Great excitement for families, first-time river runners and people who only have a little time to spend on the river.

A Year for Legendary Whitewater

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

Upcoming Events Of Special Interest

Hurricane Half Marathon & 5K Run, May 7. The motto of the Hurricane 1/2 Marathon is "She's fast, but she ain't easy." 435-635-2811.

Golden Spike Anniversary Celebration, May 10. Celebrates the 136th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad. Highlights include steam demonstrations by locomotives Jupiter and No. 119, reenactments of the last spike ceremony of 1869 and guest speaker David Bain, author of Empire Express and The Old Iron Road. Held at Golden Spike National Historic Site, Promontory. 435-471-2209 x 19

Great Salt Lake Bird Festival, May 12-17. Celebrating birds on and around Great Salt Lake. Booths, workshops, live animals, field trips, artists, & speakers, youth activities and live animals, fabulous Dutch oven dinner and more. 801-451-3286

San Rafael Swell Mountain Bike Festival, May 13-15, Green River. Rides for families & individuals from beginning to expert. Come enjoy the beauty and learn about the San Rafael Swell. 435-637-0086

National River Cleanup Week, May 14-22. Join the effort to clean up Lake Powell and other waters. Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas has activities scheduled.

Mountain Man Rendezvous, May 27-30. The Old Ephraim Mountain Man Club presents the 30th Cache Valley Rendezvous, a reenactment of the Mountain Man era of 1825-1840. Many activities for men, women and children. Black powder rifle target shoots and the infamous 4-man situation shoot. Held in Blacksmith Fork Canyon east of Hyrum. 435-770-2663

Moab Arts Festival, May 28-29. Jewelry - Pottery - Wood - Sculpture - Clothing - Fine Art - Photography - Kid-o-Rama - Music - Entertainment - Taiko Drummers - Food Court - Free Admission. 435-259-2742

Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival, June 9-11. Presentations about pioneer history, quilting and crafts, entertainment, food. 435-676-2514 or 866-590-4134

Utah Summer Games 20th Anniversary, June 10-26, Cedar City. The Utah Summer Games are Olympic-style sporting events for athletes of all ages and abilities. 435-865-8421

9th Annual Park City Marathon, June 11. This scenic marathon loops through mountain meadows, past rushing streams, ranches, miners' cabins and ski resorts. 435-647-0314

Free Fishing Day in Utah, June 11. Licenses are not required to fish on this day only. Other regulations are enforced.

See our comprehensive events listing for other activities.

SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE / UPDATE

Join our free monthly newsletter, or send it to a friend