UTAH’S RAFTING ADVENTURES BLOW OTHER ACTIVITIES OUT OF THE WATER
SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR RIVER ROUTES INCLUDE:
THE WEBER RIVER
This five-mile fl oat through Weber Canyon starts in Henefer and flows to Taggart Falls, with the surrounding Wasatch Mountains as a backdrop.
GREEN RIVER
Green River Daily begins at Nefertiti Access Point and fl ows nine miles through Gray Canyon before concluding at Swaseys Boat Ramp. Expect scenic desertsand big horn sheep along the way.
DESOLATION CANYON
Considered Utah’s premier multi-day river trip, Desolation Canyon is one of the most remote places in the continental US. Little wonder Butch Cassidy found refuge here. At its deepest point, canyon walls rise 5,000 feet from the river to the unseen Tavaputs Plateau overhead. Most rafters take a full week to complete the 84 mile journey from Sand Wash to Swasey’s Landing.
SAN RAFAEL RIVER
Known as “Little Grand Canyon,” this 17-mile stretch of the San Rafael Swell is ideal for canoes and kayaks. Narrow and twisting, the river can be as fast as it is scenic.
COLORADO RIVER
Utah’s most popular river trip, the Moab Daily, is a 13-mile stretch of the Colorado River from Hittle Bottom to Takeout Beach along Highway 128. It’s an easy day trip perfect for families.
When rafting Utah’s rivers, it’s easy to feel as if you’re part of a painting. After all, the rivers flow through some of Mother Nature’s most stunning masterpieces—towering canyon walls, delicately carved labyrinths, majestic views and secluded sandy beaches complete with wildlife dotting the riverbank.
Some of the state’s most famous whitewater runs include Westwater and Cataract Canyons on the Colorado River, the Gates of Lodore and Desolation Canyon on the Green River, and the Upper and Lower stretches of the San Juan River.
While the rapids are thrilling, it’s the flatwater stretches of these rivers that allow rafters to fully absorb the surround-ing beauty—miles of colorfully sculpted gorges boasting petroglyphs, pictographs and other remnants of the ancient Fremont and Anasazi cultures. Due to their remote locations, rafters will be hard pressed to find a more tranquil escape.
