Rooster Tails on the St. Joe River - April 2012 - Photo by Frank Mignerey

It’s is absolutely an event not to miss as the World Championships only come to America once every 4 years, and here it is in the Salmon River Canyon! 17 racers from around the world began the event last weekend on the St. Joe River in north Idaho, before going to the Snake River in the Lewis Clark Valley, then over to the Clearwater River in Orofino.  Each day they thrill fans watching from the rivers’ edge with world class racing.

From a press release issued Monday evening April 16^th  by Kyla Sawyer, the media contact for the 2012 World Jet Boat Races, the current overall standings after day three are as follows:

1.    Mark Cromie, The General, #354, Kamo, New Zealand, 2:49:35

2.    Gord Humphrey, Unnatural Disaster, CDN-1, Fort St. John, British Columbia,  Canada, 2:51:07

3.    Chad Burns, Bad Habit, #339, Peace River, Alberta, Canada, 2:56:00

4.    Ryan Rogers, Pure Insanity, #285, Lewiston, Idaho, USA, 3:05:10

5.    Randy Sundberg, Wild Injurn, #200, McKinnleyville, Calif., USA, 3:20:39

6.    Dale Whiteside, Whitey, #399,  Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, 3:22:34

7.    Spencer King, Sunset Shaker, #388,  Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada, 3:24:51

8.    Duane Carmont, Revelation, #321, Riggins, Idaho, USA, 3:31:15

9.    Rick Hollingsworth, Little Smokey, #55, Valleyview, Alberta, Canada, 3:38:29

10. Tyson Allen, SS Adrenalin, #3, Peace River, Alberta, Canada, 3:54:20

11. Bill Schafer, Bud Light Baller, #343, Spokane Valley, Wash., USA, 4:12:33

12. Shay White, Predator, #51, Meridian, Idaho, USA, 4:30:01

13. Jake Barney, Never Satisfied, #212, Lewiston, Idaho, USA, 5:09:55

14. Terry O’Keefe, Riptear, #211, Monitor, Wash., USA, 5:15:32

15. Jeff Edwardson, Maniac, #269, Orofino, Idaho, USA, 5:55:53

16. Mike Rowe, The Row Boat, #166, Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada, 6:01:43

17. Guy Anderson, Fluid Drive, #234,   USA, 7:11:30

For a complete schedule, go to: facebook.com/2012usa.worldjetboatmarathon.

If you’re in the area to watch the races, we hope you’ll stop by Swiftwater RV Park in White Bird, Idaho and say ‘Hi!’  I’d like to give you a tour of our private Idaho RV Park and campground so when you come back to our beautiful area in north central Idaho, and the gateway to Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, you’ll know exactly which space on our riverfront property you want to reserve! 

We accommodate big rigs to tent camping and motorcyclists.  Our pet-friendly Park is only 17 miles from Hells Canyon, and the immediate area offers outstanding outdoor recreation from fly fishing, bank  fishing and boating for bass, trout, salmon and steelhead.  ATV-riding adventures are a fun way to spend the day and then relax the next day in your lawn chair on our lawn with the BBQ close by.

Enjoy the 2012 races, and welcome to Idaho!

Yellow Jet Boat Racing on Salmon River near Riggins, ID. Photo by Salmon River Photos

Jet boat racers – there could be nearly 40 racers this year, traveling from all over the world – put on an action packed, thrill-filled race for fans and race enthusiasts.  This year they’ll be racing and putting on a great show right here in North Central Idaho from April 13 – 21, 2012!

The final leg of this years World Championship Marathon will take place on the Salmon River in Riggins, just 20 miles south of Swiftwater RV Park and White Bird, Idaho. Starting with a Show ‘N Shine on Thursday April 19^th  in Riggins, racers will have their work cut out for them on Friday and Saturday as they race on one of the most challenging courses anywhere in the world (class ll and lll rapids).  On Saturday evening, the World Champions will be crowned in Riggins at a banquet dinner.

Swiftwater RV Park in the summer

Swiftwater RV Park in north central Idaho is only 20 minutes north of Riggins Idaho where the last leg of the 2012 World Jet Boat Race takes place.  The campground offers a great value, and is situated directly on the banks of the Salmon River, just outside of White Bird Idaho….and only 17 miles from the international destination of Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.  Enjoy thrilling races by day and starry nights at Swiftwater!

