Discover, Plan & Go!

Cataract Canyon Sample Itinerary

NOTE: This itinerary is for the six-day trip.

We pride ourselves in running a relaxed and always flexible schedule. Every trip is different depending upon the group, other trips on the water and sometimes the weather. The following is a sample of what your trip might be like.

The Day Before Your Trip…

We meet at 7:00 pm in the conference room of the Gonzo Inn for a pre-trip meeting. This is an opportunity to meet your fellow travelers and guides, and ask any last-minute questions. Your guides will give you a thorough trip orientation, then pass out your waterproof river bags so that you can pack your belongings that evening.

Day 1

• We drive south of Moab to our Colorado River put-in at Potash. The scenic 40-minute drive follows the river into Meander Canyon where the walls rise majestically above our heads, and serve as a backdrop for innumerable petroglyphs. Upon arrival at Potash our guides give a thorough safety talk and orientation to our boats and gear. Pushing off from the shore, we leave the familiar behind and begin our unique adventure through Canyonlands National Park.

• The first 50 miles of your river trip, gleaming in its peaceful and rugged beauty, will orientate your senses to a land about as far from urban living as one can get. You will be astounded by the absolute redness of the sandstone looming skyward, by the bright green willows thriving beside the river, and by the fairest of desert blue skies. The cooling breezes and inviting cool of the Colorado conspire to relax, to calm, and to invigorate. At a pace pleasantly different from our nation’s highways, geologic panoramas slowly develop and change before you.

Days 2 – 6

• Depending on the time of year we tackle Cataract Canyon, the pace of the trip will vary. From Moab to Hite Marina, whether you experience the thrilling spring run-off of May and June or the more subdued waters of September, the same 100 river miles await. Canyonlands begs to be explored on foot, allowing the rafts to introduce you to spectacular side canyons, prehistoric ruins, seasonal waterfalls, and incredible vistas.

• In addition to the time spent on the rafts with your guides there will be opportunities to choose from a variety of activities. Spend a morning floating and paddling with one of our inflatable kayaks, or maybe lounge in the shade, a fresh veggie pita in one hand, and that novel you’ve been yearning to finish in the other. Others may take an afternoon hike to ancient Indian dwellings. You might just have that urge to explore growing alongside your confidence that you have come to the right place.

• Your group may walk to Lathrop Ruin and view ancient pictographs of what is believed to be a solstice calendar, and painted outlines of ancient Anasazi hands that ‘grab’ your attention. Another day offers the opportunity to explore Indian Creek Canyon where fascinating Anasazi ruins and a stunning seasonal waterfall await you. Rest assured whatever hikes you and your guides take the views will inspire more than just a few snapshots. The first refreshing days on the river, spent splashing and playing, storytelling and laughing, carry us past Pyramid Butte, the mighty Goose Neck, and Dead Horse Point. (This spectacular spot, immortalized in Ridley Scott’s Thelma and Louise, is where the movie’s heroines launch themselves and their car over the cliff and into our imaginations.)

• After the mighty Colorado winds us through The Loop, an exceptional example of the river’s convoluted twists and turns and a venue for another great hike, we reach The Confluence. Here the waters of the Green River join our party and Cataract Canyon begins, hinting at the whitewater to come. The Green River merges with us as it leaves Stillwater Canyon and ends its 300+-mile journey from Wyoming. In a slow mix, the clearer waters of the Green take some miles before they concede to the browner Colorado. Our anticipation grows.

• About three miles beyond the Confluence is Spanish Bottom, on the verge of our first major rapid. Here we find a fading 1893 inscription from the steamer, Major Powell, where it turned around twice, not daring to take on the rapids immediately below. We are in the Maze District, and nearby rock formations are shouting to be explored. We may take a hike 1,500 feet up to the Doll House, with astounding views in all directions. Walking amidst the giant boulders and eroded rock wonders places the human body in a different scale of surroundings. Look back across the Colorado to the Needles region or climb to the Beehive Arch, both another intriguing examples of geology in action.

• During spring runoff Cataract Canyon boasts some of the largest whitewater in North America. Summer and autumn trips are less harrowing, but with rapids like Mile Long, Capsize and the legendary Big Drops, this section still offers plenty of excitement. As we begin the next morning and drop into Brown Betty Rapids, the preceding days’ anticipation of Cataract explodes in cool water and huge smiles. Whatever the water level or the type of boat you are in, the rushes of adrenaline with each new rapid are balanced by the knowledge of your guides’ experience and focus on safety. In between the thrills, ask your guide to tell the tale of John Wesley Powell’s historic 1869 first descent through these formidable rapids.

• On the last day, we arrive at the end of Cataract Canyon and near Lake Powell. As we travel toward Hite Marina, it is difficult not to imagine the wonders drowned in Glen Canyon below us. The bittersweet ending is now here. Thankfully, the scenic to Moab grants a bit of time to reflect, as we trace our path backwards through Cataract Canyon from high above, looking down on the beautiful landscape with a birds-eye perspective.