From Oregon to the Grand Canyon and everything in between, here are a few outstanding river hikes worth the trip…down the river, that is.

Stone Creek/Land of the Seven Waterfalls Hike
Location: Colorado River through the Grand Canyon
Accessible from two separate superb river camps in the Grand Canyon, above and below mighty Dubendorf Rapid, this one has it all: Ancient granaries, incredible geology, numerous swimming spots, and one waterfall after another. You can make it as long or short as you want, as leisurely or as active as you want. If you go long there’s an incredible cove an hour or so up. Or, you can up the adventure level and find your way into the final Quartzite slot, over boulders and around a few exposed ledges, to the best waterfall of all (a four-hour round trip including some hang time).

Jack Creek Overlook Hike
Location:  Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho
This is a buns-of-steel hike approximately 1-mile straight up from Little Pine Camp. The pay-off after an hour’s worth of very steep and switch-backed hiking is unquestionably worth it, though, as the overlook’s summit gives an unencumbered view of the Impassable Canyon and incredible perspective on the far-reaching and wild Frank Church Wilderness. Hikers get unbeatable views of snow-capped peaks and forests for as far as the eye can see.

Loon Creek Hike
Location:  Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho
Also worth the mention on the Middle Fork Salmon is the 1 ½-mile (one-way) Loon Creek Hike to hidden hot springs. The trail to the springs is easy to moderate and offers lots of options for hikers who might want to peel off and sit by Loon Creek or even go fly-fishing. For a longer, harder hike, going past the hot springs takes you into a gorgeous granite gorge. The trail climbs from there and gives a great view of a valley before descending back to the creek and crossing a lovely small bridge.

Tate Creek Slide Hike
Location: Rogue River, Oregon
Despite being a short, ¼-mile hike, the Rogue River Trail at Tate Creek Camp offers a special surprise that will leave a lasting impression. Following a creek bed on the moderate-to-challenging trail, hikers find themselves at a lovely waterfall. But this isn’t just a waterfall to admire. Lively spirits can go hand over hand up a rope to the top of the waterfall, turning it into a wild 10-foot water slide with a 5-foot free fall into a refreshing pool below.

Wind River Hike
Location:  Main Salmon River, Idaho
Winding its way back into the Humboldt Wilderness, the Wind River Hike ranges from between 3 and 6-miles round trip. After approximately 1 ½-miles, the trail leads to a beautiful shady nook of pouring pools to cool off in. This is a good turnaround point for people looking for a shorter hike, or you can continue on from here for a longer moderate-to-difficult 6-mile round trip trek.

Doll House Hike
Location: Colorado River through Cataract Canyon
You have to wake up early to beat the heat on the 6-mile (round trip) Doll House hike into the remote Maze District of Canyonlands National Park. The trek starts out with a grueling 45-minute, 1,300-foot Stairmaster climb, but is well worth it once you arrive at the top of the canyon among playful rock formations that make up the iconic Doll House region. Here you’re also rewarded with an awe-inspiring, 360-degree panoramic view of the colorful spires of the Needles and Island in the Sky Districts of Canyonlands, and the Colorado River below you. Wander around the rim of the canyon to discover an Anasazi granary, and an area called the Refrigerator that offers a slot canyon experience with relief from the heat.

Seven Devils View Hike
Location:  Snake River, Idaho
From Salt Creek Camp on Idaho’s Snake River, deep in Hells Canyon, take on a difficult ¾-mile round trip hike for stunning mountain and river views. The steep, semi-marked trail is a steady gradient with some need for scrambling. Reach the top and see a bird’s eye view of the winding Snake River below you, or look off onto the horizon to take in the Seven Devils Mountains, which make up the Idaho/Oregon border.