Swiftwater RV Idaho campground offers plenty of safe and secure storage area for extra vehicles, boats, trailers, RVs and ATVs. If you belong to a motorcycle club – or just like to enjoy the great outdoors on your bike – we welcome motorcycle clubs and individual cyclists.

All guests have access to free WiFi, and nice big, clean restrooms, showers and laundromat. 

Jet Boat races are interesting and unlike most auto races, jet boats head up the constantly evolving track of river one at a time because the rivers are too narrow and dangerous for side-by-side racing.

Jet Boat racer on the Salmon River in north central Idaho. Photo by Salmon River Photos

Did you know that Idaho has 3,200 miles of whitewater rivers – more than any other state in the lower 48?  This year, racers from across the U.S. as well as from New Zealand, Mexico, and Canada will be testing their abilities on Idaho’s fabulous rivers, ending in Riggins on our challenging class ll and lll rapids.

It’s easy and FREE to see the races. Most spectators find a good rapid or a particularly tricky section of the river and watch, holler and hold their breath from shore, but please respect private property.  Luckily there is plenty of public land along our Idaho rivers.

The Schedule:
April 13 – 15: The St. Joe River, near St. Maries in northern Idaho

April 16 – 17: The Snake River, near Lewiston in the beautiful Lewis-Clark Valley

April 18: The Clearwater River, at Orofino, along the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway

April 19 – 22: The Salmon River, at Riggins, just 20 minutes south of White Bird, Idaho

You can engage with this year’s World Jet Boat Race Marathon event page on Facebook .

For more information about staying at Swiftwater RV Park, send us an email by clicking the link at the top of this page, or give us a call at 208.839.2700

Fisheries managers from the Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) are considering a proposed bag limit of

Winter Fly Fishing at Swiftwater on the Salmon River, Idaho

two adults per day on the lower Salmon River during the upcoming 2012 Idaho fishing season. Great news!  The harvest share on the lower Salmon is expected to be about 8,900, nearly the same as the share in 2011, as per fisheries biologist  Don Whitney. Also, good news!

And the good news continues: IDFG has a goal of managing chinook fishing seasons so they last into early July and allow communities throughout the Clearwater and Salmon river basins to share in the catch.

Steelhead Update

Temps on the river dropped to 36 degrees this morning (Friday, Feb 24), and the White Bird water gauge showed the Salmon River level at just over 6,000 CFS, due to recent heavy rains.  Clear water is flowing by Swiftwater RV Park and is ready for anglers this weekend.  Did you know that the Salmon River is regarded as Idaho’s best steelhead fishing river?

There have been some record number of Steelhead  passing over the Bonneville Dam recently breaking records that are near 50 years old.  Explanations vary from good ocean conditions to water temperature but the biggest explanation experts say is that the court order release of water further down has increased the survival rate of smolts. Trust me, I don’t know the reason, but I’m delighted with this fishing news because it brings out big grins on the faces of Swiftwater RV Park’s guests as they go home with a full ice chest.

Swiftwater RV Park is situated directly on the banks of the Salmon River just 2 miles south of White Bird and provides easy access to bank fishing – great for fly fishermen – and near to several boat ramps.

RV spaces are available at great Winter Rates of $15/night, which includes our free WiFi and use of our big, clean restrooms, showers, and Laundromat.  Give me a call anytime or send an email!

Fun as it might sound, I haven’t seen anyone like this yet, but anything is possible!  Fishermen/women are a common sight around here, as are motorcyclists.  Guess you could call us a ‘fish-and-motorcycle-friendly’ RV Park and campground.

Speaking of fishing, this Winter is turning out be a stellar season for steelhead.  I’ve seen lots of drift boats out in the early morning and anglers returning home with happy grins on their faces and the icebox stuffed full.  The Salmon River near White Bird has no ice with water temps of around 35 degrees, a water level at 3880 CFS and crystal clear visibility. Weather forecasts in the near future are for clear skies and daytime highs in the mid to upper 40’s and evening/early morning temps in the low 30’s. Nice fishing weather makes for a great day on the river, whether you arrived in a pickup or a motorcycle.

Fly fishermen carry quite bit of gear...don't know how they'd navigate on a motorcycle. These folks came by a few weeks ago and spent a few hours casting their lines in the winter water. I know they had fun, but not sure if their icebox was full.

