Alaska: Rainbow River Lodge

Non-Guided Rafting trips in the Katmai, Alaska

Mention the name Alaska and it immediately conjures up a visual palette of brown bears, eagles, glaciers, orcas, and sled dogs. Most importantly are the images of fish, wild and plentiful. But for the majority of anglers, those images are reserved for the Kenai Peninsula or alongside the limited Alaska Highway system. An overwhelming amount of Alaska real estate is accessible by either float plane or raft.

The prospects of arranging a self guided Alaska float trip can seem daunting but Chad Hewitt of Alaska Rainbow River Lodge has simplified the process and in addition, kept the cost quite manageable. 8 friends and I have had the pleasure of two amazing trips down the American Creek during the past 3 years using Alaska Rainbow River Lodge as our outfitter/transportation. The lodge remains in the heart of the Katmai national park. In addition to a superlative Alaska lodge experience, Chad offers access to 6 different rivers in the Katmai just south of Lake Iliamna.

The Trip

Whether your interests lie in chasing fat wild leopard spotted rainbow trout, or salmon that will chase skated deer hair patterns, the Katmai can accommodate you. For the package price of $1700 per person, Rainbow River lodge provides all the rafting and camping gear plus floatplane roundtrip transport from Iliamna to your river of choice. Your only responsibility is fishing gear, food and license. Given the airline’s shift in policy to charge for one or more bags, this makes packing for Alaska much simple and cheaper. You have to arrange separately airfare to Anchorage and from Anchorage to Iliamna. But trust me, the flight from Anchorage to Ilaimna is almost worth taking the trip to Alaska in and of itself as you pass over Lake Clark pass.

One thing that can’t be captured in a brochure or website is what a pleasant resource Chad Hewitt has been as we have planned these trips. Chad’s knowledge base and enthusiasm were instrumental in helping our party pick the river system to float and the time of the year. Chad can help you as you decide on the wilderness experience for your group. Either way, the decision is yours to pick the species and difficulty of float that you want to choose for a trip of a lifetime. You really owe it to yourself to get away from the crowds and get out to see backcountry Alaska. It will be an experience of a lifetime that you’ll want to do again and again. Yes, you ‘all have the opportunity to catch lots of wild fat fish, and to see brown bears up close. But most importantly, you’ll have the chance to make a memory that won’t fade over time. The first step to taking the ultimate adventure in one of the world’s last wild frontiers is a simple phone call to my friends at the Gorge Fly Shop.

Included

Rafting and camping gear plus floatplane roundtrip transport from Iliamna to your river of choice.

Not Included

Fishing gear, food, and license. Airfare to Anchorage and from Anchorage to Iliamna.

Recommended Gear

Rods: 7-8 Weights

polarized sunglasses

layered clothing

bug protection

good rain gear

wading boots

Destination Facts

Species: Wild leopard spotted rainbow trout, salmon