Rafting the Grand Canyon is a once-in-a-lifetime trip! In this post, we explain what to expect from such an adventure as we recount our commercial 10-day motorized rafting trip going down the Colorado River in April 2026. We discuss everything from pre-trip orientation and the start at Lee’s Ferry to the general itinerary, attractions, rapids, meals, campsites, hikes, and more.
It’s important to remember that the day-to-day itinerary for rafting the Grand Canyon, once you’re on the river until you’re off the river, is completely up to the guides. The exact itinerary varies based on the time of year, weather, snowmelt, guides, and the group’s interests. The itinerary we’re sharing below reflects our trip and serves as an example, although it is likely not the exact itinerary you’ll follow. That’s part of the joy of this adventure!
We were hosted by Arizona Rafting Adventures (AzRA) on their 10-day “Hiker Discovery” Motorized Adventure and had an exceptional experience! For more information and frequently asked questions on rafting the Grand Canyon, we recommend reading our article, Everything you need to know about Grand Canyon Rafting (Coming Soon)!
Note: We use affiliate links which provide us a little kickback each time you use one of our links and make a purchase, without any additional cost to you. We do not recommend products that we don’t already love or have heard great things about, so you can trust we’re only suggesting great products to you.
Grand Canyon Rafting Trip Details
- Length: 10 days, 9 Nights
- Distance: 227 miles (365 km)
- Start: Lee’s Ferry
- End: Diamond Creek
- Host: Arizona Rafting Adventures (AzRA)
- Trip Style: Hiker’s Edition
- Raft Style: Motor
Day Zero: Pre-Trip Orientation
Our Grand Canyon rafting trip started with an orientation the night before our departure. It was located at the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona, the same hotel where the majority of the guests were staying.
Christina from the Arizona Rafting Adventures team immediately welcomed us to the orientation and promptly started the presentation on how to prepare our bags and what to expect the following morning. We received two dry bags, a guidebook with mile-by-mile information, an insulated coffee cup, and a groovette.
💡 A “groovette” is used for doing number 1 at night and then dumping contents in the river in the morning.
Christina also gave us the names of our guides, where to drop luggage that would not be taken on this trip, and what to have ready. She explained we’d be getting our “sleep sacks” and tents on the rafts the following day. The sleep sacks were our third dry bag, which contained our sleeping bags, sleeping bag liners, and tarps.
We also had access to the Red River Sports Retail Store, where we could purchase merchandise such as books, sunshirts, stickers, water bottles, and bags. This was great for anyone who might have forgotten something or wanted to purchase items to commemorate their experience.
After orientation, we returned to our van and packed the dry bags provided with our gear, as suggested. AzRA gave everyone a packing list well in advance of the trip, so we had all of our necessary gear. We were concerned that everything wouldn’t fit, but we had plenty of room for everything we wanted to bring!
The hardest part of packing, for us, was choosing which camera gear to bring, since we’d be filming our experience. Check out this article for a full list of the gear we packed on this adventure.
Day One: Flagstaff to Lee’s Ferry to Mile 20
📏 Miles: 0-20, 20 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 8
⛺️ Night camp: South Rim Shore around Mile 20
We started day one by parking our van in the Little America Hotel parking lot. We ate breakfast in our van before taking our dry bags to the bus, which was awaiting our group outside the hotel. Our group completed our first fire line, shuffling bags onto the bus.
We boarded the bus, were introduced to the bus driver, E.K., and were on our way. We left the hotel at 6:30 am and stopped at a local convenience store for a bathroom break before continuing to the Historic Navajo Bridge.
When we arrived at Lee’s Ferry, our guides and rafts were awaiting us. In a shaded pavilion, they introduced themselves and shared information about their prior rafting experience.
As someone a little nervous about this experience, I really enjoyed hearing that our trip leader, Jared, had run the Colorado River 158 times before, and that our second motor guide, Finger, had 50+ trips under his belt. They also explained raft safety, how to best fit our life jackets, and what to expect for the rest of the day’s schedule.
💡 Note: In this post, I’m going to be naming rapids and giving their Grand Canyon Rapids Score. If you weren’t aware, the Grand Canyon has its own rapids, scored on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the highest. If you’re familiar with the international rafting class scale, you can divide the Grand Canyon score by half, and it’s close to the international scale.
Our group boarded the rafts around 11:00 am, and we were off! We headed downriver for an hour before pulling over for lunch. At this point, we had only gone through the Paria Riffle (1), which was a little bumpy but didn’t have much effect on these large rafts.
For lunch, our guides made us chicken Caesar salad wraps, cookies, and electrolytes. Then, we continued down the Colorado River and under the Navajo Bridges, which we had just walked over.
As it was April 16th, we had some chilly weather with these ripples. Rafting in the spring, you’re more likely to encounter winds. As it was overcast and chilly, when the wind sprayed water onto us, it was definitely time for wet-weather gear. We actually found out that at this time of year, if you weren’t in the sun, it could be quite cold.
