white water rafting the white water of Canyonlands' Cataract Canyon Express (CA-2) Moab Utah

Whitewater Rafting

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White Water Rafting - Colorado River Cataract Express (CA-2)

Trip Overview

Detailed Rafting Itinerary

Return Options

Fast Facts
S.E. Utah Detail

Main Attraction
Intense Class III-IV white water rafting, 1000 year old prehistoric Indian ruins, geology, camping, star gazing, hiking, Canyonlands National Park, unstoppable scenery!

Who Should Go
People looking for white water rafting with expert advice on camping and river running, families with children 8+ after mid-July, time-crunchers who want lots of action but don’t have much time, spring or early summer travelers, Grand Canyon interests requiring a shorter river rafting trip, star gazing interests. New for 2008 in May and June Green River motorized raft trip. This accommodates younger children these months too, same length as Cataract Express.

Adventure level

Length
3 days/2 nights

Cost
$750.00 Adult
$710.00 Youth (16 & younger) $11.00 Wetsuit rental May and June
Plus return option
Camping gear rentals available.

The Big Picture

Crunched for time but don’t want to sacrifice the adventure? The Cataract Express is the white water rafting for you! This expedition travels the same 100 miles of river from Moab as the "Favorite" (4 day river trip) but does it in one less day. Go on a 3-day/2-night white water rafting adventure. You’ll hit every one of the 25, Class III-IV, white water including the famous Big Drop, the steepest descent anywhere on the Colorado River. Expect hiking and off river exploration. And don't forget to look at the constellations. Star gazing is amazing on dark nights. If your goal is to hit the big white water without using all your vacation, the Express has your name on it!

The white water rafting details

Day 1 – Lunch & Dinner
An "express" adventure begins at the Tag-A-Long office in Moab at 7:00 a.m. A short, scenic ride to the river "put-in" leads to the stars: your raft and guide. White water is a day and a half away. After a river orientation, we launch, enjoy a calm Colorado River in the grand canyon of Canyonlands. Plan to stop for walks at several locations with views of petrified wood, fascinating geologic formations and historical sites from 1920 oil prospecting. Lucky wildlife watchers may see bighorn sheep, mule deer, eagles and coyote. The professional guides will discuss the natural history, geology, and backcountry land ethics as river running unfurls. At noon, the guides will begin showing off culinary skills that continue throughout the trip. Late afternoon is a stop to set up camp for the night. An orientation to put up tents make it a quick and easy task to then lounge on the beach or play horseshoes with new friends while the guides whip up a sumptuous meal. Guides have hundreds of stories to tell you about this fascinating country. Stargazing is a favorite after-hours activity in this dark Utah wilderness.

Day 2 – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast we continue down the mighty Colorado River around 9:00 a.m. Along the way, there is a visit to prehistoric Indian ruins from the Anasazi culture, and take a hike (if you like) over "the Loop" to get an eagle’s eye view of the Colorado River. After lunch along the shore, expect the arrival at the confluence of two great Western rivers, the Green and the Colorado before heading into legendary Cataract Canyon white water. Before approaching the rapids, your guides will give you a thorough white water briefing and then tell you to hang on and have fun! Today we will hit the first of 25 named white water rapids in Cataract Canyon. This evening we’ll camp within earshot of some of the best white water rafting in North America!

Day 3 – Breakfast & Lunch
We continue our journey into Cataract Canyon noticing the rapids become more intense as we negotiate the canyon. Some of the most well-known and respected rapids in the United States: "Ben Hurt, Powell’s Pocket Watch" and "Capsize," and the three spectacular rapids of the "Big Drop", where the river descends more steeply than anywhere else in the country! It is the BIG day to remember all your life. At the end of it, lies Lake Powell, a blue lake surrounded by red rock. Swap stories, swim and absorb the abundant beauty of this amazing landscape. Upon arrival at Hite Marina a charter flight is planned to fly you back to Moab. The scenic flight goes up the Colorado River and over the rapids just run, over Canyonlands National Park before landing at the Canyonlands Airfield. We highly recommend this memorable add on. Read about other choices below.

Return options

1. Return by land. The ride from Hite Marina to Moab takes about four hours through the high desert country of southeastern Utah. Your arrival in Moab will be about 9:00 p.m. The cost is $73.54.

2. We strongly recommend a scenic charter flight. You fly over the Colorado River including some of the Class III-IV rapids you just conquered and, from an altitude of 7,000 feet, you really see the amazing formations in the Maze, Island and Needles sections of Canyonlands National Park. The flight is about 30 minutes making your arrival back in Moab about 5:30 p.m. This once-in-a-lifetime flight is only $105.00.

3. Tag-A-Long will shuttle your vehicles to Hite Marina on Lake Powell so it will be waiting for you when you arrive at the marina early in the afternoon. The cost of this service is $231.77 per vehicle.