Colorado Through Cataract Canyon
Location: Through Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah (about 200 miles southeast of Salt Lake City; about 65 miles southwest of Grand Junction, Colorado).
Length of trips: 96 miles in three to six days. Shorter trips are also available.
Season: March through October but busiest from May through August. The water flow usually peaks in May and June.
Weather: Early spring days are warm (65° to 85°F), the nights cool (40° to 60°). Summer temperatures range from 85° to 110°, with occasional thunderstorms and flash flooding in the side canyons in late summer. Daytime temperatures in autumn range between 75° and 85°. Mosquitoes can be pesky, so bring insect repellent.
Lodging: Excellent campsites on wide, sandy beaches when the water is low.
Boats: Kayaks, motorized pontoon boats, oar boats, paddle rafts.
Rapids: Class II, III, and IV (Class IV and V during spring runoff). During the spring runoff the rapids rival those of the Grand Canyon; by late June theyre more moderate but still thrilling. The later in the summer you go, the tamer the rapids become. The water is silty and cold during the spring runoff.
Special features:
- Combination of heart-pounding white water and relaxed drifting, including a float into Lake Powell on the last day.
- Deep, rugged slickrock canyon sprinkled with cactuses and wildflowers.
- Geologist-explorer John Wesley Powell and his men gave Cataract Canyon its name in 1869.
- Outstanding hikes in Canyonlands National Park, famed for its geological formations dating back millions of years.
- Some Anasazi cliff dwellings and petroglyphs are visible from the river, but most are accessible via short hikes into the side canyons.
- Great swimming.
- Bobcats, muskrats, mule deer, desert foxes, coyotes, desert bighorn sheep, kangaroo rats, collared lizards, great horned owls, bald eagles, golden eagles, hawks, peregrine falcons, ravens, canyon wrens, American dippers, mergansers, hummingbirds.
- Wilderness solitude.
- After the water level drops in summer, this is a good trip for families, seniors in good physical condition, novice rafters, and the physically challenged who are comfortable in and around the water. Check with your outfitter about age limits for children.
Nearby excursions:
- Lake Powell.
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
- Canyonlands National Park.
- Arches National Park.
- Dead Horse Point State Park.
- John Wesley Powell River History Museum in Green River.
For a list of outfitters:
- Canyonlands National Park, 2282 South West Resource Boulevard, Moab, Utah 84532; +1 801 259 3911, fax +1 801 259 8628. Its sometimes possible to find a trip upon arrival, but its advisable to try to book at least three months in advance. Most outfitters begin their booking season in January. The busiest booking season is between February and May.
- Grand County Travel Council, P.O. Box 550, Moab, Utah 84532; +1 801 259 1370 or 800 635 6622, fax +1 801 259 1376.
For more information:
- Utah Travel Council, Council Hall/Capitol Hill, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114; +1 801 538 1030 or +1 800 200 1160, fax +1 801 538 1399. Ask for the Raft Utah guide and the vacation kit.
- Canyonlands National Park story in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER, Autumn 1988.
- Arches National Park story in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER, November/December 1992. To order a copy, please click here.
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