Mad River Boat Trips

What Mad River Boat Trips does

Mad River Boat Trips is a privately held river outfitter based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that has operated whitewater rafting and scenic float trips on the Snake River since 1977. The company is a subsidiary of Aramark Destinations, operating under the Bridger-Teton National Forest permittee framework and a federally designated Wild and Scenic River corridor. Its core product portfolio comprises two whitewater rafting options — Small Boats (8-passenger AIRE inflatable, $110 per person) and Classic Boats (16-passenger AIRE inflatable, $95–$105 per person) — plus a scenic Jackson Hole Snake River Float Trip ($100 per person) suitable for families with children as young as four. Additional offerings include private boat charters ($920–$1,500), a five-day Guide School ($450 per person), and riverside dining experiences at exclusive canyon sites.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer, seasonal (May–September) revenue model with primary customer segments of family and individual travelers and corporate groups, supplemented by wedding parties, family reunions, and wildlife enthusiasts. Distribution is entirely direct, through FareHarbor-embedded online booking, phone reservations, and email inquiries; there are no third-party resellers. Marketing relies on TripAdvisor-preserved reviews, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, a content blog, and a 50th-anniversary promotional campaign tied to the 2026 Landmarks of Legacy initiative. The company has 11–50 employees and uses AIRE inflatable, self-bailing rafts (15'6" and 18'3" models) as its core equipment, with a sister-company relationship with Scenic Safaris enabling year-round Jackson Hole adventure cross-promotion. No AI/ML capabilities, patents, or proprietary technology platforms are disclosed.

Name

Mad River Boat Trips

Legal name

Mad River Boat Trips

Website

https://mad-river.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mad River Boat Trips is a Jackson Hole, Wyoming river outfitter operating whitewater rafting and scenic float trips on the federally designated Wild and Scenic Snake River since 1977. It serves families, tourists, and corporate groups through direct online booking, private charters, and guide training under the Bridger-Teton National Forest permit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism / River Outfitting Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Inland Water Passenger Transportation (483212), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing Outfitters (THAAADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB), Rafting & River Float Trips (Whitewater, Leisure Floats) (THAJAJAI), Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Whitewater rafting trips
• Scenic float trips
• River outfitting services
• Guided adventure tourism
• Rafting guide school

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Whitewater Rafting Trips: Per-person fees for whitewater rafting adventures on the Snake River. Options include Classic Boats (16-person), Small Boats (8-person), and Super Small Boats (6-person). Private boat charters available for groups.
2. Scenic Float Trips: Guide-powered scenic float trips on the upper Snake River, suitable for families with children as young as 4 years old. Pricing per person or private boat charter.
3. Guide School: Five-day guide school training program taught on the Snake River, covering boat navigation with oars/paddles, safety skills, hydrology, and boat maintenance. Tuition-based course.
4. Riverside Dining: Riverside meal services included with certain trip packages, featuring professional chef-prepared dishes at exclusive river-accessible dining sites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mad River Boat Trips is a river outfitter operating guided whitewater rafting trips and scenic float trips on the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It offers multiple boat configurations (Small Boats 8-passenger and Classic Boats 16-passenger AIRE rafts), a 5-day Guide School training program, group/private charter bookings, and riverside dining experiences at the Blind Canyon dinner site. The company has operated since 1977 as a permittee of the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Product overview

