Westwater Canyon Rafting

Westwater Canyon rafting trips are the best way to get a little taste of everything a river trip has to offer. Spend a weekend discovering the majesty of the Colorado River in the canyon that some call a miniature Grand Canyon. Paddle an inflatable kayak or a stand-up paddleboard beneath smooth pink and orange sandstone walls. Run exciting rapids through a canyon made of polished black stone (over a billion years old!). Explore side canyons and climb to the rim for a bird’s eye view. Or, just relax! Kick back on a raft and let the world float by. Dig your toes into the sand at camp and dig into that book you’ve been wanting to read. This is your trip; our guides will help you make the most of it.

These trips are perfect for those who want the beauty and thrills of a traditional Colorado River rafting vacation but only have a few days. Our Westwater Canyon trips are the ultimate two- or three-day getaway. Just enough time to experience something wild and still be home in time for work on Monday. Or, plan a one-day trip with a group of 12 people or more.

Want to know all the details? Check out our Insider’s Guide to Rafting the Colorado River through Westwater Canyon.

Getting into town early? Check out our local recommendations! Green River, Utah: Things to Do and Places to Explore

Featured Review:

“The entire experience was amazing and the guides were perfect! They took the time to make sure everyone knew what was going on and that everyone was having fun and being safe too! The food was better than I eat at home and everyone agreed it was the best food they had had on a camping/hiking trip. The guides’ personalities were awesome and they took the time to point out things to make the trip even better than standard and really made the trip memorable! I couldn’t have asked for a better trip.” (Daniel Lederer)

Acknowledging the traditional inhabitants of this land: in a gesture of respect and appreciation for the Indigenous people who have lived on and cared for the rivers and canyons where we play, Holiday wishes to acknowledge that Westwater Canyon is the traditional homeland of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) people. Read more about our land acknowledgments here.
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Trip Overview

  • Type:

    Rafting

  • Location:

    Colorado River - Westwater Canyon

  • Length:

    2 and 3 Days

  • Dates:

    May–September

  • Meet at:

    Green River, Utah @ 8:00 am

  • Difficulty:

    Intermediate

  • Min. Age:

    8

  • Deposit:

    400

Highlights

  • Exciting Class III & IV whitewater rapids
  • Play on stand-up paddleboards & inflatable kayaks in the calm water
  • Stunning wilderness canyon with billion-year-old black rocks
  • Narrowest part of the Colorado River: Skull Rapid
  • See bighorn, birds of prey, & otters
Getting Here Before You Go Packing List FAQs

Rates & Dates

Itinerary

The Colorado River slips over the Utah-Colorado border just west of the Colorado National Monument. Three-day rafting trips begin in Loma, Colorado and float through the sherbet-colored sandstones of Ruby Canyon before entering the black schist of Westwater itself. The two-day trips begin at the Westwater Ranger Station in eastern Utah and get right to the heart of the black rocks. Both trips end in Cisco, Utah, a ghost-town-turned-artist-colony.

Sample Itinerary

3-DAY WESTWATER/RUBY CANYON RAFTING TRIP

Day 1:

Meet at our headquarters in Green River, Utah at 8:00 a.m., Mountain Time. We’ll issue your waterproof bags and give you time to pack them. You can buy any last minute items from our warehouse store at this time (see our packing checklist for a list of items we stock). Next we’ll load up into our vans for the two hour ride east to the put-in at Loma, Colorado. This is Ruby Canyon, characterized by smooth sandstone walls and unique pillars. The water is calm at first, with a few small rapids, perfect for playing around with inflatable kayaks or stand-up paddle boards. A side hike up Rattlesnake Canyon reveals a variety of desert plants and wildlife. Camp at Black Rocks, where 1.7 billion-year-old black schist provides a stunning background setting. Consider hiking up to the rim, or playing in the water from camp.

Day 2:

Enjoy a peaceful morning of floating before reaching the Westwater Ranger Station. From there, the river enters the narrow, black rock canyon of Westwater itself. Rapids begin to get bigger, which means more fun in the inflatable kayaks! Camp just upstream of the biggest rapids, deep within Westwater canyon, and savor a steak dinner while watching the stars come out.