We continued to our first large rapid of the trip, Badger Creek Rapid (8, 7, 6, 5), which was named for a badger killed by Jacob Hamblin. Hamblin was a Mormon missionary, an accomplished outdoorsman, and a prolific traveler in the Grand Canyon region who killed a badger to eat it. We learned that when he reached this canyon, he began boiling the badger. The fat from the badger mixed with the creek water’s alkalinity created soap.
Soon after, we arrived at 10 Mile Rock, which is a large piece of Coconino Sandstone that sits in the middle of the Colorado River. The rest of the afternoon, we travelled through the following rapids and narrows:
- Soap Creek Rapid (6, 5, 5, 5)
- 13 Mile Rapid (1)
- Sheer Wall Rapid (2)
- Sheer Wall Rapid (5)
- House Rock Rapid (9, 8, 7, 7) – the biggest rapid of the day!
- “Redneck” Rapid (3)
- Boulder Narrows
We arrived at our first campsite near mile 20, which was a sandy site on the south rim. Our group did our first “fire line” in the canyon, the process of unloading everyone’s bags from the rafts. Today was really about learning all of the routines and systems that would be second nature by the end of our trip.
We were all in the “learning phase,” as we listened to more orientations on how to use the toilet, when we’d be getting up the following day, and more. We set up camp for the night, while our crew prepared appetizers and dinner.
For dinner, we enjoyed salmon, quinoa with feta, olives, and kale, and a spinach, goat cheese, and strawberry salad. We ended the first night celebrating two birthdays with cake! With full bellies, we climbed into our sleeping bags and enjoyed our first night sleeping in Marble Canyon.
If you’re curious about how we used the toilet, called the “groover,” check out this video:
Day Two: Mile 20 to South Canyon
📏 Miles: 20-32, 12 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 11
⛺️ Night Camp: North Rim, just upstream of Mile 32
Day two, we awoke to our trip leader, Jared, yelling, “C-O-F-F-E-E and tea from around the world,” which meant coffee and hot water were ready, and it was time to wake up. Elliot prepared our beverages, and we enjoyed them while having conversations with the others on our trip. Surprisingly, they had many creature comforts on this trip, including cream and sugar!
Our crew made breakfast, which included eggs to order, bacon, bagels, cream cheese, and fresh fruit. After we had breakfast, we packed up our tents, sleeping kits, and both dry bags, and brought the supplies to the rafts, where we fire-lined them onto the boats. Our trip leader gathered the group around and told us what to expect for the day.
We loaded the rafts and had a short ride to North Canyon, our first hike on this trip. After the crew moored the rafts, we were able to change into our hiking clothes and remove any waterproof clothing (splash jackets and paddle pants or rain gear) and collect our hiking poles.
This was the first hike on our trip, and we thoroughly enjoyed hiking through the red Supai Formation, where North Canyon created a narrow and often shady canyon up to North Canyon Pool. Getting to hike in remote areas of the park that are accessible only from the Colorado River is truly special and one of the main reasons we were so excited to join this particular trip!
Our guides took the group up to the North Canyon Pool and were there to ensure everyone could climb the boulders and navigate the canyon. Along the trail, we spotted Sacred Datura flowers.
When we returned to the rafts, we changed back into our rafting gear and loaded back onto the boats. Redwall Limestone begins to appear along both shorelines as the Colorado River cuts deeper into the canyon’s geologic strata. This limestone represents an ancient deep-sea environment from 350 million years ago.
The rest of the day was spent going down the Colorado River, enjoying a delicious lunch of BLT sandwiches with pesto and mozzarella, and going through several rapids known as the Roaring Twenties. We opted to sit in the front of the raft for the Roaring Twenties to get the full splash experience. The rapids include:
- North Canyon Rapid (5)
- 21 Mile Rapid (5)
- 23 Mile Rapid (6, 5, 5, 4)
- 23 1/2 mile Rapid (4)
- Georgie Rapid (24 Mile Rapid) (8, 7, 6, 6) – named after Georgie White, who became the first woman to row a boat through Grand Canyon in 1952
- 24 1/2 Mile Rapid (Bert Loper Rapid) (6, 6, 5, 5, +)
- Hansbrough-Richards Rapid (25 Mile Rapid) (6, 5, 5, 5)
- Cave Springs Rapids (6, 5, 5, 6)
- Tiger Wash Rapid (6, 6, 6, 6)
- “MNA Rapid” (4, 3, 1, 0) – named after the Museum of Northern Arizona
- 29 Mile Rapid (2)
Just before finding a campsite for the night, we met Ranger Jen Hogan, who is a Grand Canyon Backcountry Park Ranger and an absolute legend! She patrols the first 60 miles of Marble Canyon and would be sharing camp with us.
By the end of the day, our guides landed the rafts on a sandy beach just upstream of Mile 32 by South Canyon. We completed another fire line to unload our gear, picked our campsites for the night, and set up our tents.
Our guides prepared appetizers of guacamole, salsa, and chips. For dinner, we also got to enjoy fajitas with grilled chicken, pinto beans, sautéed onions and peppers, and all the classic toppings. For dessert, we were wowed with cheesecake – one of Elliot’s favorite desserts!
