White Water Rafting in Utah

With Moab, Utah as your hub, a surprisingly wide variety of white water rafting possibilities present themselves.

First Time Intro to Utah Rafting & Package Samplers

If you are looking for an introduction to whitewater rafting, the half-day and full-day options on the Colorado River, often referred to as the "Fisher Towers" section, or "Castle Valley" are excellent choices. You can even include an overnight rafting experience on this section of the river with our "Southwest Sampler" vacation package- which serves as a great introduction to camping for one of the three nights.

The Perfect Family Rafting Trip

The 5-day Desolation Canyon trip on the Green River is also an excellent introduction to white water rafting. Green River Utah white water rafting is especially popular among families with younger children and teens. The journey begins with a scenic flight over the remote cliffs of eastern Utah, and then spend the next five days floating back toward Moab where more play awaits.

Rafting Through Canyonlands National Park

Perhaps the most popular of all of Moab raft trips is the 4-day Cataract Canyon Classic. One-hundred miles of Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park - with time to explore petroglyphs, stunning scenery, and some of North America's wildest rapids this trip is becoming more well known every year. This is the very best white water rafting in Utah's National Parks. Your visit to Moab can easily include a visit to nearby Arches National Park.

Shorter But Thrilling Trips

The 2-Day Cataract Express trip offers an overnight camping experience to 100 miles of Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park.

If you are pressed for time, but want a great Utah white water rafting thrill, the Westwater Canyon one-day trip is one of the West's best whitewater romps.

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Learn More about Moab, Utah

Moab, Utah, offers a surprisingly wide variety of whitewater rafting possibilities. If you are rafting in Utah for the first time, you may want to explore half-day and full-day options on the Colorado River, also known as Fisher Towers or Castle Valley. You can even include an overnight rafting experience on this section of the river with the "Southwest Sampler" vacation package. The Westwater Canyon one-day trip is considered one of the best whitewater romps in the U.S. The 2-day Cataract Express trip offers an overnight camping experience to 100 miles of Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park.

Canyonlands is a popular spot for Moab raft trips, particularly the 4-day Cataract Canyon Classic journey. This covers 100 miles of the Colorado River while allowing travelers time to take in the stunning scenery and explore the petroglyphs along some of North America's wildest rapids. You can even carve out time to visit nearby Arches National Park to take in the majestic red rocks. If you're going whitewater rafting with the family, the 5-day Desolation Canyon trip on the Green River is very popular with families with younger children and teens. This journey begins with a scenic flight over the remote cliffs of Eastern Utah, followed by five days floating back toward Moab.

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While Moab is Southern Utah's hotspot for geological majesty, Park City is the poster child for Northern Utah's snowy, mountainous terrain. You can capture both ends of incredible scenery with the right itinerary for a multi-day trip. A flight to Salt Lake International Airport drops you just an hour from Park City's lofty alpine air. The nearby Weber River offers a few class I-II rapids, and the Provo River will provide nothing more than Class II whitewater. Mountain scenery here is classic Rocky Mountain majesty, but you might enjoy a fly fishing excursion here, or a day at the world-class spas beyond white water rafting in Utah.

After a few days of Park City's wonders, you can take a scenic 4-hour drive south to Moab for a few days of some of the most world-renowned white water rafting adventures. Take a day, half-day, or up to five days to check off two of Utah's five national parks. You can also take advantage of other scenic wonders of the Beehive State. Vernal, Utah, is about two-and-a-half hours from Park City and holds a few options such as the Gates of Lodore on the Green River, and a few day-trip options below Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

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There are very limited opportunities to raft the Virgin River through Zion National Park. This option is available roughly two weeks out of the year and not within the Zion confines. Zion National Park is more regarded for its hiking, including along the Virgin River Narrows and overlooking nearby Bryce Canyon National Park. About two and a half hours north of Zion, in Marysvale, Utah, lies the Sevier River. The Sevier runs flush enough to provide class II-III rapids for a 2-hour jaunt.

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