Cataract Canyon rafting tours.
The short answer
Cataract Canyon rafting tours run the biggest commercial whitewater in Utah. Twenty six named rapids in the fourteen miles below the confluence of the Colorado and the Green, inside Canyonlands National Park, building to the Class IV to V Big Drops. You can book it as a one day motor trip or a three to six day camping expedition.
This is not a first river trip. Run Westwater Canyon first, at a fraction of the cost, and find out whether Class IV suits you before committing to this one.
Above the confluence, both rivers are flatwater. Below it, the combined volume enters a narrower canyon and within a few miles becomes something else entirely. That is the stretch every Cataract Canyon rafting tour is built around.
Class IV to V 1 day or 3 to 6 days Canyonlands NP Experienced rafters
Cataract Canyon rafting tours at a glance.
| Difficulty | Class IV to V. The Big Drops reach genuine Class V at peak snowmelt |
|---|---|
| Trip formats | One day motorised, or 3 to 6 day oar and paddle expeditions |
| Minimum age | Typically 12 to 15 depending on outfitter, boat type and season |
| Launch point | Potash boat ramp, about 17 miles from Moab on Highway 279, or Mineral Bottom on the Green |
| Season | Roughly May through September. Peak whitewater late May into June |
| Typical price range | Day trips typically start around $300. Multi day expeditions generally run $1,100 to $2,000+ per person depending on length and boat type. Outfitters set their own rates, so confirm the current price when you book |
| Included | Guides, all boats and safety gear, meals, camping equipment on multi day, permits, return transport |
| Permit | National Park Service concession permit. Launches are strictly limited |
| Take out | North Wash ramp above Hite on Lake Powell, then road shuttle or a small plane back to Moab |
| Not ideal for | First time rafters, young children, anyone uneasy about remoteness or camping |
Prices, age minimums and itineraries vary considerably between outfitters and between boat types. Confirm current details before booking. See what Moab rafting actually costs for how this compares with the day trips.
Where two rivers meet and everything changes.
Above the confluence, both the Colorado and the Green are calm. They wind through Canyonlands for days at a time as flatwater, and plenty of trips go no further than that, including the Labyrinth Canyon float. Then the two rivers join, the combined volume enters a narrower canyon, and within a few miles the river becomes something else entirely.
The classic count is 26 named rapids in roughly fourteen miles. That figure comes from the guidebooks, and it is worth knowing it is now conservative: as Lake Powell has dropped through the low reservoir years, rapids buried under reservoir sediment have re-emerged downstream of the historic run. Boaters and the American Whitewater river description now log whitewater as far down as Gypsum Canyon at river mile 19.8, and some outfitters count closer to thirty rapids. Which ones you run depends on the water level in the year you go.
The sequence known as the Big Drops, Big Drop One, Two and Three, is the crux. At high water it produces waves and holes that guides and guidebooks routinely compare to the largest Grand Canyon rapids. Satan's Gut, in Big Drop Three, is the one most people remember.
What makes this trip distinct is not only the whitewater. Cataract sits entirely inside Canyonlands National Park, in country you cannot drive to. On a multi day trip you camp on sandbars, hike into side canyons, and go days without seeing a road, a building or another group. If you are building a wider Moab itinerary, see rafting and the national parks.
The Big Drops
Big Drop One
River mile 13.7. The entrance: a steep, fast lead in that sets the boat up for what follows, and the point at which the noise from downstream becomes impossible to ignore.
Big Drop Two · Little Niagara
River mile 14.0. Large lateral waves feeding into a substantial hole. At high water this is the one guides talk about most, and the one most often scouted from shore.
Big Drop Three · Satan's Gut
River mile 14.2. The finale, and the rapid Cataract is known for. A powerful, complex drop with a hole capable of holding a loaded raft. Reaches solid Class V at peak flow.
All three fall inside 0.56 of a river mile, which is why crews normally scout the whole sequence together from river left rather than one rapid at a time.
One day, or six.
These are genuinely different trips that happen to run the same rapids. Pick on how much time you have and what you actually want from it.
| Feature | One day motorised | 3 to 4 day | 5 to 6 day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boat | Large motor rig | Oar rafts, some paddle | Oar and paddle rafts |
| Gets you | The Big Drops, and back the same evening | The whitewater plus two nights camping | The full canyon: flatwater, side hikes, whitewater |
| Return | Road shuttle | Road or small plane from Hite | Usually small plane back to Moab |
| Camping | None | 2 nights on sandbars | 4 to 5 nights on sandbars |
| Best for | Short trips, or testing the water before committing | Most people wanting the real thing | The full wilderness experience |
| Typical cost | From ~$300 | ~$1,100 to $1,600 | ~$1,500 to $2,000+ |
Worth knowing: the one day motor trip covers a lot of river fast, and the flatwater above the confluence goes by under power. If the appeal for you is the wilderness rather than the rapids, the multi day is not a longer version of the same trip. It is the actual trip, and the day version is the highlight reel.
The month you pick changes the river.
