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Banner photo of the South Fork of the Snake River by Jacob Haeberle

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"Since we all live downstream, we all must take care of the headwaters. That is my reason for loving the whole Salmon watershed." -Devon Barker-Hicks, Little Salmon, Idaho. • For more stories from those who love the South Fork of the Salmon River and to learn why this river is one of America's Most Endangered Rivers, visit our website. • 📸: courtesy of @devonbarkerhicks #mer2018 #mostendangeredrivers #idahorivers #ifyouloveariver #whyiloveariver #findyourriver #savethesouthforksalmon #southforksalmonalliance #peopleofthesouthforksalmon #nonewmines #waterbeforegold #protectwhatyoulove #idahoisthebest #kayakidaho #wildidaho #exploreidaho #idahoriversunited
We’re proud to have helped designate the Bruneau River as a federally protected Wild and Scenic river in 2009. Now, nine years later, we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Bruneau is easily as deserving as any river in the nation. • 📸: @westernperspective • #wildandscenic #idahome #whitewaterkayaking #idahorivers #rivers #wildandscenicriver #canyon #landscapephotography
This is Clear Creek, a tributary of the South Fork of the Payette near Lowman. The creek’s upper basin burned hot in the Pioneer Fire a few years ago and is growing back slow. The lower canyon, meanwhile, is full of timber, blooming syringa and arrowleaf balsamroot right now. • 📸: @westernperspective • #idahorivers #idaho #idahome #springtime #idahoexplored #idaholove #riverlove #whyiloveariver
"The wildlife and scenery are so spectacular. I love to sit in camp during a multi-day run down the South Salmon canyon and watch what I call ‘elk TV.’ The hillsides are so lush and green in the springtime. Wildlife abounds throughout the canyon. I have seen everything from bears, sheep (somewhat rare these days), elk, deer, eagles and so much more. I have also had the opportunity to see steelhead on redds below Poverty Flats. What a magical experience. Paddling is my passion, but protection of this watershed for our wildlife and fish is my number one concern. We need to do more to protect our wild salmon.” -Nathan Todd, McCall, Idaho. • For more stories from those who love the South Fork of the Salmon River and to learn why this river is one of America's Most Endangered Rivers, visit our website. • 📸: courtesy of Nathan Todd #mer2018 #mostendangeredrivers #idahorivers #ifyouloveariver #whyiloveariver #findyourriver #savethesouthforksalmon #southforksalmonalliance #peopleofthesouthforksalmon #nonewmines #waterbeforegold #protectwhatyoulove #idahoisthebest #kayakidaho #wildidaho #exploreidaho #idahoriversunited
Today is Endangered Species Day. This is Lonesome Larry the only sockeye salmon to return to Idaho in 1992. Larry is an Idaho icon. He spawned hope for the future of his species, and for people who value the treasure of wild salmon. Learn more about his story by following the link in our bio. We want to encourage you to support salmon restoration. We need to boost our efforts for Idaho's incredible wild sockeye salmon. Hatchery programs are only short-term fixes, costly to the public at large. The short-sighted causes for catastrophic decline of this remarkable species remain fixed in place, blocking the way of long term recovery. #endangeredspeciesday #lonesomelarry #wildsexforwildfish #idahoisforspawners #idaho #idahome #idahorivers
It’s that brilliant time of year when you can paddle near any river in Idaho. This is the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River, one of the state’s most outstanding expert-level stretches. • 📸: @rickey.minder • #kayaking #kayakingadventures #idahome #idahorivers #idaho #wildriver #salmonriver #whitewater #whitewaterkayaking #savethesouthfork #waterbeforegold #endangeredriver
Today! We can't do it without you! Idaho is a special place, that gives us so much. Take a moment to give today by contributing to IRU, Idaho's river guardians. . You can help us today for as little as $10! Link in bio. . 📸: IRU archives #idahorivers #ifyouloveariver #whyiloveariver #findyourriver #wildsalmonforever #idahogives #idahoanscare #donate #supportyourvalues #nonprofitsuccess #helpushelpyou #speakfortherivers #protectwhatyoulove #idahoriversunited
Why do you give? Why are Idaho's rivers important to You? We want to know! Tell us in the comments! Join us tomorrow for Idaho Gives and become part of the legacy of protecting Idaho's rivers. We will be at @payettebrewing from 5-8. Come on down and donate during that time to help us win a matching fund!! Or donate online, link is in our profile. 📷 @alexhyman357 #idahogives #idahome #idahononprofits #idahorivers #protectwhatyoulove #wildsteelhead #wildsalmon #speakfortherivers #ifyouloveariver
Cool, clean streams and rivers, Idaho's famous for them. You know what Idaho is also famous for? People who love rivers! . Do you love rivers? . Do you want to see Idaho's rivers preserved and protected? . Give to Idaho Rivers United this Thursday, May 3, for Idaho Gives. . Show us how much you care by contributing to IRU, Idaho's river guardians! . Find the website in our profile. 📸: @idahoavadventures #idahorivers #ifyouloveariver #whyiloveariver #findyourriver #idahome #protectwhatyoulove #idahoisthebest #cleanwaterforidaho #saveidahosrivers #supportidahoriversunited #wildsalmonforever #idahogives2018 #idahogives #idahoanscare #donate #supportyourvalues #nonprofitsuccess #helpushelpyou #speakfortherivers #idahoriversunited