We were fortunate to have a new moon during our trip, which gave us super dark skies, perfect for seeing the Milky Way that night!
Day Three: South Canyon to Malgosa Canyon
📏 Miles: 32-57, 25 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 4
⛺️ Night Camp: Near Malgosa Canyon (or Kwagunt Creek)
Day three began with our typical “coffee call,” breakfast, packing up our tent, and loading the rafts. We enjoyed a hike up South Canyon to see dwelling foundations, petroglyphs, and a tunnel in the rock that led to another canyon. This trail is part of the larger South Canyon Trail from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
💡Our GPS messed up and jumped around a bit, so although the route looks quite wonky, the distance and elevation are more or less accurate.
As soon as we returned to the boats, we started down the river. We were able to see Stanton’s Cave on the North Rim side and then Vasey’s Paradise, a vibrant green paradise with a waterfall that cascades from the Redwall Limestone cliffs. John Wesley Powell named Vasey’s Paradise after botanist George W. Vasey. This fragile ecosystem is known for the endangered Kanab ambersnail. Unfortunately, the waterfall was not flowing during our trip.
Our next stop was Redwall Cavern, just downstream. In the pre-Glen Canyon Dam era, this cave would fill with silty water during floods; however, now it’s unlikely the cave fills with water. Our guide told us that Major Powell and his men camped here in August of 1869. In Powell’s journals, he commented that 50,000 people could sit comfortably in the cavern all at the same time.
On our trip, we had a film-industry professional who estimated that maybe 12,000 people could occupy the space, and, considering the beach is smaller these days, Powell could have been close! Regardless, the cave was large and made for a great shady spot.
We passed by the Bridge of Sighs at mile 35.5 and then proceeded through 36 Mile Rapid (4, 3, 3, 3). Afterward, our guides explained that this area around mile 40 was the proposed Mable Canyon Dam Site during the 1950s and 1960s. They showed us the holes in the rock that were used as test sites, drilled hundreds of feet back to determine the rock’s strength.
Thankfully, there was fierce opposition by environmental organizations, concerned citizens, and Martin Litton. In 1968, Congress passed a law prohibiting the study or construction of hydroelectric dams within the Grand Canyon. Following that law, the Grand Canyon Enlargement Act was passed in 1975, enlarging the park and giving the river system within Marble Canyon a layer of federal protection it had not previously had.
Learning about the proposed dam put a quiet on the group for the rest of the afternoon as we pondered and considered how different this area would be if the dam were built. It also made us extremely grateful for the hard work the groups and individuals put in to protect this special place.
While we were boating down the river, we passed another AzRA trip. This was one of their Classic Trips, which includes a mix of paddle rafts, oar rafts, and a dory boat. The rest of our afternoon was spent boating down the Colorado River and going through 3 more rapids, including President Harding Rapid (4), Nankoweap Rapid (3), and Kwagunt Rapid (6).
We passed the Nankoweap granaries, but two other groups were already camped there, so we didn’t get the opportunity to explore that area. I guess we’ll have to come back for another run down the Colorado River to see this meaningful site.
Nankoweap means singing or echo canyon in Southern Paiute. The hike up to the Nankoweap granaries is one of the most iconic views. At the viewpoint, there are four granaries, or storage units, built and used by Native Americans from the Ancestral Puebloan culture.
Our guides chose a camp around Kwagunt Creek or Malgosa Canyon. We did another fireline to unload the raft and began to prep our campsite. It was NASCAR night, so the crew treated us to burgers, brats, baked beans, and salad for dinner. For dessert, we enjoyed 7-layer magic cookie bars. Then, we got to enjoy yet another gorgeous night sky.
Day Four: Malgosa Canyon to Unkar Rapids
📏 Miles: 57-73, 16 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 4
⛺️ Night Location: Campsite just upriver from Unkar Rapid
Day four began with our now-routine coffee call and breakfast, which included English muffins, fresh fruit, and an egg scramble with feta cheese, artichokes, and spinach. After breaking down our camp and loading the rafts with our bags, it was storytime!
Our second motor guide, Finger, recounted an excerpt from “We Swam the Grand Canyon: The True Story of a Cheap Vacation That Got a Little Out of Hand” by Bill Beer. Storytime was easily one of my favorite parts of the morning, as it gave us things to ponder and imagine while on the rafts and shared more of the rich culture of the Grand Canyon.
We boarded the rafts and went through 60 Mile Rapid (4) before arriving at our first destination of the day, the Little Colorado River (LCR). We did a short hike up the shoreline of the Little Colorado River for photos, but rafting trips in the warmer months (May-September) will float down the river in their lifejackets.
This river is sacred to the Indigenous people of the region, including the Hopi, Havasupai, Zuni, and Navajo. The Little Colorado River begins in the White Mountains and runs into the Colorado River, where the confluence produces a noticeable divide in the water.
The water from the Little Colorado River is like Gatorade frost blue, from the calcium carbonate. During floods, this river turns a muddy orange-brown, so we were fortunate to see the Little Colorado’s baby blue water.
