Canyonlands National Park Rafting

Located just outside of Moab, Utah, Canyonlands is found within the geologic region of the Colorado Plateau. The park is essentially composed of five unique areas: the Island in the Sky District in the northern part; the Needles District in the southeastern portion; the Maze District, which is the least accessible district; Horseshoe Canyon, which contains some of the most significant rock art in North America; and the Colorado River and its tributaries, which are corridors providing relatively easy access to some of the park’s most remote backcountry areas.

Canyonlands is generally accessed from airports in Salt Lake City (4 hours), Grand Junction, Colorado (2 hours), and Moab (.5 hour).

Though Moab can be crowded from April through October, the most popular seasons to visit Canyonlands are spring (April through May) and fall (mid-September through October), when daytime highs average 60 to 80 degrees F and lows average 30 to 50 degrees F. For river trips, which offer an escape from the crowds, the most popular season is generally throughout summer. This high-desert region can experience wide temperature fluctuations, sometimes over 40 degrees F in a single day. OARS Utah rafting trips and hiking trips run from spring through summer and into fall.

Most of the time, yes. Unlike the dam-regulated stretch of the Colorado River below Glen Canyon, Cataract Canyon flows freely through Canyonlands National Park—and with that comes sediment. The river here is usually a rich brown color, especially during spring runoff or after summer storms.

What causes the river to look muddy?
Erosion and runoff from side canyons and desert washes feed into the river, carrying silt, clay, and sand. Spring snowmelt and monsoon rains supercharge this process, turning the water into a churning mix that resembles chocolate milk.

Is it safe to drink?
On most trips, your guides will bring jugs of drinking water, but in some cases they may filter and treat water from the river or side creeks, which ensures it’s completely safe to drink. Dishwater is also treated and handled according to backcountry sanitation standards.

Does the murky water affect rafting?
It can make submerged obstacles harder to see, especially in the big-water season when Cataract’s Class III–V rapids are at their most intense. Luckily, OARS guides are trained to read the river—even when it’s fast-moving and visibility is low.

Get the full scoop on our blog: Why is the Colorado River Brown?

Cataract Canyon rafting in between mid-May and mid-June often offers massive Class IV+ rapids. Snowmelt from the Rockies yields big runoff and some of the country’s most renowned whitewater in the heart of Canyonlands National Park. The minimum age for trips jumps to 16 during this timeframe. For the rest of the season, the rapids still offer a major rush, but they’re more suitable for adventurers as young as 9.

Though Cataract does offer some of the country’s largest whitewater, all rafting trips on this stretch of the Colorado River begin with approximately 47 miles of flatwater before reaching the heart of the rapid corridor and memorable rapids like the Big Drops. As the trip continues downstream toward Lake Powell, rafters can expect more flatwater but are also treated to the fascinating Returning Rapids corridor—a region of the lower canyon that was underwater for decades but now hosts a remarkable recovery of side canyons, beaches, and re-emerging rapids like Gypsum.