Moab Biking & Westwater Canyon Rafting Combination Trip

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For a one-of-a-kind adventure that combines the best of mountains, desert, and river, join our Moab-Westwater combination trip. Bike through the La Sal Mountains with elevated oases of aspen and pine trees towering above Moab’s red rocks. Ride with our guides along graded dirt Forest Service roads, through lupine-studded meadows.

Meanwhile, our 4×4 support van is right behind us, laden with gear and all the fixings for gourmet trail-side meals at our camp out on the edge of the world in a piney grove. On the second day of riding, descend the 4,000 feet from the alpine forests to the red rock desert.

Westwater Canyon is our next stop. Known for its punchy whitewater rapids and sleek, black canyon walls, Westwater is the perfect reward for two days of pedaling. Relax and watch great blue herons soar over the river. Or, if you haven’t had enough activity, hop in an inflatable kayak and paddle alongside our oar rafts.

We’ll spend our last night together on the riverbank, resting up for the grand finale of Westwater Canyon’s rapids. Big Hummer, Funnel Falls, and Skull Rapid are the perfect finish to a four-day Moab-Westwater combination trip!

Featured Review:

“The food was awesome. The guides were polite and attentive. Biking was challenging but well worth the effort. We had an awesome trip and loved Onion Creek, especially going through the creek! And the views were spectacular. The food and guides were top-notch. The rafting was a blast.” (Keri Roche and Greg Roland)

Holiday acknowledges that Westwater Canyon and the La Sal Mountain range are the traditional homelands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) people. We respect and honor the Indigenous people who have – and still do- lived on and cared for the rivers and canyons that we now recreate in. Read more about our land acknowledgments here.

Book This Trip

Trip Overview

Type:

Bike-Raft
Location:

Moab Area Biking- Colorado River
Length:

4 Days: 2 Biking, 2 Rafting
Dates:

July & August
Meet at:

Green River, Utah @ 7:00 pm (night before the trip)
Difficulty:

Intermediate
Min. Age:

12
Prices:

Adult - $1,340
Youth - $1,210 (18 & under)
Senior - $1,210 (65 & older)
Group - $1,210 (10 or more)
+ $10 BLM fee per person
Deposit:

400

Highlights

Idyllic mild temps for summer biking through the high La Sals
Feel the rush of Westwater's finest rapids
Ideal vacation to stay cool during the summer heat
Swim in the Colorado and camp on its banks
Perfect balance of working hard and playing harder
Spot bald eagles and big horn sheep
Human powered, multi-sport adventure

VIEW TRIP GALLERY

Moab Biking & Westwater Canyon Rafting Combination Trip

Insider’s Guide Things to Do in Green River, UT FAQs Getting Here Before You Go Packing List

Rates & Dates

Itinerary

The La Sal Mountains sit just outside of Moab, Utah on the Colorado border. Their 10–12,000 foot peaks create a spectacular green contrast to the red and orange of the surrounding desert landscape. The Colorado River cruises around the northern flank of the mountains through Westwater Canyon. Trips through Westwater begin just south of Interstate 70 and take out at the town of Cisco, Utah.

Moab mountain biking and river rafting trips

Sample Itinerary

Night Before

Please arrive at our headquarters in Green River, Utah, no later than 7:00 p.m., Mountain Time for a pre-trip meeting. We’ll give you waterproof bags and any rental gear, collect personal beverages, and give you time to buy any last minute items from our store (see our packing checklist for a list of items we stock).

Our guides will also go through a pre-trip inspection of your bikes. If you plan to ride your own bike, please make sure that it is in good condition. We recommend getting a full tune at a professional shop prior to the trip. If your bike doesn’t pass muster, we’ll ask you to rent a Holiday bike for $270.00/person.

Day 1

We’ll ride in our comfortable, 15-passenger vans for two hours, stopping halfway in Moab for a quick pit stop. The van will carry us up to approximately 8,000 feet of elevation into the cool forests on the flanks of the La Sal Mountains. The bike ride begins with some gentle ups and downs. Once you’re warmed up, our route takes us up a sustained climb. We’ll have lunch near the top of the climb, then fly downhill for a couple of miles. Most of today’s riding is a balance of climbs and descents. Camp is on the edge of North Beaver Mesa, with an epic view of the peaks of the La Sals.

Day 2

Today’s ride will be fast! After a hearty breakfast of pancakes (or maybe eggs to order?) we’ll pedal out to the edge of the mesa, and fly down the switchbacks into the Fisher Valley. Enjoy the downhill, but don’t forget to stop and enjoy the views, too. We’ll camp on the edge of the Colorado River. Those who still have energy to burn may choose to do a hike along the base of the Fisher Towers mudstone pinnacles that dominate the skyline.

