Best River Rafting Trip in Moab
Moab is known for outdoor adventures. People visit the area from around the world to explore the nearby national and state parks. There are endless hiking and biking trails, but one of the best adventures in Moab is river rafting on the Colorado River. Moab Adventure Center offers guided tours on the river, and we recently enjoyed a full-day rafting trip along a stretch upstream of Moab.
As you plan your visit to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park or Dead Horse Point State Park, book your full-day trip on the Colorado River with Moab Adventure Center. Here’s what you can expect.
Book Your River Rafting Trip with Moab Adventure Center
When you start making plans to visit Moab, that’s when you should also start looking into booking your river rafting trip with Moab Adventure Center. The sooner you’re able to book your trip, the better off you’ll be. I recommend at least one month in advance, especially during the summer months – May through October. However, you may be able to book just a few days in advance – so give it a try.
Moab Adventure Center offers several river rafting option down the Colorado River.
- A full-day rafting adventure with an exclusive BBQ lunch (We did this one)
- Mid-day rafting adventure
- Colorado River morning half-day adventure
- Westwater Canyon full-day rafting
- Cataract Canyon four-day classic
- Cataract Canyon two-day express
- Green River – Desolation Canyon five day
The easiest way to book your river rafting adventure on the Colorado River in Moab is online. Visit the Moab Adventure Center website and follow each of the steps to complete your booking. They do offer pickup from select locations, so if you need a ride, just indicate that during the registration process.
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After selecting the number of people in your group, you’ll select the date of your upcoming adventure. You can try to book something a few days out, or months in advance.
What to Pack for your River Rafting Adventure
It’s always hard to know what to bring or wear when you plan to venture out on a river rafting adventure. My wife and I are always debating – swimsuit or shorts and a t-shirt. My wife chose to wear a swimsuit, while I went with my Renegade Cargo Convertible KÜHL pants. I took the bottom of the legs off so I could wear them as shorts. I did wear a long sleeve, easily breathable undershirt so I had some added sun protection, in addition to wearing my Carltonaut kayaking t-shirt.
Here’s a rundown on what you should plan to bring with you for your Moab river rafting adventure:
- Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
- Water shoes/Sandals
- Hat
- Waterproof camera (I used my Insta360 X3 camera with extended monopod, but you can also consider the Olympus TG-6)
- Swim suit (or clothes you’re fine to get wet in)
You don’t need to worry about bringing a water bottle. When you arrive at Moab Adventure Center, they’ll give you a plastic, durable water bottle.
Part 1: Checking in and Getting to the River
The guided river rafting tours begin at Moab Adventure Center in downtown Moab – 225 S Main St, Moab, UT 84532. It’s best to arrive roughly 30 minutes before the start of your tour. That allows you time to park (there is a parking lot available at the building or across the street), check in at the front desk and fill up your brand new water bottle.
I recommend leaving anything you don’t need on the river in your vehicle. You can check your car keys at the front desk and they’ll hold on to them while you’re on the tour. There’s no extra charge for this, and it’s much better than losing your car keys in the river – because I doubt you’d ever find them again.
After you get checked in, hang out in the waiting area until your guides show up and give you a rundown on what to expect for the day. After everyone gathers, the guides will fit you for a life jacket and you’ll board the bus.
The bus ride from the Moab Adventure Center to the launching point of the river (Hittle Bottom) is about 30 minutes. But it’s along the second most scenic drive in America – Highway 128 along the Colorado River. It’s a beautiful drive, so enjoy the scenery as you make your way up the canyon.
Once you arrive at the launch point, everyone will exit the bus and gather under a pavilion while the guides unload the boats and get them into the water. This is a great time to ensure everyone in your group has sunscreen applied so you’re ready for your adventure.
When the tour guides are ready, they’ll sort you into the boats by groups and you’ll pile in and begin your adventure down the Colorado River.
Part 2: Rafting Down the First Stretch of the Colorado River
When people envision a river rafting trip, they may think they have to paddle the entire length of the river. Well, that’s not true for this trip. The river will carry you along, and the only times you really need to paddle is to move across the river or to keep you positioned correctly as you venture through the rapids. So don’t pass by the opportunity to enjoy a guided river rafting trip because you think it’ll be too much work.
