Ask us which trip to book.
The short answer
Tell us your dates, your group and what you want out of the day, and we will tell you which trip fits. That is the thing we are actually useful for, and it is free.
We do not take bookings or handle payments, so if your question is about a reservation you have already made, the outfitter is who you need. There is a list further down of what we can and cannot help with, which will save you time.
Six things to include, and we can actually answer.
Most enquiries we cannot answer well are missing one of these. Give us all six and you will get a specific recommendation rather than a list of options you could have found yourself.
| Your dates | A range beats a single day. Flexibility is worth more than anything else on permit capped runs like Westwater and Cataract |
|---|---|
| Group size and ages | Especially the youngest. Age minimums rule out more trips than anything else, and several rise during spring high water |
| How much time you have | A few hours, a full day, or several days. This narrows the list faster than difficulty does |
| Rapids or scenery | These pull in opposite directions here. The most scenic trips are the calmest, and the biggest whitewater runs through the narrowest canyons |
| Anyone nervous or unsure | Weak swimmers, anxiety about water, mobility limits, medical conditions. It changes the recommendation, and nobody gets talked out of a trip for saying so |
| What else is in your Moab plan | If Arches or Canyonlands are on the same day, that decides half day versus full day on its own |
We read everything and reply personally. If your trip is within the next day or two, contact the outfitter directly instead. They can check live availability and we cannot.
What we cannot help with.
We are a comparison guide, not an outfitter or a booking agent. For anything on the right hand side below, writing to us adds a delay and gets you the same answer you would get by going direct.
| If your question is about | Contact |
|---|---|
| A booking you have already made | The outfitter who took it. We are not a party to the reservation and cannot see it |
| Cancelling, changing dates or a refund | The outfitter. Their terms apply, and they vary considerably. Our policies page explains how these generally work |
| Availability on a specific date | The outfitter, or our booking page which links to each of them directly. Availability moves hourly in peak season |
| Whether a trip is running today | The outfitter. Weather calls and flow decisions are made on the morning and we will not know |
| Lost property | The outfitter, as soon as possible. Things left on boats and in vans do get found |
| A complaint about a trip | The outfitter first. If it is not resolved and you think we should know, tell us, because it affects whether we keep listing them |
That last row is genuine. We list operators on the basis that they hold current permits and run good trips. If one is not doing that, it is useful for us to hear about it.
Press, partnerships and corrections.
Outfitters
If you run a permitted operation on any of these rivers and would like to be listed, write to us. We will want to see your current commercial use authorisation and proof of liability insurance. Listing is not for sale and never will be, which is the only reason being listed here means anything.
Corrections
River conditions, outfitter policies, age minimums and pricing all change, sometimes within a season. If something on this site is out of date or wrong, tell us and we will fix it. Point us at the page and we will not need to guess.
Press and media
We are happy to talk about Moab river trips, seasonal conditions, how commercial permits work on the Colorado and Green, or why a river like the Dolores runs some years and not others. Tell us your deadline in the first line.
Partnerships
For anything commercial, read the disclosure page first. It sets out what we will and will not do, and it will tell you quickly whether there is a conversation worth having.
Who you are writing to.
Moabing Media, LLC
Based in Moab, Utah. We publish MoabRaftingTours.com as an independent comparison guide to guided rafting on the rivers of southeastern Utah and western Colorado.
We do not own boats, employ guides or hold river permits. Every trip described on this site is operated by a third party outfitter, and your booking contract is with them.
Why that matters when you write
It means we have no stake in which operator you choose, so the recommendation you get back is not steering you toward whoever pays us. It also means we genuinely cannot see your reservation, which is why the list above exists.
How the site is funded is set out in full on the disclosure page.
Contact FAQs.
Can you tell me which rafting trip to book?
Yes, and it is the thing we are most useful for. Send your dates, group size and ages, how much time you have, whether you want rapids or scenery, anyone nervous or with a medical consideration, and what else is in your Moab plan. With those six things we can give you a specific recommendation rather than a list.
Can you check availability or make a booking for me?
No. We do not take reservations or handle payment. Availability moves hourly in peak season and we cannot see it. The booking page links each trip to the outfitter who runs it, and you book with them at their own price with no fee added by us.
I have a problem with a booking. Can you help?
Contact the outfitter first, since the reservation and the contract are with them and we are not a party to it. If it is not resolved and you think we should know, do tell us, because whether an operator handles problems well affects whether we keep listing them.
How quickly will you reply?
We read everything and answer personally, so it depends on how much is in the inbox. If your trip is within the next day or two, contact the outfitter directly instead. They can check live availability and make weather calls, and we cannot do either.
I run a rafting outfit. How do I get listed?
Write to us with your current commercial use authorisation for the stretch you run and proof of commercial liability insurance. Listing is not for sale, and nobody can pay for placement or a higher position on a comparison page. That is the only reason appearing here carries any weight.
Something on your site is wrong. Where do I report it?
Here, and we would genuinely rather know. River conditions, outfitter policies, age minimums and pricing all change, sometimes mid season. Send us the page and what is wrong with it and we will correct it.
Or skip the email entirely.
Most people can pick a trip in a couple of minutes from the comparison table. It shows difficulty, minimum age, drive time and typical price for all eight trips at once.