Grand Canyon Rafting Trip Planning: Top 4 Questions

Top 4 Questions to Ask for Grand Canyon Rafting Trip Planning

Rafting on the Grand Canyon is the trip of a lifetime, combining adventure, excitement, relaxation and beauty to create an unforgettable experience.  With 16 Grand Canyon rafting outfitters and over a thousand trips offered every year, asking the right questions while is important for Grand Canyon rafting trip planning.  The top 4 questions to ask when planning your Grand Canyon rafting trip are: what type of raft do you prefer to travel in?; what is your preferred trip length?; what is the best route to explore?; and how flexible is your travel window?

One place to start when Grand Canyon rafting trip planning is to determine whether you prefer a motorized or non-motorized adventure.  There are some differences between the two trip types, including group size, boat size and how the boats are propelled down river. Motorized trips consist of 12-14 passengers per raft and have a 2 raft maximum.  The motorized rafts used on each trip can vary depending on the outfitter.  The most common motorized rafts in the Canyon are known as S-rigs or J-rigs.  These boats range from 32-37 feet in length and are propelled down river by a quiet 4-stroke outboard motor on the tail end, or stern of the boat.  Non-motorized trips consist of 4 passengers per oar boat, and 6-8 passengers per paddle raft.  Non-motorized trips typically have 4-7 boats per trip.  These boats vary in type (dory, oar, paddle) as well as size (14-18 feet).  Non Motorized trip types are offered as All Paddle, Oar, Hybrid (combining both Oar and Paddle rafts), Dory or a mixture of these boats depending on the outfitter.  Once you have narrowed down the boat type, you next step is to determine the length of trip while Grand Canyon rafting tip planning.

To raft the Grand Canyon you will need a minimum of 3 days to a maximum of 18 days.  The length of trip varies depending on the time of year, type of trip and company you choose to travel with.  Motorized trips range from 3-10 days in length.  Non-motorized trips range from 5-18 days in length.  When Grand Canyon rafting trip planning, those with a shorter travel time frame will need to keep in mind that some trips require a hike into or out of the Grand Canyon on the Bright Angel Trail. This hike requires travelers to be in excellent physical health.  Once you have determined the length of trip you would like to do, your next step for Grand Canyon rafting trip planning is to look at the route you would like to travel on.

There are three main routes in Grand Canyon: Upper, Lower and Full Canyon. Each route varies offering unique highlights specific to that stretch of river.  All routes offer exciting whitewater, hiking and beautiful scenic views.  Upper Canyon trips range in duration from 3-4 days for motor trips or 5-8 days for non-motor trips and require a  hike out of Grand Canyon on Bright Angel Trail.  Lower Canyon trips range from 4-6 days for motor trips and 7-12 days for non-motor trips and require travelers to hike into Grand Canyon on the Bright Angel Trail.  Full Canyon trips combine the upper and lower segments and are offered from 6-10 days for motor trips and 12-18 days for non-motor trips. Full Canyon trips do not require a hike into or out of Grand Canyon.

Another option which does not require a hike into or out of the Canyon is the Western Canyon route which covers the western most portion of the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon. This 90-mile stretch of river offers a few mild rapids, stunning scenery and some great attractions.  The Western Canyon trip is perfect for families with young children, 1st time rafters, or travelers looking for a shorter trip option. Understanding the length of trip available, and whether a hike into or out of the Canyon is involved with the trip can easily eliminate or direct you to the perfect trip for your group when Grand Canyon rafting trip planning.  In addition to trip type, length and route, it is recommended to consider your travel time frame when Grand Canyon rafting trip planning.

The commercial rafting season through Grand Canyon National Park is offered April – October.  Due to the high volume of interested travelers and regulated trip dates, it is recommended to narrow down your travel dates within a travel time frame or travel window.  This helps  to optimize the success in finding a Grand Canyon rafting trip.  When reviewing travel dates, it is important to consider the average weather conditions and patterns in Grand Canyon.  It is also suggested that travelers plan their vacation around their Grand Canyon rafting adventure, as opposed to planning a vacation and trying to then fit in a Grand Canyon rafting trip.

Some additional questions that travelers may want to consider are age limits, costs and payment policies, time spent on hiking, time spent on rafts, time spent in camp, archaeological sites, geological sites, rapids, the start and finish point of the trip, guide experience and physical fitness requirements.

