Whitewater Rafting Adventures

What if it started snowing and never stopped?

That’s what it’s been like in Utah this spring. Wet storms keep rolling through, one after another, and it feels like they will never stop.

Now the snow is melting and a crush of water is coming down our rivers. We’re on the verge of a great whitewater rafting season.

Rafting High Water
All of that snow will melt during the next few weeks, and it will give whitewater rafters one heck of a ride. It looks like this will be one of our best rafting seasons ever. Adventure enthusiasts like to challenge the rivers during high runoff, and that window will stay open longer this year. High water will continue through most of the month of June this year.

Snowfall in the Colorado River drainage totaled between 150% and 200% of normal and so the Green, Yampa and Colorado rivers will be raging. The very best of the high water season usually comes in early June. After that, the rivers slowly settle back a bit, but still offer wonderful adventure.

Whitewater rafting is a great sport with options that can easily be tailored to satisfy any appetite for adventure. Some river sections will offer thrilling Class 4 and even Class 5 rapids, which are as intense as anything that can be navigated safely. Other sections are rated at Class 3 and lower, and appeal to families and those seeking more relaxed outings.

If you want to experience a rafting adventure, book it now. See our list of recommended guides and our rafting package deals.

The Heart of the Parks
Near Vernal, Utah, the Green and Yampa rivers run through the heart of Dinosaur National Monument, through rapids with descriptive names like Hell’s Half-Mile and S.O.B.

Near Moab, Utah, the Green and Colorado rivers run through the heart of Canyonlands National Park, through Cataract Canyon, which is famous for its challenging rapids.

Downstream from Lake Powell, the mighty Colorado River cuts through the heart of Grand Canyon National Park. The park offers the granddaddy of all river trips, with some of the biggest and strongest rapids to be found anywhere in the world.

These parks and monuments include some of the most spectacular backcountry in the Western United States. They are huge, encompassing hundreds of square miles of rugged terrain. The rivers provide a highway into these scenic areas, allowing people to visit spots that are very difficult or impossible to reach in other ways, even by 4-wheel drive vehicles.

While floating these rivers, people often see big horn sheep, eagles, coyotes and other wildlife, plus ancient Native American rock art, cowboy camps, historic mines, incredible scenery and many other attractions.

These rivers are highways to adventure, and this is the year to ride their crest. Book a trip now.

Late Skiing
We’ve just completed – almost – a wonderful ski season. Actually, the season lingers on at Snowbird. On April 26, Snowbird tied a 40-year record for the most snowfall in a single season. Since then, the white stuff has continued to fall. As a result, Snowbird will keep its ski lifts running through Memorial Day Weekend, and probably beyond. With all of the snow we have in the mountains, people may still be skiing on the Fourth of July.

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