After leaving the Little Colorado River, we officially left Marble Canyon and entered the Grand Canyon Proper, which is known for steeper canyon walls, resulting in faster-moving water and larger rapids. The Kaibab Plateau reveals itself further as the Colorado River cuts deeper and flows over extremely hard strata, such as granite and schist. This area is known as the start of the “Great Unconformity.”
After returning to the boats, we passed by Chuar Butte, which is known for the 1956 commercial airline crash. There were no survivors among the 100-plus passengers and crew. This plane crash was a major catalyst for the creation of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). There’s a sign with more information about this at the Desert View Watchtower. Soon after, we passed the Sacred Hopi Salt Mines on the south rim, which are notable for the white salt seeping from the rocks, as the area was once an ancient ocean.
Our guides led us on the day’s hike, the Lava-Chuar Loop, which was one of our favorite hikes of the trip for its fun climbs! It included some decent rock scrambling, climbs, and awesome canyon views. We could see the rare Lava Chuar rock group in Lava Canyon. Chuar Hill was named for Chuarrumpeak, a leader of the Kaibab Band of Southern Paiutes. It was a point-to-point hike, so our guides managed navigating the rafts downstream for us.
After eating Thanksgiving-inspired sandwiches for lunch at the end of the Lava-Chuar Loop, we got back on the rafts and went through 3 more rapids, Lava Canyon (Chuar) Rapid (4, 3, 4, 5), Tanner Rapid (4), and Basalt Canyon Rapid (2). This was the first time we were able to see the popular Grand Canyon South Rim, most notably the Desert View Watchtower.
Our guides found an awesome sandy campsite just upriver from Unkar Rapid. This area is known as Furnace Flats because of the erosive nature of the Dox Sandstone, which opened up this area. This is the most visible section of the Colorado River from the South Rim near the Desert View Watchtower. The increased width of the canyon walls makes for a great spot for stargazing and night photography.
We unloaded the rafts with another fireline, set up our tent, and went for a swim in the Colorado River, partly to cool off and partly to bathe lightly. We brought shampoo and bar soap with us, but if I were to do it again, I would have brought conditioner because the bottom of the canyon is incredibly dry, so it makes hair like straw.
Afterward, we enjoyed appetizers while seated with the other guests. I offered to help prep part of the dinner with some of the other volunteers. I also made the mistake of wearing shorts after going for a swim, which meant my legs got eaten by bugs.
One thing that really impressed me about AzRA was their attention to detail when it came to being environmental stewards of the land. They had systems in place for recycling cans, put cloths under the tables to catch pieces of food to not attract ants or animals, and to leave the campsite better than we found it originally. They also had a compost bin for breakfast and dinner.
I particularly liked the fact that they had a First Aid Kit and a library filled with books about the Grand Canyon available at camp. Lastly, for each meal, they set out a hand washing station for us to use and always encouraged guests to use it. Not only did we avoid any major sicknesses on the trip, but it also gave us a sense of cleanliness that I really appreciated.
For dinner, our crew made us an Italian feast complete with pasta, bolognese sauce, garlic bread, and salad. We enjoyed different flavored wafer cookies for dessert. Our trip leader, Jared, gave us a rundown for the following day, since it was going to be our first class 10 rapids and we’d be going “down and in” for the first time.
Day Five: Unkar Rapids to Boucher Rapids
📏 Miles: 73-97, 24 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 16
⛺️ Night Camp: Upstream of Boucher Rapids
After awakening to our coffee call, followed by a breakfast of French toast, fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, granola, and sausages, and tearing down camp, our guides led us on a hike.
Our guides took us to a trail that overlooked Unkar Rapids – our first rapids of the day. This hike was pretty exposed to the sun, but we did it super early in the morning and had some of the best views of the Colorado River from any hike we did on the trip. I specifically remember feeling a sense of awe and gratitude at the viewpoint. This trail is accessible from the south rim by hikers who want to hike the Escalante Route.
When we got back to the rafts, our trip leader, Jared, reminded us of the safety briefing for the upcoming rapids since we’d be going through our first 10-rated rapids. This meant we would be doing a “down and in,” which required everyone to sit on the raft’s floor and hold on with two hands to a secure area.
Not only were our guides experienced in navigating this river (they had a combined experience of over 200 runs), but they also led our group with a humble confidence and approachable professionalism. They answered all of our questions before we left shore and made sure our safety was first and foremost. We were both very impressed!
Before we got to the big rapids, we had three smaller rapids to get through, including Unkar Rapid (7, 7, 6, 6), Escalante Rapid (4), and Nevills Rapid (6). Nevills Rapid was named after Norm and Doris Nevills, who were pioneers in running commercial trips down the river, including the first women to boat the Grand Canyon.
Hance Rapid (10, 9, 9, 8, +) was our first 10-rated rapid, and it was awesome! We were on the S-rig with the second motor guide, Finger. Our group nicknamed the adventure boat because we’d get more soaked from the waves on this raft.