Day 3:

Gear up for rapids! One right after another: Big Hummer, Funnel Falls, Surprise, and the narrowest point of the Colorado River, Skull Rapid. Once we’ve made it through the rapids, sit back and look for bald eagles, great blue herons, and even an occasional big horn sheep before stopping for one last lunch on the river. We aim to be at the Cisco boat ramp by 2:00. After loading boats and gear, we’ll make the 45-minute drive back to Green River. We typically return between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.

2-DAY WESTWATER/GRANITE CANYON RAFTING TRIP

Day 1:

We’ll start at our Green River, Utah headquarters at 8:00 a.m., Mountain Time. You’ll get your river bags and have time to pack and pick up last minute items from our on-site store (see our store supplies page for a list of items we stock). Next, we hop in the vans and ride for approximately one hour east to the Westwater Ranger Station. It’s a relaxing float at first, with a possible hike to Little Hole Canyon’s natural amphitheater where Native American rock art can be seen. Camp near Little Dolores canyon, where you can take a short hike up the side canyon to discover a beautiful desert waterfall and swimming hole. Or, stay near the river and cool-off with some swimming before dinner. Enjoy a gourmet river-side dinner before some evening stargazing.

Day 2:

Wake up to sun hitting the canyon walls and fresh coffee with a leisurely breakfast before rigging for the rapids of Westwater! The waves come fast and furious and in quick succession, including Skull Rapid, one of Colorado’s fiercest drops and the narrowest part of the river. After running Skull rapid, there’s still more – Bowling Alley, Sock-it-to-me, and Last Chance all give you the thrills and splashes of big whitewater. After the rapids, watch the canyon walls open up and the water slow down. Bask in the sun, or take a swim break off the rafts before lunch. Vans will return you to our headquarters in Green River between 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

As mentioned earlier, this is a sample itinerary and should not be thought of as the exact trip you will experience. It is intended to give an idea of what the trip will be like, and could also be exactly what you do. Keep an open mind, be flexible, go with the flow, and enjoy!

Westwater Itinerary Justin

One of the advantages of a river trip is the flexibility of the daily itinerary. It can vary widely from one trip to the next based on group desires, assigned campsites, weather, and other unpredictable elements. Embrace the adventure and go with the flow!

 

Reviews

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Holiday River Expeditions
Average rating:  
 205 reviews
 by Lexi

This is my second trip with Holiday, and I'm continually impressed by the professionalism, class, and friendliness of the guides. The other guests in our crew were also really fun and enjoyable to be around. The meals are also top notch and there was not one thing that wasn't delicious. It's impressive to watch the crew work, they are so efficient and always make stellar meals.

We ran Westwater at record levels and it was so special and fun. The scenery was phenomenal and we loved every single campsite. I cannot recommend Holiday enough. If you have never run a river trip, it's fantastic to see this crew at work and learn the tricks of a fun and smooth trip.

 by Adam Frenza

This trip was amazing! We loved Westwater and the guides really went above and beyond to make it an incredible trip. Holiday is the best!!!

 by Andrea Haag

Josh, Brayden, and Alex were amazing - so fun and good at their jobs. They made the trip even more fun.



The trip was so much fun from beginning to end. The river guides took such good care of us, that we didn’t have to worry about anything other than having fun.

 by Joe Bird

We were treated so well and pampered the whole time. This was a first-class river adventure!

 by Ammon Schwab

I loved every minute of my trip with Holiday River Expeditions! I just got back from the Westwater 3-day trip. The guides made this trip a really great experience! I will absolutely be using Holiday River Expeditions on my next trip!



The guides were all very willing to answer any questions I had and were very willing to accommodate my needs. Our guides were happy to give facts about the river and were willing to teach us a bit about the canyon's geography and wildlife.



The first two days are pretty mild, with the last day having some great rapids! The guides made sure we still had a great time on the calm days. You will see some of the most beautiful nature views while the guides row you down the river.



All I had to do was set up my tent and sleeping bag at camp, the guides would do the rest. The food was delicious! While you enjoy free time at the beach, each meal was prepared and served by the guides.



Having a rainfly was great because it sprinkled a little bit on both nights. Water shoes, tennis shoes that will get wet, or sandals with straps are pretty important to have on this trip. Each camp we stopped at had a little hill to go up and down from the beach, which gave elevated views of the beautiful canyon.



I am already looking forward to my next river adventure!

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