native American caves, with mountain goats, bobcats, snakes and birds of prey adding further interest. Of the various outfitters, Snake River Adventures, 227 Snake River Ave (tel 1-800/262-8874), offers the best value: an all-day, wet-and-wild trip to Granite Creek costs around $120 including lunch. Contact the visitor center on the north side of the Clearwater River at 313 N 2nd St (May-Sept Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; tel 208/746-5172) for other options.

Hell's Canyon Region

• Hell's Canyon Region

Idaho cities


All U.S. city guides