Taste of Wallowa County: Food, Floats, Place and People

Taste of Wallowa County- a wonderful food-lovers adventure featuring Chef Ben Bettinger! Three days of whitewater, food, & fun! July 10-12th 2026

OVERVIEW

HIGHLIGHTS

MEETING LOCATION

Overview

Taste of Wallowa County: Food, Floats, Place and People is designed to celebrate Wallowa County in delicious style. We will be floating through stunning Hells Canyon with Chef Ben Bettinger! Ben has gone down the river with us many times and we are excited to have him back! Ben is the winner of Food Network's Chopped (season 22) and head chef of Portland's Best Restaurants: Laurelhurst Market, Big's Chicken, and Sandy-O's. Ben has been a partner in Your Neighborhood Restaurant Group since 2019. Read more about him, and the many food ventures he is part of .

This trip is bursting with flavor and is a great way to root into conversation with old friends, new friends, and the canyon itself. Ben's meals are deeply connected highlighting farms to food and all the hands in between.

We recommend coming to this trip with an empty belly because you’ll be well fueled for your adventures! This trip is a gastro specialty, but we are able to accommodate most dietary needs upon request. A limited selection of beverages will be provided.

In addition to fabulous food, you’ll enjoy three days filled with thrilling Class III & IV whitewater, incredible scenery, wildlife viewing and fishing opportunities as we venture thirty-two river miles through the heart of the deepest river canyon in North America, the Snake River in Hells Canyon. After dinner, enjoy campfire camaraderie and falling asleep under magnificent starry skis listening to the sound of the river babbling by. At the end of this trip the group will board a jet boat and ride back up river to the put-in.

Please note this is an adults only trip, ages 18 and up.

Pricing does not include gratuity or a flat $30 flat Federal use fee.

Highlights

Deepest River Canyon in North America
Professionally prepared gourmet meals
Breathtaking scenery and wildlife viewing
Class II, III & IV Rapids
Outstanding professional guide service
Gear& camping equipment provided including tents, sleeping pads and cots.

*Sleeping bag rentals available for $50/person upon request.

Meeting Location

Winding Waters River Expeditions

204 E Wallowa Ave, Joseph, OR 97846, USA

The WWRE Boathouse is the meeting place for our pre-trip meeting the night before your launch at 6PM (PST). Additionally, the morning of your launch, you will leave your vehicle at the boathouse and be shuttled to the river launch point.

Policies & Agreements

Cancellation Policy - Multi Day Trips

Cancellation Policy: Your reservation will be confirmed after we receive a deposit of 50% of your total trip cost. Your trip balance will be due 60 days prior to your launch date. If you find it necessary to cancel your trip, you should notify Winding Waters River Expeditions in writing or by e-mail immediately. If written cancellation is received (call to verify) before the final balance is due, you will be given a refund less the amount of the deposit. Again, deposits are non-refundable. If cancellations are made on or after the final due date, no money will be refunded. Please understand that once you’ve signed up, we lose the right to sell your reserved space to other individuals or groups. Therefore, we regret that we cannot make exceptions for personal emergencies.

Travel Protection: In today’s changing travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment so you can relax and enjoy your trip. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even a sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans. For your convenience, we recommend purchasing travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. One company we recommend is Travelex, for more information visit www.travelexinsurance.com or contact Travelex Insurance 800-228-9792.

Winding Waters River Expeditions reserves the right, either prior to or after departure, in its good-faith discretion and in circumstances that warrant it, to change any trip itinerary. This includes the possibility of moving to a different river or river segment due to extreme water conditions, forest fires, road closures and/or acts of God.