Conditions are prime for excellent whitewater river rafting this spring. All of the snow that has piled up in the mountains is now melting and runoff will come gushing down our rivers during the next few weeks, offering the ride of a lifetime on legendary river sections in places like Cataract Canyon and Grand Canyon.
Other areas will offer softer adventure, tailor-made for people who want to enjoy a river trip with only a moderate adrenalin rush.
The peak of the season will be mid-May to mid-June. As runoff subsides in later June the rivers will settle into a summer pattern and provide great, albeit a little less intense, adventure.
Snowpack totals look good in the upper Green and Colorado River drainages — there will be plenty of runoff to provide a wonderful ride but no so much that it interferes with rafting or creates extreme conditions.
People who put a rafting adventure into their vacations often say it was the most enjoyable thing they have ever done. Families and other groups often raft together and create memories that last a lifetime. Utah offers a wide variety of rafting options, ranging from mild day-trips to thrilling multi-day adventures. There are even options available for people who want a do-it-yourself trip.
Cataract Canyon is an excellent choice for people who want to challenge world-class whitewater. It offers 27 raging rapids in about 14 river miles for non-stop action. Cataract trips also include a long stretch of relaxing flatwater. Some people want to pack as much adventure into a short vacation as possible and so river guides now offer options to jet boat over the flatwater. You can now do Cataract as an intense daytrip, or as a multi-day outing.
Grand Canyon has perhaps the world's most famous whitewater and it will offer consistently good rafting trips this year. Lake Powell controls flows into the canyon and so it does not experience the spring peak found on other rivers. Grand Canyon trips are very popular and book up quickly — you need to book now if you'd like to run the Grand this season.
Westwater and Lodore canyons will definitely get a rush from runoff and will provide great adventure throughout the year. They offer options for one-day and multi-day trips with adventure quotients ranging from moderate to high.
If you dream about whitewater adventure, you'll never find a better year.
– Dave Webb
Reprinted with permission from The Utah Office of Tourism
www.travel.utah.gov
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