river rising in the Sawtooth and Salmon River mountains, south Custer county, central Idaho, U.S. It flows generally northeast past the city of Salmon, where it is joined by the Lemhi River, and then northwest to join the Snake River several miles south of the Idaho-Oregon-Washington border after a course of about 420 miles (676 km). The Salmon is the largest tributary of the Snake and flows through an extensive wildlife area of national forests. The section of the river midway between Salmon city and its confluence with the Snake is called the “River of No Return” because travel upstream was once impossible. Salmon River Canyon, a gorge 30 miles (48 km) long, 1 mile (1.6 km) deep, and in places 10 miles (16 km) wide, is formed by the river in its lower course.