Missoula is known for its mountain ranges since it’s the “hub of the five valleys” but don’t forget about the Clark Fork River!

Only 45 minutes outside of Missoula lies some of Montana’s finest whitewater rafting in the Alberton Gorge. It’s a guaranteed good time if you find yourself out in the Gorge!

Views from the Clark Fork River in Missoula.

We were lucky enough to spend a full afternoon out on the gorge white water rafting.

The trip is the perfect combination of pretty scenery, relaxation, and adventure. It’s a trip that the whole family can take part in and it’s truly enjoyable for everyone.

Get ready to enjoy a splashy ride and beautiful scenery through the gorge which was formed by ancient ice age floods!

Whitewater rafting in Missoula, Montana.

The rapids themselves are quite spread out along the gorge which gives you time to relax and enjoy the birds, eagles, and other wildlife roaming the gorge.

You will also have time to take photos, hop in the water for a swim, or even go cliff jumping! You’ll be sure to have the best of all worlds cruising down the Clark Fork.

Bald Eagle sitting on a rock.

Disclosure: This post has been created in collaboration with Wiley E Waters. Thank you again for having us!

River rafting on the Clark Fork near Missoula

If you’re looking for an adventure and want to experience some of Missoula’s best whitewater rafting with a very friendly and experienced crew then Wiley E Waters is worth every penny. You can check out Wiley E Waters reviews on Tripadvisor here.

Montana alone has blown us away in every way and this rafting tour was the cherry on top!

Clark Fork River near Missoula.
Dom enjoying the views on the Clark Fork River.
Jo enjoying views during her whitewater rafting trip.

The two staff members who guided our adventure, Nora and Ryan, truly made the experience fun for everyone.

The staff was super friendly and very professional and at the same time, they made the trip fun and relaxing. What more can you ask for?

Nora and Ryan shared facts and information about the Gorge and even fun stories for the most gullible guests. We made friends with everyone and that’s a big part of an excursion when you’re with a group of people for 5+ hours.

We only have good things to take away from the experience with the staff and the atmosphere with Wiley E Waters. 

Even though the weather wasn’t ideal they gave us everything we needed to feel comfortable on the water. Including wet suits and dry bags. 

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Starting point for the white water rafting trip with Wiley E

The tour itself starts at the Wiley E Waters “meeting place” in Superior just 45 minutes outside of Missoula.

There you will drop your car off in a gated yard so you don’t have to worry about it while you’re out rafting.

From there the staff takes care of the rest. The directions are here and it’s very easy to find with the company’s signs being in front of the “meeting spot”. 

Wiley E waters river rafting logo.

What’s included on this white water rafting trip

1. All the gear you need

Dry bags, wet suits, life jackets, beer, you name it and they got it. As long as you come in a they will cover the rest and you’ll be set to go in any weather!

2. Rapids

The Gorge itself offers a wide variety of rapids from class 1-4 which makes the trip quite exciting. If you’re feeling like getting extra wet then make sure to sit in the front and if you’re lucky enough you may even be able to ride the bull, just ask one of the guides nicely! 😉

Bald Eagle in Missoula, Montana.

3. Swimming

There are multiple areas along the trip where you’ll be able to hop in the river and take a swim. Especially on a warm summer day, you’ll definitely want to jump in and enjoy the cool, floating water.

4. Cliff Jumping

If you’re lucky enough the guides will show you the special spot where the river is deep enough to cliff jump. The rock itself has multiple good spots to jump from and the heigh from these spots vary. It’s perfect for everyone because then you can go as high as your comfort zone allows you to go.

Cliff jumping in the Gorge.

5. Food

You will definitely get hungry along the trip. Luckily, Wiley E Waters comes with an awesome lunch and an even better view. We stopped for lunch just over halfway down the river.

The guide set up the buffet and then we enjoyed some delicious sandwiches, salads, crackers, cheese, chips, beans, cookies, and water. There are vegetarian options available. The food was great and it was a perfect spot to relax for a bit before completing the last part of the trip.

Whitewater rafting in Missoula, Montana.

6. Experienced and friendly guides 

It’s good to know you can trust your guide, especially during an outdoor activity like this since it could be slightly dangerous for someone who is not experienced with rafting (yup, that’s us, lol)!

River rafting on the Gorge near Missoula.
River rafting on the Clark Fork River in Missoula.

Luckily, Nora and Ryan were very professional and taught us everything we needed to know while giving us a good laugh at the same time.

They definitely make you feel comfortable being on the river and always assist you in any way possible. We had a blast with them!

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Recap of white water rafting in Missoula

We hope you’re going to enjoy your afternoon out on the water with Wiley E Waters as much as we did.

Hopefully, tumbleweed makes you soaked and you have a blast ripping up the rapids along the Clark Fork River!

Have you been river rafting before? If yes, where did you try it? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to share this post on Pinterest if you like it 🙂

Have fun!

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Pin graphic with a white water rafting boat in the Clark Fork River in Missoula
Pin graphic of a girl looking at the Clark Fork River in Missoula while wearing a life jacket from Wiley E Waters

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8 Comments

  1. Kat on August 26, 2019 at 10:29 am

    Looks like you guys had a blast! So cool. I went rafting in Turkey when I was 13, it’s def time for another try, maybe in America! Thanks for the tips!

    • redwhiteadventures on August 26, 2019 at 6:43 pm

      That must’ve been so much fun! But yes, definitely time for you to go again 😉 Wiley E Waters are both in Spokane and Missoula so if you head north west they’re definitely worth a visit!
      – Jo

  2. Charu Goyal on August 30, 2019 at 2:40 pm

    This trip looks so much fun! Loved reading about it!

    • redwhiteadventures on September 5, 2019 at 11:05 pm

      Thank you! It was super fun! Have you river rafted before? 🙂
      – Jo

  3. Merrie Rodriguez on August 31, 2019 at 11:23 pm

    Oh!! That sighting of the bald eagle is so cool!!

    • redwhiteadventures on September 5, 2019 at 11:06 pm

      Thank you! We actually saw a few throughout the trip. It was pretty amazing 🙂
      – Jo

  4. Josy A on August 31, 2019 at 11:53 pm

    Woow it looks like you had great fun! I would both love and hate this! I mean, I’d love the adventure, but I have almost drowned a couple of times, so I always find rafting really scary (especially if/when the boat tips)

    • redwhiteadventures on September 5, 2019 at 11:09 pm

      That’s terrible! Was it a pretty wild trip you were on? No risk of drowning here (I mean there’s always a risk but it’s very unlikely) since the trip was fairly calm and the guides were really good! 🙂 Our boat didn’t tip at all. Maybe next time you go it’s worth going towards the end of the season when the river is lower?
      – Jo

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