"The South Salmon is the reason I moved to McCall from Maine 18 years ago and have made it my full-time residence. Idaho wilderness is simply stunning. It calls to me like nowhere else on the planet. . My profession takes me across the globe for approximately 26 weeks a year, leading wilderness trips and teaching river rescue and first aid classes. The best part of traveling? Coming home to Idaho. . I've been paddling since 1989 and have been on rivers in nine countries including some first descents in wildly remote places. The South Salmon continues to be my all-time favorite river. I can't even put a finger on it. Don't really need to. We just go there and we get it. It is truly special." -Nate Ostis, McCall, Idaho. . For more stories from those who love the South Fork of the Salmon River and to learn why this is one of America's Most Endangered Rivers, visit our website. . 📸: Courtesy of Nate Ostis #idahorivers #mer2018 #endangeredrivers #peopleofthesouthforksalmon #southforksalmonalliance #savethesouthfork #nonewmines #waterbeforegold #protectwhatyoulove #ifyouloveariver #whyiloveariver #findyourriver #idahoisthebest #exploreidaho #kayakidaho #wildidaho
Yesterday, two of Idaho's leaders failed to stand up for our native species and we couldn't be more dissapointed. The U.S. House of Representatives voted against Idaho’s endangered wild salmon and the families who depend on them today when it voted 225 - 189 to approve a bill overturning a federal judge’s order. It’s disappointing when elected leaders from Idaho either don’t recognize the importance of the legacy of wild fish in Idaho or, worse, put that legacy in further jeopardy for short-sighted political reasons. This bill would roll back these hard-won protections for salmon. Idaho’s salmon need more help today, not less. Salmon need healthier rivers and safer passage past dams, not new barriers to survival and recovery. We’ll be looking to the Senate now for help stopping this bill that not only upsets the balance of power in our government, but puts an Idaho legacy unnecessarily at risk. Follow link in profile to read the press release. And please stay tuned for how you can help stop this bill. #idahorivers #ifyouloveariver #wildsalmonforever #protectwhatyoulove #advocacy #idahosalmon #wildfish #idahoriversunited #speakforsalmon
More than 100 people turned out Saturday in Boise to show what happens when we all do our part. They collected more than 50 bags of trash along the Boise River from Barber Park downstream to Municipal Park. Remember that more trash will show as high water continues to recede, so we can all follow this example and do our part. Also a big thanks to our event sponsors and partners: Proof Eyewear, Chums and Idaho Sierra Club. • 📸: Mike Bachman • #earthday2018 #earthday #idahorivers #boiseriver #boiserivergreenbelt #whyiloveariver #ifyouloveariver #springtime #rivercleanup
"I first saw the headwaters of the South Fork Salmon with my grandparents when I was a young child and had no clue that the sport of kayaking existed. Even then, I felt a strong connection with the area. The ragged mountains with their granite spires and formidable peaks spoke to the part of my imagination that needs to know there are wild, hard-to-get-to places left in our country, though I certainly couldn't have put it into these words then. Years later I was lucky enough to kayak the South Fork Salmon. I have been back almost every year since--the area has a powerful hold over me.” -Darcy Gaechter, Glenwood Springs, Colorado. • For more stories from those who love the South Fork of the Salmon River and to learn why this river is one of America's Most Endangered Rivers, visit our website. • 📸: courtesy of Darcy Gaechter #mer2018 #mostendangeredrivers #idahorivers #ifyouloveariver #whyiloveariver #findyourriver #savethesouthforksalmon #southforksalmonalliance #peopleofthesouthforksalmon #nonewmines #waterbeforegold #protectwhatyoulove #idahoisthebest #kayakidaho #wildidaho #exploreidaho #idahoriversunited
ACTION ALERT! Act now to stop the 'Salmon Extinction Act'. A small group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives, including Idaho's Rep. Raul Labrador, are pushing anti-salmon legislation to roll back protections and overturn court decisions favorable for salmon. . Ask your representatives to stop HR 3144 and protect wild salmon and steelhead from extinction. Your most important points are to say: 1) Idaho's salmon matter to you (and why), and 2) H.R 3144 is bad for Idaho's salmon, communities, and economy. . Representative Mike Simpson 202.225.5531 Representative Raul Labrador 202.225.6611. . For more information, check our website. #linkinbio 📸: Steve Petitt #idahorivers #ifyouloveariver #whyiloveariver #findyourriver #wildsalmonforever #speakforsalmon #protectwhatyoulove #advocacy #civicengagement #getinvolved #idahosalmon #wildfish #idahoriversunited
The South Fork of the Salmon River is considered one of America's Most Endangered Rivers. IRU and @americanrivers are working to save the river from significant threats of a proposed mine. . Do you have a South Fork Salmon story? We'd love to hear it, and so would other South Fork advocates.Come down to Sockeye Brewing (Fairview) tomorrow night, April 18, at 6:30pm to tell us all about it. . 📸: Scott Acker, McCall. #idahorivers#ifyouloveariver #whyiloveariver #findyourriver #savethesouthfork #mer2018 #endangeredrivers #peopleofthesouthforksalmon #southforksalmonalliance #nonewmines #waterbeforegold #protectwhatyoulove #idahome #exploreidaho #visitidaho #getoutstayout #raftidaho #idahowhitewater
“Being on the river, it’s like falling in love. You can’t explain why you are drawn to a person, but you are. The South Fork of the Salmon is just that, falling in love. It is something inside me drawn to that river, every time. I can’t explain it entirely, and it almost seems irrational how much I can feel it and be overwhelmed by it. Being on the South Fork and knowing that river, that is love.” -Cooper Lambla, Charlotte, North Carolina • Follow the link in our profile to read about why the South Fork is one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers and what you can do to help. • 📸: courtesy of Cooper Lambla #mer2018 #idahorivers #kayaking #rafting #endangeredrivers #whyiloveariver #idahome #idaho #salmonriver #savethesouthfork #findyourriver #kayakidaho #idahoriversunited
Featured
Sawtooth Salmon Festival
Aug 25
Sawtooth Salmon Festival
24th annual Auction for the Rivers
Oct 13
24th annual Auction for the Rivers