Raft takes on water with family of 7 inside after catching on downed tree in WY
A family floating trip turned perilous when their raft caught on a downed tree and started taking on water in a raging Wyoming river, officials said.
The family of seven was floating from Moose to Wilson on the Snake River on Sunday, June 1, when the raft caught on the rootball of a downed tree outside of Grand Teton National Park, Teton County Search and Rescue said on Facebook.
“As the raft took on water, one adult and three children became stuck on top of the obstruction, while two adults and one child stayed in the raft and made it to a nearby riverbank,” officials said.
Someone called for help just before 1 p.m., and rescuers from multiple agencies developed a plan, officials said.
Rescuers learned the boaters were near a private river access at Snake River Ranch, where they launched a jet boat, navigated downstream and helped the adult and three children off the tree and into the boat.
A photo shows the adult and kids on the tree branch in the middle of the river as rescuers help them into the jet boat.
Rescuers in the jet boat also picked up the child from the riverbank while the adults said they would float in the raft to the Wilson take-out. Rescuers took the child to the rest of the group at the private access and drove them to Wilson, where the family reunited.
“This incident is a reminder of the hazards present on the Snake River, especially during spring runoff,” officials said. “The river can split into braided channels with shifting logs, strainers, and debris. Combined with swift, cold water, these factors create dangerous conditions that can trip up even the most skilled boaters.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 4:44 AM with the headline "Raft takes on water with family of 7 inside after catching on downed tree in WY."
