The Best River Rafting Trips in Washington State

No one knows river rafting in Washington State better than Blue Sky Outfitters. With 26 years of experience, our trips are truly the best in the state. It is our pleasure to guide you down various rivers in both Western and Eastern Washington. We offer a range of trips, from family fun to high adventures, beginner to advanced, we have the perfect river rafting trip for you. The rivers below boast various skill levels, scenery, and excitement.

For 2008 we’ve hand-picked the following trips as the best Washington has to offer:

Skagit River Rafting Trips (Class 1 and 2-3)
» Lower Skagit Float Trip (Class 1)
» Upper Skagit Whitewater (Class 2-3)
» Skagit River Overnighters (Class 1 and 2-3)
» Special Event: Bald Eagle Tours (Class 1)

Wenatchee River Rafting Trips (Class 3-3+ and 3-4)
» Full-Day Trip (Class 3-3+)
» Wenatchee Express (Half-Day) (Class 3-3+)
» Wenatchee/Methow Overnighter (Class 3-4)

Methow River Rafting Trips (Class 3-4)
» Full-Day Trip (Class 3-4)
» Methow/Wenatchee Overnighter (Class 3-4)

Tieton River Rafting Trips (Class 3-4)

White Salmon River Rafting Trips (Class 3-4 with optional Class 5)

Skagit River Rafting Trips

At the Western entrance to the North Cascades, the Skagit River offers both a whitewater section and a flatwater section. Our Skagit River trips are based at the Blue Sky Outfitters Skagit River Ranch and B&B, which offers lodging, camping, and many other amenities. Just over two hours north of Seattle.

Upper Skagit

Class 2-3. Perfect for beginners, families, kids (minimum age 5), and those just looking for a relaxing, fun way to spend the day. The Upper Skagit offers a beautiful float trip with a mixture of Class 2-3 whitewater excitement. This Wild and Scenic River floats right through the North Cascades National Park. Wildlife, mountainous scenery, and aqua-marine water make this a Northwest classic. Including the BBQ, this trip is about 4.5-5.5 hours long (depending on the water level).

Lower Skagit

Class 1 float trip (minimum age 3). Float amongst beautiful Northwest scenery, play games, waterfight, and view wildlife. The Lower Skagit can be enjoyed by all ages – bring the entire family. Also a great option for those that want to enjoy the river but would rather pass on the whitewater. Including the BBQ, this trip is about 4.5-5.5 hours long (depending on the water level).

Skagit River Overnighters

Class 1 or Class 2-3. Enjoy the Skagit River for two or more days! Let us do all the cooking and be our guest at the campsite at our Skagit River Ranch. Spend your whole stay on the Upper Skagit or the Lower Skagit or any combination of both stretches. Or upgrade your trip and stay at our Bed and Breakfast for a luxury getaway.

Special Event: Skagit River Bald Eagle Tours

Class 1 float trip (minimum age 3). November - March. Every winter the Skagit River is visited by up to 500 bald eagles and we offer raft trips to view the Skagit eagles. During the peak of the season, you might see up to 300 eagles during your trip. An unforgettable winter outing - makes a great holiday gift!

Wenatchee River Rafting Trips

Just 15 minutes from Leavenworth and 2 hours east of Seattle, the Wenatchee River will accommodate most everyone and is a Washington State favorite. Whether you’re a skittish first timer or an experienced whitewater pro (minimum age 8), you'll love rafting the Wenatchee River – it’s one of the top 10 whitewater rafting trips in the country! The combination of hot weather and the biggest waves in the state (at highwater, some reach over 16 feet tall) make this our most popular river trips. The Wenatchee is a perfect river for small or big groups - whether you have a group of 2 or 300, the Wenatchee is the place to be!

Wenatchee River Day Trip

Class 3-3+. This version of our Wenatchee River trip is a full day tour, and includes our Choice Top Sirloin Steak BBQ and covers up to 17 miles of the Wenatchee River. Including the BBQ, this trip is usually about 4-5 hours long (depends on water levels).

Wenatchee River Express (Half-Day Trip)

Class 3-3+. Not much time? The "express" version of our Wenatchee rafting trip is for you! On this trip, we take you through just the most action-packed part of our full trip. Our “express” trip covers 10 miles. (Express trips do not include meals.) The trip is about 2-3 hours long, depending on the water level.

Wenatchee/Methow Overnighter

Two days, two rivers, twice the fun! The best way to experience the Wenatchee and Methow rivers is all in one weekend. After spending day one on the Wenatchee River, you’ll have the rest of the afternoon to explore the surrounding towns of the Leavenworth, Lake Chelan, or the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Make your way up to the Methow River and spend the evening relaxing on the river’s edge at Lightning Pine Resort where your campsite will be waiting. Day two begins with breakfast and then we head down the Methow River where your river rafting adventure will continue. After the trip, you'll enjoy a pork chop BBQ and finish with enough time to drive over the North Cascades Scenic Highway (if you are returning to the west side of the state). This is the perfect way to get a double dose of whitewater!

Methow River Rafting Trips

Class 3-4 (minimum age 8). If you want to get away from it all and enjoy some great whitewater on the hot side of the state then we suggest the Methow River for your rafting trip. The Methow River is located in the heart of Okanogan County, surrounded by apple and pear orchards and just off the Cascade Loop. Winthrop and Lake Chelan are short distances away. The Methow River is a big water river with huge roller coaster waves and is best anytime in May or June.

Methow River Day Trip

This is our standard trip on the Methow River, covering 12 miles. There’s lots of great camping and usually plenty of hot, dry, Eastern Washington sunshine. If you love the Wenatchee, you’ll love the Methow. Both rivers have huge waves and holes, and lots of excitement!

Methow/Wenatchee Overnighter

Class 3-4. Looking for more than just a day trip? Let us take you on the full experience. This trip is the best of Washington State river rafting. This overnighter combines two “big-water” rivers, the Methow and the Wenatchee, to give you more excitement than any other trip!

Tieton River Rafting Trip

Class 3-4 (minimum age 10). Late August - Early October. When the late summer heat starts to dry up the rest of Washington State’s rivers, the dam at Rimrock Lake is opened and the Tieton River becomes the fastest (and warmest!) river in the state. This is a non-stop action packed river and our longest river rafting trip (and our Tieton trips are longer than any other outfitter)! Located on the sunny, eastern side of White Pass, this river is just 30 minutes outside of Yakima (3 hours from Seattle). Come enjoy the last whitewater run of the season!

White Salmon River Rafting Trip

Class 3-4 (with optional Class 5 waterfall. minimum age 10). The White Salmon is located in Washington State, just an hour and a half north-east of Portland and just 20 minutes from Hood River, Oregon. This is our most thrilling trip, with lots of fun and challenging pool-drop rapids in a lush secluded canyon created by the lava flows off of Mt. Adams...not to mention, we get to raft over the 14 foot Husum Falls! The White Salmon is recommended for experienced paddlers and first time rafters who are in relatively good shape and ready to take on the challenge of a technical class IV river. This river requires precise paddling and quick maneuvering, so good boating skills are a must. The White Salmon is best in July and August. We wait for the water to come down on this one because at higher flows the pool-drop rapids get washed out and the waterfall must be portaged, so it is a much better ride after the big melt has passed. It will definitely be one of the most beautiful and exciting rafting trips you will ever take!

Online Booking Now Available!

Click on any of the links below to check available dates, book your trip, and ask us any questions.

Or, if you'd prefer, feel free to give us a call at (206)938-4030 or (800)228-RAFT or send us an email. We'd be happy to help you plan the perfect trip.