Day 3

Our comfy vans will pick up you and your river gear to transfer you to the waiting rafts at the Westwater Canyon Ranger Station. Sit back, relax, and scan the cliffs for bald eagles and great blue herons. Enjoy the rest: you’ve earned it. Eat lunch with your toes in the Colorado River. Spend the afternoon swimming or maybe taking a short hike to a historic gold miner’s cabin. Tonight’s camp will be deep within the black rocks of Westwater.

Day 4

Holiday’s guides will whip up another delicious breakfast, then prepare the rafts for the whitewater. Hang on tight through Marble, Staircase, Sock-It-To-Me, and Skull, the biggest rapid of them all. Run through Last Chance rapid before enjoying one last riverside lunch while drying off from the rapids. Float the last few miles to the Cisco boat ramp where our vans await to return us to the Green River HQ, typically around 4:00 p.m.

Keep in mind that this is only a sample itinerary. Your trip may feature different campsites or routes, depending on weather and the other groups with whom we share these places. Please come with an open mind, a willingness to be flexible, and an appetite for for fun!

The La Sal Mountain bike trip follows a 52-mile long route of mostly intermediate terrain with many beginner sections. The first day of riding begins among meadows and aspen trees at an elevation of around 8,000 feet and covers half of the total mileage as you grind up and then cruise down several long hills on the mostly gravel and dirt road. After camping high up in the La Sal Mountains, the second day of riding covers the rest of the mileage quickly as the trail descends over 4,000 feet from the high alpine through Utah’s classic red rock scenery to the Colorado River.

Riders with no previous off-road bicycling experience should be experienced road cyclists with strong athletic ability. Although not technically difficult, the uphills and higher elevation of this route provide a significant aerobic challenge. All riders should prepare for the trip by riding their bike on a regular basis leading up to the trip.

F.A.Q.

Weather & Water

We offer this trip as an option for biking during the summer months, as a large majority of the riding happens at or around 8,000 feet of elevation, where the weather is nice and cool. It will reach the 80’s during the day and the 50’s at night.

On the river, the weather will be much warmer, with highs reaching into the 90’s during the day and falling into the 60’s at night.

The rapids of Westwater Canyon are fun all season long, but especially in July and August, when the levels are typically in the “sweet spot” for the most exciting waves and refreshing splashes.

Bike & Boat Options

You are welcome to ride your own bike, or you can rent one of our Specialized Stumpjumpers. We strongly encourage mountain bikes for this trip, as gravel bikes and road bikes can present challenges due to their lack of suspension.

We run this river trip in oar rafts, but could consider a paddle boat upon request with a group of six or more dedicated paddlers. We will also bring along stand-up paddle boards and inflatable kayaks for the flat water sections.

How To Pack

Packing for each section of your trip (biking and rafting) is easier than you may think!

We recommend packing your bike clothes into a duffel bag and using our dry bags for the river portion. On the day when you transfer from the trail to the river, you will be able to send all of your bike clothes and biking gear back to the warehouse with our bike van and only bring along what you would like on the river.

Trip Rating

This trip is rated as an intermediate trip. Riders should be comfortable pedaling up to 20 miles per day.

Private Charter Trips

Learn how you can charter a private La Sal-Westwater Combo trip with a group of 8 or more here!

Cancellation Policy

Our full cancellation policy can be found on our main FAQs page. It is important to understand this policy prior to booking your trip.

Reviews

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Holiday River Expeditions

Average rating:

23 reviews

Harold M

Aug 13, 2026

by Harold M

Ezra and Zoe were great guides and hosts.

Matt Redden

Jul 29, 2023

by Matt Redden

All the guides were extremely knowledgeable and helpful throughout the combo trip. Even when met with adversity, they met and exceeded all expectations.
I had a blast on the combo trip. Will definitely be coming back again!

Tory Sharp

Sep 3, 2022

by Tory Sharp

It was so much fun! I really enjoyed the staff and the trip was wonderful.

Rob Patterson

Aug 13, 2020

by Rob Patterson

Group of friends and individual arrangements. Dave and Josh were top shape and experienced. Dave pretty much took point on many issues and balanced the over ambitious types with the under performers to insure all had a good time. Nice techniques to never say no while re-directing those who had ideas that weren't in line with the company policy or good practice. Josh is a great guy and also did a very nice job serving pretty much every need. Great effort by both.

Teresa Aramaki

Aug 9, 2019

by Teresa Aramaki

Karen was always very helpful and willing to answer any questions asked. Very patient, as we each took time to complete the required paperwork. Was very nice to have clean sleeping bags! Guides (Dustin, Sam, Kris and Nick) were knowledgeable, very skillful, helpful, patient and great with all types of people and requests. We were all very impressed with their ability to engage well with all guests, while navigating all aspects of our bike ride and river trip to ensure we all had fun and felt safe. Dustin is an excellent leader, who is professional, talented, articulate, aware, and we appreciated his hospitality. And all are great cooks. Thanks for a very enjoyable time!

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