After going down Hance Rapid, our trip leader noticed a private rafting trip on the shore. One member of their group in a packraft broke their leg. Our trip leader, Jared, pulled over to lend a helping hand to the group. We were stopped for about 20 minutes while he made an emergency call on the satellite phone before we left.
💡This was a reminder to respect the river and listen to our guides, as anything can happen.
We were at mile 77, which marked the start of the Upper Granite Gorge. This area is also known as the basement layers of the Grand Canyon for the Vishnu Schist and Zoroaster Granite (Precambrian rock formations). The Vishnu Schist is notable for its jet-black color, and scientists believe this rock layer is 1.84 billion years old. The Zoroaster Granite is pink and is intermixed with the Vishnu Schist. The Upper Granite Gorge spans from below Hance Rapid to Elves Chasm, about 41 miles long.
💡 Our favorite adjective for this area of the canyon was GORGE-ous, very fitting!
This day was a big rapids day as we went through the second-most rapids in a single day. Since the canyon was steeper here and the rock was slick, it made the water speed through this area. We went through several rapids, including:
- Sockdolager Rapid (8, 8, 9, 9) – named after the slang word at the time that meant heavy or knockdown blow.
- Grapevine Rapid (8)
- Clear Creek
- 83 Mile Rapid (5, 4, 4, 3)
- Zoroaster Rapid (8, 7, 6, 5)
- 85 Mile Rapid (6, 4, 3, 2)
For lunch, we enjoyed Mexican salad wraps featuring black beans, green peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and avocados. We really enjoyed the vegetable-heavy meals as they felt fresh and delicious, a nice treat on hot days in the canyon.
While our crew was preparing lunch, Elliot continued reading his book, The Emerald Mile, while I took a catnap. Since we went through so many rapids, many guests peeled off their wet layers and laid them on rocks to dry during our lunch break.
We soon made it to the old Gaging Station and the most-viewed section of the Colorado River, as it’s accessible from the South Kaibab Trail, Bright Angel Trail, and North Kaibab Trail, leading hikers to Phantom Ranch. The Kaibab (Black) Bridge is the first bridge river runners travel under, passing Boat Beach, Bright Angel Creek, Bright Angel Campground, and Phantom Ranch on the north rim side.
Soon after, we traveled through Bright Angel Rapids (4) just under the Bright Angel (Silver) Bridge. On the left side, we could see the River Trail that connects the South Kaibab Trail with the Bright Angel Trail.
We continued heading through Pipe Springs Rapid (5, 4, 4, 4), passing Garden Creek, which flows up to the Havasupai Gardens Campground along the Bright Angel Trail, Horn Creek Rapid (10, 9, 8, 8), Salt Creek Rapid (4), and Granite Rapid (9, +). Horn Creek was our next major rapid requiring a down-and-in since it was rated 10.
Granite Rapid had hikers camping on the south side of the river, which connects to the Hermit Trail. Soon after, we went through Hermit Rapid (9, 8, 9, 9, +), which, depending on water levels, has some of the tallest waves in the canyon, creating a rollercoaster ride. Alongside Hermit Rapid is another camp that leads hikers up the Hermit Trail 9.7 miles up to the South Rim. We went through our last rapid of the day, Boucher Rapid (5, 4, 4, 3).
Our guides chose another sandy campground for the night, and our group firelined the bags and kitchen gear from the boats. Finding a campsite was always a rush. After fire-lining everyone, I would power walk to find the perfect spot. The perfect camping spot (every night) was flat, far enough from the kitchen for privacy, and close enough to hear the coffee call in the morning.
Unfortunately, Jen and I were slow on the come-up, and we got the last available spot. Nicknamed the “honeymoon” suite, we had protection and a view, but unfortunately missed the coffee call the next morning! Dinner tonight was BBQ pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, fresh slaw, and cheese grits. Our crew served guests milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and blueberry-covered chocolates for dessert.
Day Six: Boucher Rapids to Deubendorff Rapid
📏 Miles: 97-133, 36 miles
🌊 Number of Rapids: 28
⛺️ Night Camp: Beach downriver of Deubendorff Rapid
Elliot and I decided to cowboy camp (sleep in our sleeping bags, outside of our tent) so we could fall asleep under the stars. We woke up to the call of breakfast, having missed the coffee call since we camped the furthest from the boats and were right next to the roar of the rapids. Thankfully, we weren’t the last ones to bring our bags to the rafts in the morning fireline.
For breakfast, we had bagels with cream cheese, smoked salmon, onions, capers, and hard-boiled eggs – one of Jen’s favorite breakfasts! Our second motor guide, Finger, laid out maps of the Grand Canyon to show us where we had traveled thus far and where we were going over the following days.