Cataract's character swings more with flow than any other run near Moab. Snowmelt out of the Rockies drives all of it, so the same three rapids can be a very different day eight weeks apart.
| Window | What the river is doing | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Late May to June | Snowmelt peak. The largest, fastest and coldest water of the year. The Big Drops at their most serious | Experienced rafters chasing big water |
| July and August | Flows easing, warm days, warm water. Still substantial whitewater with more forgiving margins | Most first time Cataract guests |
| September | Lower and more technical. Quieter camps, better light, softening prices | Photographers, repeat visitors, smaller groups |
| October to April | Commercial season closed. Private permits only | Nobody booking a guided trip |
Flow is reported in cubic feet per second and changes daily. How to read a flow report walks through what the numbers mean before you commit to dates, and best time to raft Moab covers the day trips.
The honest briefing.
This is not a beginner trip
Guided Class V carries real risk of injury. Outfitters will take capable first timers on some formats, but if you have never been in a raft, run Westwater first. It is the natural step before this one and it will tell you a great deal about whether you want Cataract.
Remoteness is the point, and the constraint
Once you are below the confluence there is no road out. Evacuation means a helicopter. Guides carry satellite communication and wilderness medical training, but if you have a condition that needs prompt care, discuss it honestly with the outfitter before booking.
Camping is basic and excellent
Sandbar camps, a portable toilet system, no showers, and a sky with no light pollution anywhere in it. Outfitters supply tents, sleeping kit and all meals, which are generally far better than anyone expects. Come prepared to be dusty and content. Our packing guide covers the rest.
Book a long way ahead
National Park Service launch allocations cap how many trips run. Peak season dates commonly sell out months in advance, and the high water weeks in late May and June go first of all.
Who runs Cataract.
Book it if
You have rafted before and want the next level. Big water is specifically what you are after. You want days of genuine wilderness rather than an afternoon out. Or this is a bucket list trip you have been planning for a while, in which case it will not disappoint.
Skip it if
It would be your first raft trip. You are travelling with young children, in which case see rafting with children. Camping without facilities is not for you. Or the budget is the deciding factor: Westwater delivers a superb whitewater day for a fraction of the cost.
Cataract Canyon rafting tours: your questions.
How much does a Cataract Canyon rafting tour cost?
One day motorised trips typically start around $300 per person. Three to four day expeditions generally run about $1,100 to $1,600, and five to six day trips about $1,500 to $2,000 or more, depending on boat type and what is included. Outfitters set their own rates and adjust them seasonally, so confirm the current price when you book. Our cost guide compares this against every other trip near Moab.
How hard is Cataract Canyon compared to the Grand Canyon?
At high water the Big Drops are frequently described as comparable to the largest Grand Canyon rapids, and some boaters argue Cataract is pushier because the whitewater is compressed into fourteen miles rather than spread across 280. The difference is duration, not intensity: the Grand is a much longer expedition. For a few miles in June, Cataract is about as big as commercial rafting gets in the lower 48.
Do I need rafting experience?
Not strictly for every format, and outfitters do take capable first timers on motor trips and some oar trips. But we would not recommend it as a first river trip. Run Westwater first: it is a fraction of the cost, one day rather than five, and it will tell you honestly whether Class IV+ is something you enjoy.
What is the minimum age for Cataract Canyon?
Generally 12 to 15, varying by outfitter, boat type and season. Motor trips at lower water tend to have the lowest minimums; paddle trips at peak flow the highest. If you are bringing a teenager, ask specifically about the dates you want rather than the published general minimum. See rafting with children for how the other runs compare.
When is the whitewater biggest?
Late May into June, driven by snowmelt in the Rockies. That window produces the largest, most powerful water and it books out first. July onward the flow drops steadily and the rapids become more technical. By September the Big Drops are a very different, considerably more manageable proposition.
Where do Cataract Canyon trips start and finish?
Most launch at the Potash boat ramp, about 17 miles from Moab on Highway 279, and float roughly 47 miles of flatwater to the confluence before the rapids begin. Some trips start at Mineral Bottom on the Green River instead. Nearly all take out at the primitive North Wash ramp above Hite on Lake Powell, then return by road shuttle or small plane. The Hite Marina ramp itself has sat high and dry through the low reservoir years.
What are the camps like on a multi day trip?
Sandbar beaches, tents you pitch yourself, a portable toilet system, and no showers or running water. Outfitters carry everything including all meals, which are usually a genuine highlight. Most people find the camping is what they remember longest, ahead of the rapids.
How far ahead should I book a Cataract Canyon rafting tour?
For peak season multi day trips, several months. National Park Service launch allocations limit how many trips run each day, and the high water dates in late May and June are the first to go. Shoulder season has more availability and is a good option if your dates are flexible.
Run the Big Drops.
Cataract launches are capped by the National Park Service and peak flow dates go months ahead. If you want June water, start now.
We do not operate these trips. Every trip is run by a third party outfitter holding current federal and state permits, and your booking contract is with them. How this site is funded.