Born on the Spokane’s rapids in 1994, Wiley E. Waters has grown from one summer raft to a seasoned crew of river lovers who know every bend of the Spokane and Clark Fork. Owner-guide Josh Flanagan, mentored by founder “Wiley,” lea...
Born on the Spokane’s rapids in 1994, Wiley E. Waters has grown from one summer raft to a seasoned crew of river lovers who know every bend of the Spokane and Clark Fork. Owner-guide Josh Flanagan, mentored by founder “Wiley,” lea...
With an exceptional reputation built on professional, friendly service, this rafting company stands out for guides who genuinely care about creating memorable experiences. Reviewers consistently praise guides like Josh, Disney, Jessie, and Gator by name for being informative, funny, and skilled at making everyone feel comfortable on the water. The staff goes above and beyond—one guest shared how Josh personally tracked down and mailed a forgotten sweater, exemplifying the care this team shows even after trips end. The operation runs trips on both the Clark Fork and Spokane rivers, offering everything from whitewater rapids to scenic floats depending on season and water levels. Guests appreciate the thoughtful touches like complimentary drinks (including adult beverages), wetsuits, dry bags for valuables, and available gear for purchase. Communication is particularly strong, with staff proactively reaching out about changes to water conditions or scheduling adjustments. One thing to note: time slots occasionally shift based on booking numbers, so maintaining some flexibility helps. The booking process is consistently described as easy, and the overall experience leaves people eager to return with family and friends.
What started out as kind of a bad experience turned out to be really relaxing and fun. We booked for our anniversary and we decided to get a hotel room over in Spokane the night before. We booked for a 2:00 p.m. so we could get up and get ready and go out and have breakfast and be on the water at a little warmer time. A couple hours after booking we were notified that the 2:00 p.m. was no longer available due to not enough people booking that trip to make it happen and we needed to go on a 9:00 a.m. We had already booked the hotel at this point and we're headed over to have dinner so we didn't really have much of a say. Instead of being able to sleep in as planned, we had to get up early and check out. We tried to get a refund,but I booked through a third party so we ended up going due to not being able to easily cancel. I will say that throughout the entire experience the staff was extremely professional and kind and easy to talk to. We arrived at the location,which I was a little bit nervous about because it was just street parking and I know Spokane doesn't have the best reputation, but it ended up being a safe area. I felt very safe the entire time and the guides were very kind. I believe our guides name was Josh and he was very hard to be upset with as he was very friendly and kept joking and made the experience very enjoyable. We got to see some osprey, a deer, and just enjoy the river. It was not Whitewater this time of year so it was very mellow. They had free drinks available of LaCroix as well as adult beverages. We don't drink alcohol, but I appreciated the gesture. They had things you can buy in the beginning like shirts or a waterproof phone case which I happened to need. I love that they had a dry bag for your stuff that you didn't want to leave in your vehicle. It ended up being a great time I would just say the only downfall is what happened to us, just to be flexible because you might not get the time slot that you book which may throw off plans. I would definitely come back again and I highly recommend these guys.
Ashley Bales
August 9, 2025
What started out as kind of a bad experience turned out to be really relaxing and fun. We booked for our anniversary and we decided to get a hotel room over in Spokane the night before. We booked for a 2:00 p.m. so we could get up and get ready and go out and have breakfast and be on the water at a little warmer time. A couple hours after booking we were notified that the 2:00 p.m. was no longer available due to not enough people booking that trip to make it happen and we needed to go on a 9:00 a.m. We had already booked the hotel at this point and we're headed over to have dinner so we didn't really have much of a say. Instead of being able to sleep in as planned, we had to get up early and check out. We tried to get a refund,but I booked through a third party so we ended up going due to not being able to easily cancel. I will say that throughout the entire experience the staff was extremely professional and kind and easy to talk to. We arrived at the location,which I was a little bit nervous about because it was just street parking and I know Spokane doesn't have the best reputation, but it ended up being a safe area. I felt very safe the entire time and the guides were very kind. I believe our guides name was Josh and he was very hard to be upset with as he was very friendly and kept joking and made the experience very enjoyable. We got to see some osprey, a deer, and just enjoy the river. It was not Whitewater this time of year so it was very mellow. They had free drinks available of LaCroix as well as adult beverages. We don't drink alcohol, but I appreciated the gesture. They had things you can buy in the beginning like shirts or a waterproof phone case which I happened to need. I love that they had a dry bag for your stuff that you didn't want to leave in your vehicle. It ended up being a great time I would just say the only downfall is what happened to us, just to be flexible because you might not get the time slot that you book which may throw off plans. I would definitely come back again and I highly recommend these guys.
Ashley Bales
August 9, 2025