Best Family Whitewater Rafting Trip in Utah

As a kid, my dad took all of us on a whitewater rafting trip near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It’s an activity I’ve always thought about doing that with my kids, but the summers always got away from me. A couple months ago, I did some research and booked a family whitewater rafting trip in Utah through Dinosaur National Monument on the Green River. We made a day trip out of it and created some amazing memories on the river.

If you’re looking for some fun family adventure in Utah, book your trip with OARS ADVENTURES on the Green River. Here’s a rundown on what you need to know to help you plan your family whitewater rafting trip.

Book Your Trip Online and Sign the Waivers

As soon as you decide you want to go on a family whitewater rafting trip in Utah, visit OARS ADVENTURES website and start looking at dates. They offer single day trips as well as multi-day trips. While I think a multi-day river rafting trip would be amazing, I’ll keep that in mind for a future adventure.

Book your trip between mid-May through mid-September on the Green River through Split Mountain in Dinosaur National Monument. If you choose to go in May-June, the water level is going to be higher, meaning the rapids are a little rougher. Kids must be 11 or older to ride during this higher-water season.

Booking the trip and paying the fees online are pretty straightforward. You’ll note there’s a $15 National Park entrance fee, since you’ll be traveling through Dinosaur National Monument. If you have an America the Beautiful annual parks pass, mention that in the notes section and they’ll verify and refund the $15 per-person fee.

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Within a day or two of booking the trip online, you’ll need to complete the waivers. These ask about any medical conditions, food allergies or other health information the river guides need to be aware of.

Once you get all the online waivers submitted, the next step is to watch an orientation video online so you know the rules of the river.

Directions and Checking in with OARS ADVENTURES

OARS ADVENTURES provide the safety essentials and equipment, but there are a few things you need to bring.

• Durable water bottle
• Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
• Water shoes/Sandals
• Hat
• Waterproof camera (I used the Olympus TG-6)
• Swim suit (or clothes you’re fine to get wet in)
• Locking carabiners (Non-locking carabiners are a safety hazard)

OARS ADVENTURES warehouse is located in Vernal, Utah (221 North 400 East). There’s plenty of parking, but be sure to lock up your vehicle. They’re not responsible if someone breaks into your vehicle.

You’ll want to arrive by 9:15 (9:30 at the latest) so each member of your group can be fitted for a life jacket and helmet. We thought the helmets were optional, but they are required. So plan any hat attire appropriately – ball caps work great. They will also provide each group with a dry bag that you can use to keep things, well… dry. It works great for cell phones, or other things you need to protect from the water.

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The backside of the blue building has two bathrooms available. It’s best to use this before you head out. It’s easier to relieve yourself in those bathrooms than it will be to go in the river (or in a bag if it’s a #2 – pack it in/pack it out).

Once everyone is fitted and ready, you’ll board the bus and head toward the river’s entry point. Currently, masks are required while in the bus.

Part 1: Short Hike to some Petroglyphs

The bus ride to the first stop is about 45 minutes. Part of it is along a dirt road. The route does take you into Dinosaur National Monument – which is why there’s that initial fee at booking. The guides on the bus will point out different things along the way.

The first stop is along the dirt road. The group will take an easy – and short – hike up to and along the canyon wall. Along that wall are various petroglyphs. Our guide filled us in on what the likely meaning is of each petroglyph. It’s hard to know what it means for sure, because the tribes aren’t around to talk to anymore.

Be sure you bring a water bottle with you on the hike. It may be a short hike, but it’s important to make sure you’re well hydrated for the upcoming adventure.

After the hike, you’ll board the bus again for a 10 minute ride to the entry point of the Green River.

Part 2: Down the River with Three Class-Three Rapids

When your tour group arrives at the entry point, it’s a great time to put sunscreen on – if you haven’t already. The guides will need to unload all the gear and rafts from the bus, so you’ve got a few minutes. Then it’s on to the safety orientation about the family whitewater rafting experience. This includes dos and don’ts.

After the orientation, you’ll be directed to your boat to meet your river guide. They’ll go over a few things before you board the raft. Then they’ll guide you through all the instructions they’ll give while you’re on the river. Listen up so you know what you need to do on the river. You’re an active participant and need to paddle.