We loaded up the boats and were in for our biggest rapids day with a whopping 28 rapids! This day was known as “The Gems,” as many of the rapids were named after gemstones. We started with a 10-rated rapid and then followed with smaller rapids, including:
- Crystal Rapid (10, +)
- Tuna Creek Rapid (5) (Tuna might not sound like a precious gem, but a Tuna is the fruit of a cactus, also known as the gem of the desert)
- Lower Tuna Rapid (4)
- 100 Mile Rock (Nixon Rock) (5)
- Agate Rapid (2, 2, 3, 4)
- Sapphire Rapid (7)
- Turquoise Rapid (6, 5, 4, 3)
- 104 Mile Rapid (7, 6, 6, 5)
- Ruby Rapid (7, 6, 6, 7)
- Serpentine Rapid (8, 7, 7, 6)
- Bass Rapid (6, 5, 4, 3)
- “Ross Wheeler” – A metal boat washed ashore
- Bass’s Cable Crossing
- Shinumo Rapid (4)
- 110 Mile Rapid (4, 2, 1, 0)
- Bass’s Cable Crossing (again)
- Hakatai Rapid (4)
- Waltenberg Rapid (9, 8, 7, 6)
- 112 1/2 Mile Rapid (6, 4, 2, 1, +)
- 113 1/2 Mile Rapid (Rancid Tuna) (5)
After getting through “The Gems”, our guides led us on a hike to Elves Chasm (here is the longer route it’s located on). This short yet steep hike from the river required some rock scrambling to reach a beautiful waterfall.
Maidenhair Ferns cover the walls of Elves Chasm in Royal Arch Creek, creating a whimsical environment to cool off on hot days. Since this was such a big day full of rapids, we had a packed lunch we had made at breakfast to eat whenever we pleased.
We left the inner gorge and entered a part of the river called “Stephen and Conquistador Aisle.”
- 119 Mile Rapid (4, 3, 2, 1)
- Blacktail Rapid (3)
- 122 Mile Rapid (4, 4, 5, 6)
- Forster Rapid (6)
- Fossil Rapid (6, 7, 6, 6)
- “Nells’s Nemesis”
- Randy’s Rock Rapid (2)
Next up was the Middle Granite Gorge, a 4-mile stretch of the three main gorges in the Grand Canyon. It included these rapids:
- 127 Mile Rapid (4, 4, 3, 2)
- 128 Mile Rapid (5)
- Specter Rapid (8, 7, 6, 5)
- “Doll’s House”
- Bedrock Rapid (8)
Our guide led our group up Stone Creek to several picturesque waterfalls. Although Stone Creek continues for a few miles, we only had time for a short hike. Even though it was short, the scenery was stunning, and we all enjoyed stepping under the waterfall to cool off in the heat of the day.
Last but not least, we passed through one of the most technical and challenging rapids for the end of the day, Deubendorff Rapid (9, 8, 7, 7 +). Then, our guides chose another sandy beach for camp. After our crew moored the boats, we did another fireline to get the bags and kitchen gear off the boat, set up camp (this time right next to the kitchen, so we could clearly hear the coffee call the following morning), and enjoyed the evening. For dinner, we had coconut curry chicken with Asian Crunch Salad and rice. This meal was absolutely incredible!
Day Seven: Deubendorff Rapid to Ledges Camp
📏 Miles: 133-152, 19 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 11
⛺️ Night Camp: Ledges Camp
After not hearing the coffee call the morning prior, we were relieved to hear it this morning, which reassured us we wouldn’t be the last to put our bags on the raft. For breakfast, we enjoyed a southwestern scramble, which included scrambled eggs topped with cheese, along with crispy tortillas, tomatoes, and avocados.
After the boats were loaded, our trip leader, Jared, gathered our group and read us a poem. The mornings where we enjoyed stories about the canyon or thought-provoking literature set the tone of the day with a sense of inspiration and awe of the Grand Canyon.
We loaded the rafts and were on our way through Racetrack Rapid (5, 2, 2, 5), Tapeats Rapid (8, 7, 6, 5), and 135 Mile Rapid “helicopter Eddy” (5). As we arrived at the narrowest point of the river, which is called Granite Narrows and is a whopping 76 feet wide, we admired Piano Rock. Soon after was Christmas Tree Cave, which used to have a rock formation that looked like a tree before it was kicked down.
Our trip leader pulled us over to admire Deer Creek Falls, a waterfall that drops 100 feet. Its water allows green vegetation to grow around it, making it the perfect spot for a desert oasis. Our group split up based on how much hiking each of us wanted to do. The majority of our group did the Deer Creek Hike, which led to an incredible lookout point over the Colorado River.
The trail continues down a narrow, slightly harrowing trail to the patio, which is a cool spot to sit under Cottonwood trees and listen to the sound of another waterfall. We did continue to the patio, but it was a little bit of a scary hike. The ledge is narrow with a steep drop below.
While I was walking on the ledge, my backpack rubbed against the rock wall and caught on it, pulling me back. It was definitely a worthwhile hike, but not for people who have vertigo or a fear of falling. This area is of spiritual significance to the Southern Paiute, who believe the patio serves as a conduit for souls traveling from this life to the next.
When returning to the rafts, we noticed how many were moored to shore. It was a telltale sign of how much behind-the-scenes planning and consideration our guides put into planning these exceptional outings for us.