Insider Tip: The Ultimate Hiking and Rafting Vacation
While we’re talking about rafting and hiking, the proximity of the Tuolumne River in California to all the great trails and iconic landscapes in Yosemite National Park has to be mentioned. In fact, hiking enthusiasts can take a wild ride down the action-packed Class IV Tuolumne River and then spend a few days exploring Yosemite’s backcountry by foot on a special Tuolumne & Yosemite Hiker trip. If you’ve got 6 days, this might be the most epic hiking and rafting vacation you can take.

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This must-drive loop through four National Parks, in the heart of Utah’s red rock country, is big on the miles, but a definite bucket list item.  Check out the route…

Salt Lake City to Zion National Park

From Salt Lake, find your way to I-15S. As you near canyon country, veer onto UT-17S and then left on UT-9E which takes you through Utah’s first National Park, Zion. You’ll want to park your car at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center so you can hop on the shuttle and get into the heart of the park for access to areas like Weeping Rock and Temple of Sinawava (gateway to The Narrows—an entry-level canyoneering experience if you’re up for the challenge).

Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park

From Zion follow UT-9E to US-89N. After about 43 miles turn right onto UT-12E and then another right at UT-63S into Bryce Canyon. In Bryce Canyon, explore unique geology and find out what a “hoodoo” is when you stretch your legs on the 4-mile Hat Shop hike.

Bryce Canyon to Moab (via Capitol Reef National Park)

Follow UT-63N out of Bryce and make your way back onto UT-12E. Turn right onto UT-24E, which heads right through Capitol Reef National Park, one of the least visited parks in the country. Stop for a layover and have this geological wonder all to yourself.

Continue on UT-24E to I-70E. En route, check out the quaint town of Boulder, Utah. Take the exit for US-191S to Moab. Make Moab your base camp for exploring the wonderland of Arches National Park, mountain biking, or maybe even whitewater rafting before heading back to Salt Lake City.

Got another week? O.A.R.S. offers Cataract Canyon rafting trips from Moab through Canyonlands National Park (make that five national parks in one trip!).

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The post Hit the Road: Utah’s Red Rock Country appeared first on River Currents.

So, maybe an all-inclusive family vacation is the way to go? No, not like one of those beachside resorts where the kids get bored after day two. How about a week-long Cataract Canyon rafting trip on the Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park? Or, an exhilarating multi-day paddle down the Main Salmon River, deep in the Idaho wilderness?

Bet you never thought of a rafting trip as an all-inclusive vacation. But think about it. When you travel with an adventure company, they bring all the gear (so no fights packing up the car), every room (ok, tent) has a waterfront view, the guides shop and cook for you (we’re not talking about hot dogs and cheesy fries here), and all of the thrills and activities are included. And guess what? You don’t need your wallet on the river. Now doesn’t that sound like the perfect all-inclusive vacation?

Rafting vs. Theme Park Vacation: You Choose

Just you, your family and an intimate group of fellow adventurers.

OR… Mobs of the most annoying people you’ve ever come across.

Putting your lives in the hands of expert river guides.

OR… Putting your lives in the hands of freaky carny guys.

Hiking to an amazing waterfall.

OR… Hiking to the front of the line.

Riding the rapids.

OR… Riding the puke-inducer.

Steak, mashed potatoes and a green salad with a glass of wine riverside.

OR… Corn dogs and Budweiser at a sticky picnic table.

Glow bocce on the beach for fun.

OR… Throwing darts at balloons for junky prizes.

Staring at stars at the end of the night.

OR… Staring at brake lights at the end of the night.

Have you made up your mind yet?

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The post Rethinking the All-inclusive Family Vacation appeared first on River Currents.

We found our way through the National Park icons like Yellowstone and Yosemite and eventually made our way to Utah. To this day, Zion still holds a special place in my heart. And by the end of that 2-week road trip, I had fallen in love with Utah. But life takes you in many directions and eventually Utah, with its red rocks, meandering rivers and deep canyons, fell to the back of my mind.