Grand Canyon rafting trip planning can be a difficult process.  Once you are able to narrow down the boat type, trip length, route and time of year you would like to travel, you will be one step closer to finding the perfect Grand Canyon rafting trip!  For more questions to consider when Grand Canyon rafting trip planning, visit our frequently asked questions page.

The post Grand Canyon Rafting Trip Planning: Top 4 Questions appeared first on .

Rafting Grand Canyon: The Best Time for Big Whitewater

Best Time for Big Whitewater when Rafting Grand Canyon

Rafting in the Grand Canyon is an exciting adventure where the big whitewater happens during the high water season. The Colorado River’s water levels through Grand Canyon are determined by the Colorado River Management Plan (CRMP). Big whitewater in Grand Canyon is typically not during spring run off, like most other rivers; instead it is during the warmer months when air conditioning becomes a necessity in the Southwest, and more water is needed downstream for agriculture.

The commercial rafting season through Grand Canyon National Park operates from April through October. Each month has fluctuating water flows and every day the water is released within the pre-determined water flow amount. These water levels are determined by the amount of moisture, snow melt and rain that the Upper and Lower Colorado River Basin receives. Once the amount of water is estimated, hydrologists determine the amount of water released on a monthly basis to meet the goals outlined in the CRMP. The water from the Colorado River is shared amongst 7 states and Mexico. The CRMP helps to meet the distribution goals and regulations in place to properly distribute the water amongst these areas. What does this mean for big whitewater in the Grand Canyon? It means that every year the water flows are different, and every month there is a team of scientists determining the amount of water that will be released downstream of Glen Canyon Dam. So when should you choose to raft Grand Canyon for the big whitewater experience?

The decision of when to raft Grand Canyon comes down to personal preference. If you are someone hoping for the chance of experiencing big whitewater in the Canyon, your best bet would be to travel during July or August.  This is when the hydroelectric needs in the Southwest are at their peak, and the most water is released. Typically the water flows during July and August are being released between 12,000-18,000 cubic feet per second. Many of the renown rapids in Grand Canyon, such as Crystal and Lava Falls, get larger and become more exciting during higher water flows, and are at their peak for big whitewater.

If you are hoping to not have the big whitewater rafting experience in the Grand Canyon, you will want to consider rafting during the low water season. April, May, September and October all tend to have lower water flows being released. Trends show that April has the lowest water levels. Typically in April you can expect to see steady flows, where there is minimal fluctuation of water levels being released. Generally these flows are between 5,000-8,000 cubic feet per second. May, September and October tend to have more fluctuation than April, meaning the CRMP allows the water to be released between 8,000-16,000 cubic feet per second during these months.

All of this information is useful if you understand water flows and cubic feet per second, but can mean very little to someone who has yet to learn about water flows on high volume rivers, such as the Colorado River. If you don’t understand fluctuation or the Colorado River Management Plan, no need to worry your guides will educate you on this during your trip. At this time, here are the key points to keep in mind.

The higher the water level (cubic feet per second) being released, the larger many of the “big” rapids in Grand Canyon become.   The big whitewater tends to be in late June, July or August.

On the same note, the lower the water level, many smaller rapids become larger or rated at a higher level, due to additional waves created by rocks or obstructions in the water, or they become more technical to run. This means that anytime you raft in the Grand Canyon, you will have exciting rapids and get to experience some big whitewater. In other words, you can’t choose a bad time to raft down the Colorado River.

To date, the CRMP has regulated water flows that are always run-able for both motorized and non-motorized trips. There was a time in 1983 when the water levels were so high, that the National Park Service required passengers to hike around Crystal Rapid. This however was during a time when the water from Lake Powell was spilling over Glen Canyon Dam, and being released at around 100,000 cubic feet per second. There has not been a time when too little water was released, forcing rafters to hike around rapids.

If you are hoping for the smallest amount of whitewater on your trip, consider rafting in April, early May, late September or October.

Every year the amount of water being released changes with the amount of moisture gained in the winter, due to this rafting outfitters cannot guarantee any water levels during any time of year.

When looking at water levels, also consider Grand Canyon weather, as the weather can be very hot in the summer, and cool in the spring or fall.

The post Rafting Grand Canyon: The Best Time for Big Whitewater appeared first on .