For lunch, we enjoyed chicken salad wraps on a sandy beach site. The rest of the day was spent boating down the Colorado River, admiring the canyon walls around us and going through more rapids, including:
- Doris Rapid (5, 6, 6, 7)
- 139 Mile Rapid (4)
- Fishtail Rapid (7, 6, 6, 5)
- 141 Mile Rapid (2)
- Kanab Rapid (4, 3, 3, 3)
- 145 1/2 Mile Rapid (3)
- Matkatamiba Rapid (2)
- Upset Rapid (9, 8, 8, 6)
Our guides brought us to one of the most memorable campsites on the trip, which is known as the Ledges. The crew moored the rafts to the rock walls, and our group fire-lined bags and kitchen equipment off the boats. For dinner, we were treated to grilled steaks, garlic mashed potatoes, and salad. For dessert, we indulged in a cookie cake baked in a Dutch oven covered with coals.
This campsite also had my favorite “groover” spot, just past a waterfall overlooking the Colorado River. Although many of the groover locations had a nice view, this one was extra special with the waterfall.
Day Eight: Ledges Camp to Lower Lava Rapid
📏 Miles: 152-180, 28 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 8
⛺️ Night Camp: Lower Lava Rapid
We awoke to the sound of the coffee call, which told us it was time to start packing our bags and taking down our tent. For breakfast, we had eggs made to order, bacon, English muffins, pears, and grapefruit.
We also made sack lunches since our guides told us we were going to have a busy day. Lunch sandwich options included peanut butter and jelly or deli meat with several toppings. We also had some smaller snacks of nuts and peanut M&M’s, which were a hot commodity amongst our group.
Our day started with Sinyala Rapid (4) before our guides blew us away by mooring these large rafts in the middle of Havasu Rapid (3). As two people who used to live on a boat and traveled around America’s Great Loop in a variety of conditions and environments, we were thoroughly impressed!
Next, our guides led us up Havasu Creek Trail. This canyon and creek gave me goosebumps. We’ve seen the photos online of how pretty it is, but being here in person… life-changing. Although it’s 17-miles to Hualapai Hilltop into Havasupai tribal lands (and requires a permit), we only explored the lower 1-3 miles of Havasu Creek.
Beaver Falls is a 3-mile hike up Havasu Canyon from the Colorado River, passing several travertine-coated ledges that create these beautiful pools. This hike required us to wade through the water, so our guides were always on hand to help anyone who wanted an extra set of hands.
We also got to enjoy swimming in the cool, turquoise-blue waters. As one person in our group said, “This was one of the best days of her life,” and I could definitely say the same for us.
The second half of our day had more rapids, including 165 Mile Rapid (3), National Rapid (2), Fern Glen Rapid (3), Gateway Rapid (3), and our last 10-rated rapid, the famous Lava Falls Rapid (10). It’s known for its speed and drop, regardless of the weather or environmental conditions.
We were on the J-rig with Jared, so our boat went through the rapid first, followed by Finger on the S-rig. This was our first time going through a level 10 rapid on the J-rig, since we preferred the “adventure boat,” as our group called the S-rig. The drop at Lava Rapids is 18 feet, so we were completely soaked, even though we had been on the J-rig.
When we reunited with the guests from the S-rig, they commented that they saw us (the J-rig) go into the rapid and then disappear from view, which is a testament to the “horizon line” that creates a precipitous drop. It was a lot of fun, but also made us grateful for our guide’s skills and experience navigating the rapids.
Just after Lower Lava Rapid, our guides chose a sandy beach to camp at. After firelining our bags and kitchen equipment off the boats, we set up camp. The guides set up a washer toss game, which was a lot of fun.
For dinner, we enjoyed baked ravioli with garlic bread and salad. This dinner was out of this world! I’m pretty sure everyone went for seconds. For dessert, we had a mix of chocolates. This evening was sinking in on everyone that we only had one more night after this, and we didn’t want it to end.
Day Nine: Lower Lava Rapid to Three Springs Rapid
📏 Miles: 180-216, 36 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 7
⛺️ Night Camp: Three Springs Rapid
We awoke to our guides giving us the coffee call, which prompted us to get up and start packing our bags and breaking down our camp. For breakfast, we enjoyed scrambled eggs, potatoes, soy chorizo, tortillas, various toppings to make breakfast tacos, and grapefruit.
After fire-lining the rafts with our bags and equipment, our trip leader, Jared, read us a story about Dirt. As simple or inconsequential dirt may seem, it was actually quite the contrary, giving us a lot to think about on the trip today.
In this section of the river, we began to see lava and basalt columns. More than a dozen lava flows poured down or upwelled into the channel of the Colorado River over the past half-million years. Thirteen lava dams ranged in height from 800 to 1400 feet and formed lakes.
The lakes filled with sediment, and those dams were subsequently eroded with the backfill of water from the glacial and ice melt upstream. Where we saw basalt is where the river channel was at the time of the eruption. This area of the river made us ponder how the hot lava met the cold river water.
