(435) 421-1668

Overview

Most rafting guests describe this trip as the easiest way to see the Colorado from a seat that isn't a car windshield. Your guide handles the oars on an oar-assisted paddleboat, so you can paddle when you want or drift when you want. The format covers about 7 miles of canyon between Castle Valley and Fisher Towers, with a long midpoint pause at a private riverside ranch for a hot BBQ lunch. Class I-II rapids and a few Class III splashes in spring keep the energy honest without putting younger riders over their head. Kids as young as 5 are comfortable in this format, and grandparents settle in just as easily.

Highlights

  • A view you don't get from the highway: 7 miles of the Colorado by raft
  • Kids 5-plus comfortable; Class I-II rapids most of the season
  • Riverside BBQ lunch at a private ranch in the canyon mid-trip
  • Oar-assisted paddleboats: guide rows; you paddle when you want
  • All gear, the shuttle, and a complimentary souvenir bottle on us
  • 11 AM start leaves the morning open and the evening for more Moab

Location

Moab, Utah

Includes

  • Professional river guide
  • All rafting gear (life jackets, paddles, safety equipment)
  • Riverside BBQ buffet lunch at a private ranch
  • Round-trip shuttle from Moab Adventure Center
  • Complimentary MAC souvenir water bottle

Not Included

  • Gratuities for your guide (10-20% is the customary range)
  • Personal items (sun protection, water shoes, swimsuit or quick-dry clothing, daypack)
  • Dry bag (small waterproof bags are available at the Moab Adventure Center on request; valuables are best left behind, and car keys can be left securely with our staff)

What to Wear

  • Quick-dry shirt (UPF-rated sun hoodie is best for sun protection)
  • Quick-dry shorts, or pants for more sun coverage
  • Sturdy sandals with heel straps, or shoes that can get wet (no flip-flops)
  • A comfortable hat or cap (one you don't mind losing if it ends up in the river)
  • Sunglasses with chums or another retention strap
Cooler-weather days - check the forecast before your tour and add:
  • Rain jacket
  • Fleece jacket
  • Proper pants

Itinerary

  • Check in at the Moab Adventure Center, 225 S Main Street, and meet your guide
  • Board the shuttle for the put-in along the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway (Highway 128)
  • Push off and float through calm water with red rock cliffs rising on both sides
  • Riverside lunch: pause at our private riverside ranch (Red Cliffs Lodge area) for a hot BBQ buffet of grilled burgers, chicken, hot dogs, veggie patties, salads, sides, cookies, lemonade, and iced tea (gluten-free and vegetarian available on request at booking)
  • Back on the water: ride White's Rapid and a handful of splashy Class I-II waves on the way back, with views of Castle Valley and Fisher Towers
  • Return to Moab Adventure Center about 4.5 hours after departure (mid-to-late afternoon)

Why Book This Tour

  • A view you don't get from the highway. The Colorado reads nothing like the same canyon from a car window.
  • Built for mixed groups. Kids as young as 5, parents, and grandparents share the same raft.
  • A guide at the oars. You paddle when you want or just watch the canyon go by.
  • A real BBQ lunch. Reviewers call it better than expected: burgers, chicken, sides, and cookies.
  • Pairs with Moab. The mid-morning start keeps early morning and evening free.
  • All you do is show up. Shuttle, gear, lunch, and life jackets are handled.