The debate between guided vs unguided rivers is a tale as old as time. There are positives and negatives to going down a river with or without a guide. When a river has guided trips it means it is a more skilled river and only people with training should be taking others down. An unguided river is less consequential and could just be a fun float you can do by yourself. Both are great activities to get into the outdoors!

Guided
A river like the White Salmon requires experienced guides to take you down the river. A guide is there to control the boat and take you through the safest route. If random people were to go alone they could get seriously hurt or be put in a very dangerous situation. This can be applied to most rivers that have companies with commercial guiding permits. We have these companies so people have the option to go down the river in a professional way. Sometimes if no one is trained to guide a certain river, then maybe it shouldn’t be run at all. Going down white water without a guide depends on the class you want to boat or the prior experience you already have!
Unguided
Whitewater rivers that you can go down unguided are a bit different than the super splashy big waters you think of when you think of rafting. These rivers are more calm and can be run without a lot of knowledge of whitewater. They are mostly a float river with maybe a few rocks you need to avoid here and there. A lot of those kinds of rivers have floats, rafts, or tubes that you can rent from a company for your self-guided trip. Or you could bring your own! Don’t forget to set your shuttle either. You would be doing that sort of stuff by yourself. It could be nice to go at your own pace on a trip like that, not being on other people’s time. Either trip you choose you will experience good bonding time with the people that accompany you.

There are benefits to both trips, but they are very different. The guided trip is the one that will be more intense with constant big splashes and higher-class rapids. The unguided trip will still have some fun whitewater, just at a more amateur pace.
Guided vs unguided rivers both provide the excitement that comes from being on the water. That is always fun no matter what. If you are interested in a guided trip on the White Salmon River, Zollers Outdoor Odysseys would be happy to take you!

She is a lover of the river and what the Pacific Northwest has to offer!
It is great to have advice from an experienced guide. Thank you for all of your insight!!!!!
Great article!