Rafting in Moab? Need advice

[N-Smooth]

We're going to Moab the last weekend in March with a youth group and looking to do some rafting. I've done the Snake by Jackson a few times and been out by the Gorge as well but never Moab (#becauserockcrawler)

Anyways, I'm looking for any tips about rental places and the best routes. We'll be staying at Big Bend Campground (just east of town by like 8 miles) so the route from there to the bridge or from Fisher Towers to the campground (or maybe even to the bridge...?) look like the best option- from my quick research.


Thanks in advance!

 

[UNSTUCK]

I'm of really no help because it was several years ago, but my brothers and I did some rafting there. Didn't really plan on it, but just showed up to one of the guides and went for it. The river was very slow and we spent most of the time swimming and just goofing off in the water. One or two spots we were told to get back in the raft then we were back to swimming. Overall it was a fun time. Not sure that I would plan a trip to Moab just to go rafting though.

 

[Coco]

Don't do it, you will die.

 

[mesha]

In my experience there isn’t much of a difference in the rental companies. Pick one with good reviews and go for it.

The water will be absolutely freezing the end of March.

 

[Noahfecks]

Most people run a section called the moab daily. It's pretty tame, there are a couple of small rapids but they can flip a boat if the guide is an idiot. If you are camped up in the canyon and you have a big enough group they would probably agree to pick you up and drop you off at your campground.

If you are up for a full day trip you can look into running westwater canyon. It has more challenging rapids but is a little longer drive.

There is a longer section called cataract canyon from moab to reservoir powell but you are looking at a minimum of a three day trip. Not so much in March, but in May it is the biggest whitewater in North America, not for the faint of heart.

As far as the outfitter I would go with O.A.R.S. or Western, avoid scarry sherry griffith and if you cant go with the best you might as well be adrift

 

[Jay5.9L]

We rafted down there a while ago with this company. Had a good time

 

[Kevin B.]

It will be damned cold water. We ran the Daily in April several years ago, dumped our canoe in the 2nd rapid, had to haul out to a sand bar and build a fire to dry out and warm up.

The Daily isn't at all scary in a good raft though.

 

[N-Smooth]

I'm of really no help because it was several years ago, but my brothers and I did some rafting there. Didn't really plan on it, but just showed up to one of the guides and went for it. The river was very slow and we spent most of the time swimming and just goofing off in the water. One or two spots we were told to get back in the raft then we were back to swimming. Overall it was a fun time. Not sure that I would plan a trip to Moab just to go rafting though.

That’s pretty much what we’re looking for, slow water to hang out. I definitely wouldn’t plan a trip for it either but renting jeeps isn’t an option unfortunately so we have to do something else. I’ll be there 2 weeks later for EJS too...

Don't do it, you will die.

Thanks

In my experience there isn’t much of a difference in the rental companies. Pick one with good reviews and go for it.

The water will be absolutely freezing the end of March.

Yeah, I figured it’ll be chilly. Kind of a bummer since jumping in and having water fights is a lot of the fun but it is what it is.

 

[N-Smooth]

Most people run a section called the moab daily. It's pretty tame, there are a couple of small rapids but they can flip a boat if the guide is an idiot. If you are camped up in the canyon and you have a big enough group they would probably agree to pick you up and drop you off at your campground.

If you are up for a full day trip you can look into running westwater canyon. It has more challenging rapids but is a little longer drive.

There is a longer section called cataract canyon from moab to reservoir powell but you are looking at a minimum of a three day trip. Not so much in March, but in May it is the biggest whitewater in North America, not for the faint of heart.

As far as the outfitter I would go with O.A.R.S. or Western, avoid scarry sherry griffith and if you cant go with the best you might as well be adrift

Thanks for the input, that helps a lot. Definitely looking for more mild waters.

We rafted down there a while ago with this company. Had a good time View attachment 124965

I’ll check them out. Thanks!

It will be damned cold water. We ran the Daily in April several years ago, dumped our canoe in the 2nd rapid, had to haul out to a sand bar and build a fire to dry out and warm up.

