About Us

Meet The Ewing Family and our Jackson Hole Whitewater Rafting Guides

Barker-Ewing River Trips offers the #1 summer activity in Jackson Hole! A family-owned and -operated Snake River outfitter with professional guides, 5-star river trips and an outstanding safety record since 1963, you can rest assured you’ll have the trip of a lifetime!

Meet the Ewings – Jackson Hole Whitewater Rafting Experts

Frank and Patty Ewing

Frank began guiding on the Snake River in Jackson Hole in the late 1950s. In 1963, with the Barker family, Frank and Patty introduced Barker-Ewing to the valley. Their love for Jackson Hole and all it encompasses continues to provide the foundation for the family business.

Heather Ewing

“I was born in this valley and into my family’s rafting business, and I can’t imagine it any other way. I’ve guided rivers from Alaska to Costa Rica… I love the water, the wildlife and the outdoors. You can’t beat a Jackson Hole summer, and I invite you to come experience this amazing place I’m lucky enough to call home.”

What we believe?

• We believe in small trips, unparalleled personal service and going above and beyond for a greater overall experience. While we maintain one of the largest permitted whitewater rafting outfits in Jackson Hole, we do not believe in overfilling our rafts. We offer custom, manufactured rafts that provide not only a seat for each participant but room and comfort for the ride as well.
• We believe in a relaxed pace, not a hurried trip. We believe in going with the flow of the river! Why hurry your experience on the water? In addition, we allow time at the end of the trip for you to change out of your wet clothes for a dry, comfortable ride back to Jackson.

What sets us apart from other Jackson Hole Rafting companies?

• We have an outstanding safety record. Just ask, or contact the Bridger-Teton National Forest for an unbiased response.
• We prepare excellent meals featuring the finest and freshest meats, produce and ingredients.
• All of our river trip meals are served and enjoyed at one of our two private riverside camps along the Snake. Our First Light Float offers a free continental breakfast at our check-in office. Make sure to check in 30 minutes pre-trip to have time to enjoy your pastry, yogurt, fresh fruit and coffee!
• Our Teton Views Scenic Float Trip we are privileged to offer is in partnership with the historic Snake River Ranch. It is a trip unique only to us with an exclusive launch and landing that no other outfitter has access to.

We love what we do and it shows!

The Ewing family continues to own and operate this local river rafting company. 2012 marks the 50th season!

As we move into our fifth decade, we’re more than ever dedicated to our core principles: close attention to detail, insistence on quality and safety, belief in the wonder of what we offer, and a firm grounding in the reality of the rafting trips we are privileged to share with our clients. These principles have served our clients, our staff and our family well. They won’t change.

Meet Our Jackson Hole Whitewater Rafting Guides

We’re grateful for all of our hard working, enthusiastic rafting guides! Here are the 3 guides that have rafted for us the longest in this generation of Barker-Ewing Whitewater!

Brent Schapp- Brent’s trips down the Snake River began 28 years ago with a family rafting trip.  He’s been hooked ever since!  Born and raised in South Dakota, Brent has always had a love for the outdoors.  Last summer, Brent married Jodie (our bus driver extraordinaire!) at Jackson Lake Lodge. This is his fourth year with Barker-Ewing, and he guides hunting and snowmobiling trips throughout the fall and winter.

Tristan Jackson- This is Tristan’s 3rd season guiding for Barker-Ewing Whitewater. Tristan started in the office and quickly joined the ranks of the river guide crew in 2010. When he’s not on the river, he’s most likely easing into his morning with a cup of coffee from Jackson Hole Roasters, a burrito from DOG, a little motorcycle riding and chilling with a good book or hanging with friends.

Mark Bryson- Mark is returning for his 5th season in Jackson where he spends his summers guiding on the Snake and leading backpacking expeditions in Yellowstone. When he’s not guide, Mark’s probably still on a river kayaking, fly fishing or climbing in the Tetons. Mark just graduated from BYU with an Accounting degree.

We hope you’ll come back and can’t wait for another fabulous season with all our rock star guides!