Second Encounter

Fast forward a few years (too many to share) and I’m back, flying over the Colorado River in a six-seater Cessna, staring down at Canyonlands National Park and Cataract Canyon where I’ve just spent the last week exploring. I think I spot the entrance to Dark Canyon and make out what has to be Big Drop II. I see the Doll House to my left and the stretch of river that was bypassed when we hopped on land to hike the Loop. I’m smiling. I’m a Californian now, but I just fell in love with Utah all over again.

A week earlier I had arrived in Moab, a Mecca for all things outdoorsy, in the southeastern corner of the state. I came specifically for the rafting and hiking and hooked up with O.A.R.S., which promised both in one trip. I was excited about rafting 96 miles of the Colorado River and accessing remote trails along the way, typically hard to reach by any other means.

The trip began with our guides rowing the group, 23 of us all together, through peaceful Meander Canyon, rich with geological features that make you scratch your head in wonder. Early on we passed into Canyonlands National Park, but Cataract Canyon doesn’t officially start until 50 miles into the trip. Having already heard about some of the hikes that lay ahead, I was eager to get further down the river.

The Hikes

At lunch on the second day, we reached Lathrop Ruins, our first hike. A 15-minute jaunt through the bright green, weedy Tamarisk trees lead to Anasazi ruins, including pictographs and an abandoned granary, which an ancient community created to store their surplus of crops and grains.

Day three began with the Loop hike, an approximately one-mile, moderate trail that goes straight up about 500 feet with great views at the top, then straight down with some tricky foot maneuvering. While we hiked, the boats kept rowing to pick us up on the other side. We bypassed four miles of the river, but it was well worth it for the chance to peer down into the layered canyon walls we were living among for the week.

We then headed off to the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers where you reach a sign-in box for groups to write-in the various camps they’ll be staying at throughout the trip. Sign-up is voluntary, but also an unspoken rule of the river. We all had our fingers crossed for plan A and were thrilled when the guides came back and shouted, “Winning!” — our motto for the rest of the trip. We were now set up perfectly to hike the Doll House, as well as Dark Canyon.

Day four was going to be epic. Not only were we hiking the six-mile Doll House trail into the remote Maze District of Canyonlands, we were also running a good chunk of the trip’s Class III-IV rapids.

About half of us woke up early to beat the heat and take on the grueling 1,300-foot ascent that takes you to the playful rock formations that make up the Doll House. After a 45-minute Stairmaster climb you get to the top, and are rewarded with an awe-inspiring, 360-degree panoramic view. In one direction sits the colorful spires of the Needles and Island in the Sky Districts of Canyonlands. There’s an Anasazi granary to discover, and an area called the Refrigerator that offers a slot canyon experience with relief from the heat. 

The Whitewater

We could have spent the entire day up there, but after an hour of exploring we had to get back for lunch and gear up for the rapids ahead, including some big plunges, literally called Big Drop I, II and III.

The following day brought more rapids, which I took on in a ducky after successfully kayaking the first day’s rapids. Lower Imperial got the best of me and my paddle partner and we took our first official “swim.” Luckily, we made it through laughing and unscathed. But I wasn’t as excited about the rapids on day five as I was about Dark Canyon, a hike that hasn’t been accessible for at least eight years due to low water levels and impassable debris.

On a perfect day Dark Canyon offers approximately two miles (or more if you’re adventurous) of hiking and bouldering between its steep, narrow red walls alongside a pristine stream. When we arrived to clay-red water it was obvious a flash flood had come through the day before. Nonetheless, we took advantage of the many swim holes, waterfalls and prime cliff jumping spots that are hidden away in this remote paradise. It was a magic moment to be wandering among canyon walls that glowed like a flame and towered 3,000 feet above you. The wait had been worth it.

As we pulled up to the boat take out the next day a sadness came over me like I was saying good bye to an old friend. Planes arrived to take us out of the canyon and, as we flew over the Colorado River back to Moab, I couldn’t help but think about all the people out there who haven’t gotten a chance to see any of this yet— to fall in love with Utah.

This essay was originally created for the 2012 O.A.R.S. catalog. For more compelling stories from other renowned writers, request your catalog copy today!

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