Mad River Boat Trips operates as a river outfitter offering whitewater rafting trips and scenic floats on the federally designated Wild and Scenic Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The core product portfolio includes two whitewater rafting options: Small Boats...Big Adventure (8-passenger AIRE raft, most popular) and Classic Boats...Classic Adventure (16-passenger standard raft for families and first-timers), plus the Jackson Hole Snake River Float Trip (scenic 8-mile float with Teton views). Additional offerings include Group Rafting Trips for weddings, corporate events, and family reunions; Mad River Guide School (5-day training program); and Riverside Dining for special events. The company operates as a permittee of the Bridger-Teton National Forest and has been serving visitors since 1977.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Small Boats...Big Adventure! Whitewater rafting trip on the Snake River using AIRE 15'6" inflatable, self-bailing 8-passenger raft (6 paddling, 2 non-paddling positions), priced at $110 per person for guests ages 6+ weighing at least 50 lbs, 3.5 hours in duration. Marketed as the most popular boat option, suitable for adventure enthusiasts and small to medium groups.
• Classic Boats...Classic Adventure! Whitewater rafting trip on the Snake River using AIRE 18'3" inflatable, self-bailing 16-passenger raft with both paddling and non-paddling positions, priced at $95 (child) to $105 (adult) per person for guests ages 6+, 3.5 hours in duration. Best suited for families with young children, first-time rafters, and large groups.
• Jackson Hole Snake River Float Trip Scenic 8-mile guide-powered float trip along the upper Snake River with Teton views, suitable for families with children ages 4+, wildlife enthusiasts, and birders. Priced at $100 per person with up to 12 passengers, 3.5 hours in duration. Features interpretive commentary about the Snake River Canyon region.
• Group Rafting Trips Customized rafting experiences for family reunions, weddings, corporate groups, and private charters. Combines whitewater or scenic float options with optional riverside dining experiences; accommodates both small and large groups.
• Mad River Guide School Five-day intensive guide training program taught on the Snake River covering boat navigation with oars/paddles, safety skills, hydrology, and boat maintenance. Priced at $450 per person. Designed for individuals seeking employment as whitewater guides or anyone wishing to learn whitewater rafting basics.
• Riverside Dining & Special Events Riverside meal experiences at the exclusive Blind Canyon dinner site in the Snake River Canyon, featuring professional chef-prepared dishes such as curry crusted trout and Dutch oven desserts. Available for celebrations including weddings, family reunions, corporate retreats, and birthday parties.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Scenic SafariscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company providing winter adventure activities including snowmobile tours and Yellowstone winter trips. Guides from Mad River sometimes take winter jobs as snowmobile guides with Scenic Safaris. Active cross-promotion for year-round Jackson Hole adventure activities.
• Aramark DestinationscoreOthersParent company operating as permittee of Bridger-Teton National Forest. Part of the Landmarks of Legacy initiative connecting destinations through stewardship, storytelling, and experiential legacy programs.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking and reservation platform provider embedded on website for online trip bookings. Handles payment processing and reservation management for customer bookings.
• City Kids Wilderness ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization providing internship opportunities for urban youth. Janiya Battle, a participant from Washington DC, completed an internship at Mad River as part of career exploration program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Barker-Ewing Whitewater: Direct competitor offering whitewater rafting and scenic float trips on the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Operates in the same river corridor with overlapping customer segments (families, corporate groups) and similar pricing tiers.
• Teton Whitewater: Jackson Hole-based outfitter offering whitewater and scenic float trips on the Snake River. Directly competes for the same tourist visitors, with comparable trip durations and pricing structures.
• Dave Hansen Whitewater: Long-established Jackson Hole whitewater rafting outfitter operating on the Snake River. Comparable in service mix (whitewater + scenic floats) and target market (visitors to Grand Teton/Yellowstone region).
• Lewis & Clark River Expeditions: Regional outfitter offering guided rafting and float trips in the Greater Yellowstone/Teton region. Overlaps with Mad River on Snake River scenic floats and shared customer base of family/adventure travelers.
• Yellowstone Raft Company: Regional outfitter offering scenic float and whitewater rafting trips on the Snake River near Yellowstone/Teton. Shares the same federal permit corridor and target visitor demographic with Mad River.

Emerging players

• Scenic Safaris: Sister company under Aramark Destinations offering winter adventure tours (snowmobiling, Yellowstone winter trips) in Jackson Hole. Comparable as an adventure outfitter in the same geography and parent ecosystem, but focused on winter rather than river experiences.

Regional players

• Jackson Hole Kayak Club: Local paddling organization that co-hosts community events on the Snake River (e.g., Snake River Fest). Overlaps in geography and river activity, though focused on kayak/raft racing rather than commercial tours.

Broad incumbents

• Wilderness Adventures: Larger multi-destination adventure travel operator offering rafting trips alongside broader outdoor programs. Comparable on rafting operations and target customers (families, groups, schools), but with a wider product portfolio across geographies.

Others

• River Expecations (Grand Canyon): Multi-day whitewater rafting outfitter operating on a federally managed river corridor. Comparable as a federally-permitted river outfitter with guided interpretive trips, though operating on the Colorado rather than Snake River.
• FareHarbor: Booking and reservation platform provider embedded on Mad River's website. Comparable as a key technology/enablement partner used across the tours-and-activities industry, including many rafting outfitters and tour operators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUIg6fcD93pOcNCuFEr0Rcw
• Facebookfacebook.com/pg/MadRiverBoatTrips/services/?service_id=1442809099072359
• Instagraminstagram.com/madriverjh/?hl=en
• Xx.com/madriverjh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mad River Boat Trips