Best Grand Canyon Rafting Tours

The Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. (Photo: gooseneck state park image by antocar from Fotolia.com )

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The Grand Canyon is a 277-mile-long gash in the high desert of Arizona that digs as deep as a mile into the earth's surface and offers some of the most beloved and intriguing geology in the entire United States. If it were not for the beauty of its orange and red walls and deep, snaking crannies, the Grand Canyon might be known solely as a whitewater rafting destination. As it is, whitewater rafting takes a backseat to general sightseeing, but is still an extremely popular activity within Grand Canyon National Park. Rafting provides thrills of Class IV to V rapids and a rare look inside the vast canyon.

Types of Trips

The National Park Service designates several types of Grand Canyon rafting trips: one day commercial trips; two- to five-day commercial trips; three- to 18-day commercial trips and self-guided trips. Commercial trips are offered by more than a dozen licensed tour companies in Arizona, Nevada, Utah and other areas. Companies typically offer several options as to length of Grand Canyon trips. Self-guided trips are available through a national park lottery system. One-day trips are available on the smooth water from Page, Arizona, to Lees Ferry in the north and in the Diamond Creek area.

Spring and Summer

Grand Canyon rafting trips are available year round. However, the season will have a marked impact on the experience you enjoy on the water. Early-season trips in April offer moderate weather, blooming wildflowers and lighter crowds. While the summer is the most convenient time to plan a trip for many visitors because of summer vacation time, in many ways it is the least ideal time for rafting. The crowds within the park swell to more than half a million visitors during the summer months, making permits for whitewater trips and spots on commercial trips very competitive. The summer can also get extremely hot, with temperatures rising to 115 degrees F.