Half-Day Rafting Trips

Half Day trips are approximately 8 miles in length. Your group should plan on about 3 hours for this adventure.

We have both 6-7 and 8-9 person rafts. On our family friendly Class II/III trips, the half-day Main Payette raft trip and the full-day Cabarton North Fork Payette raft trip, we use both sizes of rafts. On our more adventurous class III/IV trips, the half-day Staircase South Fork Payette raft trip and the full-day Canyon South Fork Payette raft trip, we only use our 6-7 person rafts. If your group is larger than the capacity of one boat, we’ll spilt you into as many boats as needed! Note: The total person count does not include your raft guide.

Wear a swimsuit with quick-drying clothes over the top. You’ll also want secure footwear that can get wet, such as old sneakers, water shoes or sandals with a back strap. Skip the flip-flops. The river likes to eat them.

What you wear can vary depending on when you visit. Summer trips are typically warm and sunny, but the Payette River itself stays cold, so quick-drying layers are your best friend. For early and late-season trips, when air temperatures can be cooler, you may want an extra layer for before and after your trip. Bear Valley can also provide wetsuits, splash tops and neoprene booties when conditions call for additional protection from the cold.

You’ll want to bring a towel and a complete change of dry clothes to leave in the car for afterward. And while sunscreen is a must, remember that anything you bring onto the raft has the potential to get wet, so leave valuables and anything you don’t want to lose at home.

Absolutely!! We take photos of all of our trips through some of the more exciting rapids. After you return, you can view and purchase photos at our site or also online.

8-9 for our half-day Main Payette rafting trips and full-day Cabarton North Fork Payette rafting trips. 6 for our half-day Staircase South Fork Payette rafting trips and full-day Canyon South Fork Payette trips. 

Class III whitewater typically features large, splashy waves and some maneuvering around rocks to make sure the raft runs down the correct line. Class IV is considerably more technical, requiring careful navigation of multiple obstacles (rocks, river bends, hydraulic features), to find the perfect spot for the safest, best splash.

On our family-friendly Class II/III trips, the half-day Main Payette raft trip and the full-day Cabarton North Fork Payette raft trip, we welcome kids as young as 4 years old. On our more adventurous Class III/IV trips, the half-day Staircase South Fork Payette raft trip and the full-day Canyon South Fork Payette raft trip, we require all participants be at least 12 years old.