We went through 185 Mile Rapid (3) before passing the Whitmore Helipad and two more rapids, including 187 Mile Rapid (4) and Whitmore Rapid (3). The Whitmore Helipad flies in and out of the canyon, chartering guests as some people choose to fly out after their rafting trip and not continue down to Diamond Creek.
After our guides moored the raft near Whitmore Wash, we took a short hike up to see 600-year-old Paiute Pictographs. The pictographs were a visible moment in the human history timeline and were a contrast between the lava flows and canyon rock, showing the geological history.
We then continued down to 205 Mile Rapid (Kolb Rapid) (8, 7, 7, 8, +), 209 Mile Rapid (7), and 212 Mile Rapid “Little Bastard” (7, 5, 3, 1), before seeing Pumpkin Springs on our left.
We stopped for a BLT lunch on a sandy beach and then got back on the rafts for our final rapid of the day, Three Springs Rapid (2). One of the unexpected things we experienced on the river was the river running community. Many of the guides know each other or have crossed paths in their rafting careers, so they often stop to say hello.
We pulled over to one of the groups moored to the side for a shade break, and they shared a bag of candy with our raft, which was incredibly nice and just goes to show the kindness and community on the river. It reminded us of boat life, but on the river.
Our guides found our last campsite for the trip on another beautiful sandy beach. The group did a fire line to get our bags and kitchen equipment from the raft. Afterwards, we all divvied up the bags and chose our campsites.
For dinner, our guides chefed up some tacos with shredded beef, sautéed squash and zucchini, various taco toppings, and salad with chocolates for dessert. That little bit of chocolate and sweetness was perfect to end the night. A few of us went looking for scorpions with the guide’s black light in the rocks adjacent to camp and actually found a few!
Day Ten: Three Springs Rapid to Diamond Creek
📏 Miles: 216-226, 10 total
🌊 Number of Rapids: 4
⛺️ Night Camp: Back to the hotel
Our last day! It was pretty bittersweet. We had feelings of immense gratitude but also sadness for this awesome trip coming to an end. We started our day with our final coffee call and tore our tents down for the last time. For breakfast, our crew made protein pancakes, topped with apple sauce, maple syrup, and whipped cream, and a side of sliced grapefruit, yogurt, and granola.
We did one last fire line, getting the bags and gear back onto the boats, before we got onto the rafts for the last time. We got on the S-rig with our guide, Finger. As we approached 217 Mile Rapid (6, 6, 7, 7, +), he told us it was our last large rapid.
Finger asked the group if we wanted to skirt around it or punch it (go fast and get a big splash). Elliot, another guest, and I, who frequently enjoyed sitting up front on the rafts, said, “Punch it!” It was our last major splash of the trip, and it was a good one.
Our guides pulled over for our last “story time” and words of inspiration. Our trip leader, Jared, shared a poem, followed by two guests sharing poems of their own. It was a moment of reflection on the past 10 days, filled with heartfelt emotions, tears, and immense joy. It was certainly a trip of a lifetime!
We had three final rapids, including Trail Canyon Rapid (3), Granite Springs Rapid (2), and 224 Mile Rapid (2, 3, 3, 4).
With Diamond Peak in the distance and Diamond Creek nearly approaching, it was time to get off the rafts for our final take-out. After removing our belongings from AzRA’s dry bags, we loaded the bus back to Flagstaff. It was an hour drive going up the bumpy Diamond Creek Wash up to Peach Springs. Diamond Creek Wash is a flash flood-prone area in Arizona, so the road leading out is graded, not paved.
Once we arrived in Peach Springs, our bus driver gave us a sack lunch from a local business in Flagstaff. We stopped at Snow Cap for ice cream and milkshakes and one final bathroom break on our way back to the Little America hotel in Flagstaff. We all spent the afternoon taking our first showers after 10 days before reuniting for a final group dinner.
Rafting the Grand Canyon: Final Thoughts
To wrap it up, this was one of the best trips and the best group trips we’ve ever taken! We’ve done four other group trips (hiking Ciudad Perdida in Colombia, hiking the Classic Incan Trail in Peru, an 8-day boat tour of the Galapagos, and a week-long road trip to Uluru in Australia), and this was by far our favorite!
The guides were exceptional, balancing professionalism to ensure we had a wonderful yet safe experience, while also providing insightful information on the canyon’s geology, history, and the cultures we were passing through. They navigated the rapids with such skill that it looked easy, which was a testament to their expertise.
All the adventure and beauty were phenomenal, but what was most surprising were the friends we made along the way. Being completely disconnected from the outside world for 10 days was not something we’ve ever done. It accentuated the community and family that we made along this trip. Suffice to say, we have many new homes to visit and park our van at in the future!
We had a phenomenal experience and would love to do this trip again in the 16-day Classic Trip to experience the Colorado River on the traditional raft styles and without the sound of the motor. However, this 10-day Motor Trip is excellent for someone nervous about what to expect with the rapids, loves hiking, and wants to see the full canyon!
All in all, we had an exceptional experience with Arizona Raft Adventures and would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to experience the Grand Canyon from the river!
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