Adventure Missoula offers family rafting trips, scenic river floats, private trips, family fishing outings, fly fishing, horseback riding, inflatable kayaking, and flotillas; adventure tours for all ages in the Missoula area. Read about whitewater and scenic float descriptions below!
Adventure Missoula is the original outfitter of whitewater rafting through the famed Alberton Gorge on the Clark Fork River. Our experienced staff will provide a fun and safe experience for people of all ages! Rafting the Clark Fork is considered to be the best whitewater family friendly rafting in the state and world-class. We have a central location right on the river for our whitewater and scenic family rafting trips.
Family Rafting Trips Missoula
Alberton Gorge Whitewater: Montana’s premier whitewater location is the Alberton Gorge, located just minutes from Missoula on the Clark Fork River. The Gorge is a beautiful steep-walled canyon section of the Clark Fork that makes for a perfect hot summer day trip. With class II and III whitewater this is a great trip for beginners and experts alike with lots of splash and plenty of swimming opportunities. The best time of year to raft the river is late June through early August. Adventure Missoula is located right at the put in with a gift shop and private parking. Take the whole family on a trip that will be remembered forever. A favorite of locals, the whitewater trips are located 30 miles west of Missoula on the Clark Fork River, just off interstate 90. This Class III whitewater run is high adventure, with five rollicking rapids. It wends its way through thick forests and cool rock formations and has plenty of sandy beaches perfect for lunch or just kicking back. Be on the lookout for bald eagles and osprey. We offer both half- and full-day adventures on the Gorge. Early season in the spring is ages 16+, then 12+ and by the time we get to July or August ages 7 or 5+ are allowed. Call us! 406-813-0595
Family Scenic Floats: Located just 15 minutes away from our headquarters, this is the most popular scenic stretch of river near Missoula. The Tarkio Canyon Clark Fork River Scenic Float features beautiful river formations, wildlife, stunning views, sandy beaches, and deep emerald swimming holes. It makes this section one of our region’s best-kept secrets. This section of the Clark Fork is ideal for swimming and begins at geologically-inspiring canyon walls. Participants float through a ponderosa pine forest and have the option to enjoy a class II rapid or go around it. The trip run is 4 miles long making about a three hour float depending on flows and paddling. Your guide does all the paddling! We suggest ages 4+ but can take younger children with your family on private trips as well.
The Rivers: Looking for a family rafting trip? Missoula is home to three rivers, the Blackfoot, the Bitterroot, and the Clark Fork River. Approximately 45 miles from the Idaho border, it is a popular destination boasting small town charm with bigger city style restaurants and jungle traffic on vacationers routes to Glacier National Park or Yellowstone National Park. The Clark Fork River enters the Missoula Valley from the east through Hellgate Canyon after joining the nearby Blackfoot River at the site of the former Milltown Dam. The Bitterroot River and multiple smaller tributaries join the Clark Fork on the western edge of Missoula. The city also sits at the convergence of five mountain ranges: the Bitterroot Mountains, Sapphire Range, Garnet Range, Rattlesnake Mountains, and the Reservation Divide, thus is often described as being the “hub of five valleys”. Adventure Missoula acknowledges that we are in the homelands of the Salish and Kalispel people. We offer our respect for their history and culture, for their ancient and continuing presence in this landscape, and for the path they have shown us in caring for this beautiful place for generations to come. The Salish, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreille, Blackfeet, and Shoshone people were here long prior to the settlers in the 1800s and are an important part of local culture.
Why we think you should go with us:
We have solar panels that power our staff and shop. We are a paperless company.
We provide locally sourced lunches and grow our own food for our guests at our farm and shop.
We employ local guides to make your trip authentic.
We are the oldest outfitter on the legendary Alberton Gorge Whitewater stretch (since 1976) and are loyal to it and respect its multifaceted ecosystem by leave no trace practices and utilizing reusable dishware.
Our adventures focus on education and recreating responsibly in our wilderness areas.
We believe our purpose and cause is larger than ourselves and that small intimate memorable experiences in nature have the potential to inspire change, instill values and beliefs, and should be shared with others.
Reserve a whitewater rafting or family scenic float trip with us 7 days a week April through October, weather permitting!