At least you can tell we are a pet-friendly campground!

Back to motorcycle fishing…I just saw a post from a Kawasaki owner in Virginia who posted ”Has anybody devised a way to get a 5 foot rod from point A to piont B on a cruiser? I have looked at the collapsable rods that they sell, but my friend says that to get a good one, you have to pay a lot…..and then, how to get the fish home!?  I know a couple of places where you can fish have grills set up near by, so I could just eat them there… but…..”, that’s in Virginia!  Anyone in Idaho have a solution for the guy?

Whatever your mode of transportation and however you choose to recreate and vacation, Swiftwater RV Park is ready for you…motorcyclist, RV-er, tent camper, 4-wheeler, cyclist.

Hope to see you soon!  Fill out our reservation form to ask a question or inquire about future vacation dates….we’ll be glad to help!

Idaho Pathfinders ATV ride into Pittsburg Landing - photo from IPA

Nothing represents the outdoors like the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

Put the two together, and you’ve got a recipe for a fantastic Memorial Day weekend!

If you’re an ATV enthusiast, circle May 25, 26, 27 & 28 on your 2012 calendar and make your reservations now.  Idaho Pathfinders - a local White Bird ATV Club – along with Harold, are sponsoring this year’s event, which includes three different rides on three different days!

Our neighbor, Killgore Adventures, is the headquarters for this fabulous event.  Learn more about how to sign up, register, and make your camping reservations by downloading the helpful flyer about the 3rd Annual ATV Brochure_Memorial Day 2012 !

I’m not an ATV rider myself, but we have many many guests who make Swiftwater RV Park their destination headquarters for trail rides.  These special guests really appreciate the fact that they can start their ride direct from our campground.  In other words, they don’t have to haul a couple of 4-wheelers and gear to some other place to commence their ride. It’s fun, ‘cuz guests just don their helmet, stash a lunch, water and gear in their ATV and head out the driveway on their excursion.  Big smiles, big grins and happy people….upon departure and return.  I like happy guests!

Swiftwater RV Park’s rural location is a favorite campground for ATV recreationsts because of its close proximity to millions of acres of public lands.  For instance, the Memorial Day ride this year is so great because the Hells Canyon National Recreation area is only 17 miles away! However, the 3 planned trips are exceptional:  Kirkwood Historic Trail Ride is a 78 mile (round trip) ride, and the Big Canyon Ride is 60 miles round trip.  Loads of fun!

Be sure to call Killgore Adventures (208.839.2255) to reserve your camping site and place for this family fun Memorial Day Hells Canyon ATV Ride Weekend and BBQ.

If you want to learn more about Idaho’s ATV Clubs – regional organizations promoting responsible, respectful and safe trail rides on the on the many trails and forest roads throughout Idaho, click this links to ATV organizations:

Blue Ribbon Coalition  Elk City Dust Devils  High Mountain ATV Club   Idaho Pathfinders    North Idaho ATV

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Yikes! Weather temps dipped last night into the low 20′s!  Daytime temps, as indicated by my trusty Oregon Scientific Weather Station, shows we’ve warmed up to 30 degrees here at 11o’clock in the morning. Better get out the shades for a Winter walk, ‘cuz  our beautiful Idaho blue skies make it a dazzling day.

Amazingly, I saw a drift boat float by earlier this morning, with its oarsman bundled up. The guy is either enjoying the crisp morning, or a fisherman hoping to throw out a line to snag a steelhead!  Why that’s amazing is because the boat has to dodge the ice chunks floating on top of the Salmon River.  Sorry, didn’t get a pic of the boat, but you get a sense of the day from these images.

Our Swiftwater RV Park is nearly full with rigs that are placed here in our Winter Storage program from guests residing in the greater McCall, Idaho area.  However, there still are open spaces for folks wanting to come stay for a day..or more…just give us a shout out!

Merry Christmas, and hope to see you next year at Swiftwater RV Park – the best camping value on the Salmon River in Idaho!

Thanks so much for the pleasant and quiet stay at your park. You folks were great. The facilities were the best we found throughout our trip. Your prices are very reasonable. If we are ever out there again, we will be sure to look you folks up.

He’d have SwiftWater RV Park tattooed to his forehead, he loved it so much…(our veteran comic).