The Daily isn't at all scary in a good raft though.

I don’t plan on getting thrown in but a few of the youth might be taking a swim ?

 

[mesha]

You could always go canyoneering instead.

 

[N-Smooth]

You could always go canyoneering instead.

I don’t know what that means but bouldering and rappelling are on the table as well. I just want to take my Jeep down but seeing as how it fits one other adult and 2 small kids it doesn’t really make sense.

 

[I Lean]

You could always go canyoneering instead.

In.

 

[mesha]

I don’t know what that means but bouldering and rappelling are on the table as well. I just want to take my Jeep down but seeing as how it fits one other adult and 2 small kids it doesn’t really make sense.

Basically you hike through slot canyons. Sometimes it requires ropes and technical skills and sometimes not. The canyons can be wet or dry. It is an absolute blast. I run a lot of youth groups through canyons in Moab. Usually they plan it as part of a rafting/biking/canyoneering camp. the next time they want to canyoneer everyday instead of one day.

 

[Houndoc]

Trying to remember who we rented from for our youth church group last summer (trying to find out). They were great in that we had a couple of rafts we brought with us that we decided would not be safe enough so had to scramble last minute. Ended up being able to put together a package of rafts and guide (I was one of the only leaders in our group with any river experience).

I will jump back in once I get the name of who we used.

But I would plan on keeping the kids mostly out of the water- it is going to be cold that time of the year.

 

[Houndoc]

Looks like we did our last minute arrangements through Canyon Voyages Adventure Company, or so I am told. They were very helpful and flexible to bail us out from our poor planning.

 

[N-Smooth]

Looks like we did our last minute arrangements through Canyon Voyages Adventure Company, or so I am told. They were very helpful and flexible to bail us out from our poor planning.

I'll check it out, thanks

 

[pkrfctr]

We've taken our youth groups down a couple of times. We usually spend a day rappelling, a day on the river and a day jeeping or hiking. We camp at one of the campgrounds east of town along the river, can't remember the names. The river is great and the kids love it. Run off should be good this year, which seems to make the rapids bigger and more fun. Load the kids up with squirt guns and play pirates in the smooth sections. Just make sure a repeat the rules often. As we were getting off the river one day another group came down and flipped a raft right by us. A few kids swam to shore and the rest swam toward the raft and kept going. We helped get the ones who swam ashore get situated but it sucked and I'm sure their leaders were freaking out about where they were. They need to stay in the river and float down or swim to a raft.

 

[Ashcat]

We used Red River Adventures. Set in at Fisher Towers and that gives you like 5 rapids. They bus you to and from, provide all the gear and a lunch. We went during the credit score rally (May) and it was still cold as hell, water and temperature and we were hit by a thunderstorm and had to call it a day by lunch. Freezing winds and we’re all wet. Once back to town to dry out and warm up at the hotel it was sunshine and 60-70* and we finished the day hiking. That’s weather for ya. So my advice would be study the weather and or pick a later date, not too late as the river will be down and probably won’t be as much action if that’s what you’re into.

 

[nnnnnate]

We're looking at taking our Priest age boys down in June-ish and have talked about doing some rafting. Does anyone have experience with the 2 day 1 night Fisher tower with World Wide River? I'm guessing we'd end up just starting higher up the canyon right? We are looking at a Wed-Sat kind of trip.

 

[N-Smooth]

We're looking at taking our Priest age boys down in June-ish and have talked about doing some rafting. Does anyone have experience with the 2 day 1 night Fisher tower with World Wide River? I'm guessing we'd end up just starting higher up the canyon right? We are looking at a Wed-Sat kind of trip.

According to the info I've gathered, from Fisher Tower to Big Bend Camp is ~6-7 hours and from there to the bridge is another ~6-7 hours. So maybe that's the 2 day trip but I could be wrong. I know you can go a ways on the West side of the bridge as well...

At this point I'm leaning more towards the canyoneering route with the help of Davy but we'll see if that works out. If it was just the priests it would be a lot easier to plan for sure (10-12 youth instead of 30-35)