During the first stretch of the river, your guide will orient you to a few things you need to know about paddling and the commands they’ll use. You’ll also venture through four rapid areas:
- Onion Creek Rapid
- Professor Creek Rapid
- Cloud Burst Rapid
- Rocky Rapid
The rapid size will vary depending on the time of year and the amount of water making its way down the river. During our June trip, the water was running high and we definitely got wet on a few of those earlier rapids.
The guides will also talk to you about the area and point out various features of the landscape. For example, our guide pointed out the popular Fisher Towers, which is often used by avid climbers. They talked to us about the land and the nuances of owning a home in the area. We didn’t see many homes, but the ones we did were elaborate – solar panels, blending in with the landscapes and more.
Additionally, your guides will be keeping an eye out for wildlife along the route. We saw a Bald Eagle and one of our guides shared with us her Bald Eagle call. 😉
Part 3: Buffet-style BBQ Lunch at Red Cliffs Lodge
Halfway through the river rafting adventure, your group will disembark at Red Cliffs Lodge for a BBQ buffet. Get in line and choose between a hamburger or hotdog, then add any fixings you like and a few sides, then claim a seat. You can fill up your water bottles with various beverages – I stuck with lemonade and it was delicious. I also recommend snagging a dessert (a cookie) and enjoying it while taking in the beautiful landscapes surrounding the lodge.
We weren’t rushed for lunch at all. So we were able to sit back and truly enjoy a break from the river. There are toilets at the lodge, so be sure to go there so you don’t have to go in the river. Mainly because that would mean you have to jump into the water and that was something I was not interested in doing.
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After a while, your guides will get everyone back on the boats – after putting your life jacket back on, of course. Then you can continue your adventure down the Colorado River.
Part 4: Finish up the River Rafting Adventure on the River
Now that your stomach is full and you’ve had a lot to drink so you don’t get dehydrated, you’ll set off down the river and quickly approach the next rapid – White’s Rapid. We got another round of water thrown at us on this one, which was great because of how hot it was that day.
There are two additional rapids on this second stretch of the river – New Rapid and Salt Wash Rapids. New Rapid was created when a large rock broke off from the mountain and ended up in the river. To me, that was the largest and wettest rapid of the whole river rafting experience and I got pretty wet. But it was so much fun.
At one point, our raft got stuck in what we later learned was affectionately called “All Day Eddy”. We tried a couple of times to get out of it while the other two rafts in our group continued down river. We were tired of the paddling we had to do to get out of it, so I can’t image how tired our guide’s arms must have been. But she was awesome!!
Outside of the three rapids on this portion of the river, there are beautiful stretches of river that are perfect for a swim – or a game.
A Few Games on the River
As you continue down the river, your guide can share with you a few fun games to try. The first one we tried out was “Spinning the Bull”. The teens on our raft were game to give it a try – the adults were hesitant to dive into the water, so we all passed. For the game, the person would stand on the front of the boat while the rest of the group would paddle to spin the boat. When the guide yelled “STOP”, we would plant our paddles in the water, quickly changing the direction of the spin. The person would be thrown off balance and fall into the water. The one rule: They had to fall into the water and not into the boat.
The second game was called “Trusty Tee Grip”. Two people would stand across from each other on the boat and lock the hook ends of their paddle together. They would then lean out over the raft, trusting that the person would keep the hooks locked together. The caveat – if both were leaning over and the hooks dislodged, they’d both go over. The teens weren’t very good at keeping them connected, so they ended up in the water a few times.
The Bus Ride Back to Town
When we arrived at Take Out Beach, we all climbed out of the raft and waited nearby for the guides to load them up on the trailer. Then we boarded the bus and made the 40-minute drive back into town. We were surprised – and grateful – for the OtterPops they handed out on the bus, because we needed that cold refreshment from a day in the sun.
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When we arrived back at the Moab Adventure Center, we all got off the bus and handed over our life jackets. We also used it as an opportunity to tip our guides. I’ve found that guides can make or break an experience, so if they did an amazing job and made things fun for your group, don’t hesitate to provide them a tip to say thank you. Then you can grab your car keys or items from the front desk and find a place to grab some dinner to recharge.
The Details:
Address: 225 South Main Street Moab, Utah 84532
Cost: Adults (13+) are $129 and youth (5-12) are $106 per person.
Hours: Full-day trips begin at 9 a.m. at Moab Adventure Center and conclude at the same location between 3-4 p.m.
Website: https://www.moabadventurecenter.com/moab-river-rafting
Phone: (866) 904-1163
Disclaimer: I received two complimentary full-day river rafting adventures with Moab Adventure Center for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.
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