After all the trainings, you’re good to go. During this first portion of the river, you’ll hit three class-three (or class two, depending on water flows at the time) rapids. Those three include Moonshine, S.O.B., and Schoolboy. But beyond the three larger rapids in this stretch of the river, there are other class one and two rapids that keep things interesting.

And in case you needed more specific info: You will get wet. You may get soaked! 😉 Follow the instructions of your guide, and after about an hour or two rafting, it’ll be time to stop for lunch.

Part 3: Lunch on the Riverbank

Whitewater rafting and the hot sun can take a lot out of you. Despite all the water we were drinking on the river (from our water bottles, not the rapids), it felt good to get some food in our stomachs. After pulling all the boats up on the riverbank, the guides went to work preparing lunch. We hung out and chatted about the experience so far. A few people sat on a log and chatted, while others wandered around the area to explore a little more.

You could wade into the river, but you didn’t want to get out into the current or you’d end up downstream. The water was a little too chilly for me. I’m a wuss when it comes to swimming in cold water, so I didn’t wade into the river.

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The first part of lunch was fresh fruit. It really hit the spot. We could’ve filled up on that alone, but we knew there were others who wanted to enjoy the fruit. The main course was a chicken caesar wrap. It was pretty good and something I wouldn’t have expected to be eating alongside the river. But it worked. Dessert were some Vienna Finger cookies or Oreos.

After the guides took down the tables and put lunch away, everyone topped off their water bottles and boarded the boats for the final stretch of the Green River through Split Mountain.

Part 4: Voluntary Swimming, Jumping and More Rapids

Our family whitewater rafting trip in Utah was going “swimmingly” so far. But after a short stretch of river, you’ll have an opportunity to jump out of the raft and float in the river. You do need to hold on the raft so you don’t get too far away and have to be rescued – or end up managing the rapids with a life jacket instead of a raft. The voluntary swimming area isn’t very long, but it can be refreshing – especially on those hotter days.

This section portion of the Green River through Split Mountain in Dinosaur National Monument does have some whitewater and other rapids. There is only one Class Three Rapid (Ingelsby) in this stretch, but there are some other ones that are equally fun and will get you wet.

At one point in the river, you’ll get a chance to do more than fall over the side of the raft into the water. You can climb up a rock and jump about 6 feet into the river below. I wasn’t brave enough to take the leap myself, but my three boys took the plunge. They all said it was pretty cold, so part of me felt okay having stayed in the raft. 😉

Part 5: Short Hike to a Hidden Cave and the Bus Ride Back

Roughly 50 yards before the takeout point of the river, the group will stop and “park” the boats on a riverbank. The group will then head up a short trail to a massive cave that’s pretty hidden from passersby along the river. If you don’t know the cave is there, you’ll probably never see it. The cave is said to have been a hiding spot of infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy (yes, THAT Butch Cassidy).

The cave was a nice reprieve from the sun. It also served as a waiting spot for our group until the bus arrived at the unloading spot and was ready for us. Then we boarded the rafts, paddled downstream for a couple of minutes and the family whitewater rafting in Utah was over.

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While the guides loaded up the rafts and gear, we hung out, took a potty break and drank lots more water. Then we boarded the bus for the one hour ride back to the OARS Warehouse in Vernal. Everyone was pretty tired by this point, so it was a rather quiet ride back.

After unloading from the bus, we put our stuff in our van, grabbed our change of dry clothes and used the bathrooms at the facility to change.

We’d really enjoyed our experience on the Green River. We had such a great time, that we think it would be fun to do more whitewater rafting. Maybe next time, we’ll head up to Jackson Hole and try our hand at the Snake River.

The Details:

Address: 221 North 400 East, Vernal, Utah

Cost: Adults are $129 and youth are $119 per person. There is also a $15 National Park Entrance fee per person (but if you have an America the Beautiful Annual Parks Pass, you can have that fee waived).

Hours: Day trips begin at 9:30 a.m. in Vernal, Utah and conclude at the same location between 4-5 p.m.

Website: https://www.oars.com/utah/

Phone: 1-800-342-8243

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