Scenic Rafting

Find your flow on the wild and scenic snake.

Relax on the river as you gaze into the mountains and look out for wildlife.

The 1,078-mile-long Snake River starts in Yellowstone National Park on the Two Ocean Plateau, and for roughly 50 miles it winds toward Jackson past stunning Teton views. Various permitted outfitters offer scenic float trips on flatwater sections of the Snake, both inside and south of Grand Teton National Park. A scenic float in the national park has dramatic Teton views, while outside the park can be more convenient and just as beautiful. It’s common to spot wildlife like moose, eagles, beavers, and even bears, especially on early morning or sunset floats.

Scenic Rafting on the Snake River in Jackson Hole.

Questions about scenic rafting in Jackson Hole

If you’re rafting with a permitted outfitter, they will handle all permitting requirements in whichever local waters you’re riding.

When going on your own, proper permits are required depending on your location!
In Grand Teton National Park, “all boats are required to have a Grand Teton Boat Permit prior to launching on any of the park’s waters,” which can be purchased at recreation.gov or GTNP Visitor Centers. More here.
In Bridger-Teton National Forest, boat permits are required for groups of 15 or more. More info and the group application can be found here.
For boats being transported into Wyoming, Game and Fish conducts watercraft inspections at ports of entry and major waters around the state. All persons transporting watercraft must stop at open check stations. More here.

Even sections of the Snake River that seem gentle require significant skill and precaution to navigate on your own. While scenic sections don’t have rapids, they do have multiple — and constantly changing — braids (or channels) and obstacles. Be sure to check a local guide shop to understand river conditions and ensure you’re properly equipped. A sign at the boat ramp at Dornan’s, just outside of Grand Teton National Park’s southern entrance reads “Only a highly skilled person familiar with this river should pilot a vessel.” So if you’re looking for a truly worry-free experience, go with a guide and focus on looking for eagles, black and grizzly bears, moose, beavers, and common goldeneye.

Clean, Drain, Dry
Wyoming Game & Fish instructs all boaters, “When leaving a waterbody, remove all visible plant material and excess mud from the boat and trailer, pull all plugs for transport, allow all compartments to drain in between uses and lower the motor to completely drain… Never move water, plants or animals from one body of water to another.”
When transporting a raft or boat into Wyoming, Game and Fish requires watercraft inspections at ports of entry, other border locations, and major waters around the state. An inspection for a “cleaned, drained, and dried” boat takes 3 to 5 minutes while a high-risk boat may need to undergo decontamination which may take 30 minutes to an hour or more.

Across the U.S., 226 rivers and streams totaling more than 13,400 miles are protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Snake River headwater’s Wild and Scenic River system includes 400 miles of rivers and streams in and around Jackson Hole. Wild and Scenic is the U.S.’s strongest form of protection for free-flowing rivers and streams and is only granted to “the most special waterways in the world,” says Aaron Pruzan, the founder and owner of Rendezvous River Sports and a Jackson Hole paddler since 1991. “It’s a distinction given to only a fraction of 1% of all rivers and streams in the country.”

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Scenic Rafting

Find your flow on the wild and scenic snake.

Questions about scenic rafting in Jackson Hole

Relax and sightsee on the river

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Adventure starts here.

#VisitJacksonHole

Stay Wild Guide

Live by the wild rules.

Where the West lives on.

Questions about scenic rafting in Jackson Hole

Do I need a permit for rafting?

Can I raft a scenic section of the Snake on my own?

How can I protect from invasive water species?

What’s a “Wild and Scenic River”?

Relax and sightsee on the river

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Adventure starts here.

#VisitJacksonHole

Live by the
wild rules.

Where the
West lives on.