Grand Canyon & Colorado River Info

04/15/2019

Good Reads for Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is a source of inspiration for many, meaning there is no shortage of literature about it! We’ve put together a list of some staff favorites for you to read before your trip. The following books focus on river running through the canyon and are sure to add a whole new perspective to … Read More

12/18/2018

A Guide to GCW Day Hikes

DAY HIKES FROM THE RIVER Camping underneath a blanket of stars, thrilling whitewater, and exploring Grand Canyon is what we’re all about at Grand Canyon Whitewater. Our goal is to give you a full Grand Canyon experience. For many guests, exploring Grand Canyon by foot is the highlight of … Read More

06/18/2018

Fishing in Grand Canyon

Whether you are an amateur or avid fisherman, casting a line out into the mighty Colorado is quite the fun and enjoyable activity on a river trip. Here are a few tips and ideas about fishing in the Grand Canyon. -The most important thing is to get a fishing license. This can be easily … Read More

09/29/2017

Will I see private trips on the river?

Chances are, yes! Boating on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park comes down to two options: You can do a commercial trip (with an outfitter like us) or you can do a private trip. To do a private trip you need to apply though the National Park in their weighted lottery system. Getting … Read More

07/07/2017

Here Comes The Rain!

Starting in late June we start to see these magical things called monsoons in the Grand Canyon. Something as large as the Grand Canyon can actually influence the weather; changes in elevation, terrain, and deep canyons can make the weather change on a dime down there. As the summer progresses … Read More

05/04/2017

My favorite side hike? Deer Creek Falls

I've always thought Deer Creek Falls is one of the most amazing things in Grand Canyon. If you're on one of our lower Canyon (hike in) or full Canyon trips you might stop there. Some people might not give Deer Creek enough credit because getting to the waterfall is actually pretty easy; it is … Read More

01/11/2017

The “Ten Who Dared” by Disney circa 1960

Dramatic acting, Disney special effects and some high-quality green screening circa 1960 come together to make the “Ten Who Dared,” a funny re-creation of John Wesley Powell’s 1869 epic journey into the unknown. For the last few Friday lunch hours, our office has been gathering around to watch … Read More

12/06/2016

The Navajo Bridge

If you're on one of our full Canyon or upper Canyon trips you'll be passing under Navajo Bridge on your first day. A bit of fun history on the bridge: In the late 1800s, the only place to cross the mighty Colorado River in the Utah/Arizona area was in Glen Canyon where a small ferry was … Read More

11/10/2016

Grand Canyon Rapids by River Mile

How many rapids will I encounter on my Grand Canyon raft trip? LOTS! Grand Canyon Whitewater rafts always launch from Lee's Ferry which marks river mile 0 and the beginning of the Grand Canyon. All of our rafts then go at least 225 miles downstream, some even a bit farther to another take-out point … Read More

08/22/2016

GCW Book Review: River to Rim, by Nancy Brian

Nancy Brian, a former Grand Canyon river guide, NPS biologist, and just all-around awesome lady, recently updated her phenomenal book, River to Rim. The second edition contains even more fascinating details about all the incredible places you'll encounter in Grand Canyon, from Lake Powell to Lake … Read More

Google Rating

5.0

Grand Canyon Whitewater

Robert Mohr

16:35 08 Mar 19

They actually talked me out of a trip! I talked with Lindsay who didn't have a trip to meet my needs but helped me plan a trip with another company that was better suited to the needs of my group! I am keeping these guys in my close contacts when I do eventually plan that Grand Canyon trip of a lifetime. These guys are top notch!

Dani Gibbons

11:40 31 Oct 18

GCW is a well run outfit with constant communication and wonderful staff. The equipment was well maintained and the food on the trip exceeded my expectations. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and very fun to hang out with. Our trip included guests from a wide age range with different dietary needs and I thought the staff did an excellent job accommodating everyone's needs while also encouraging the more adventurous guests to take advantage of all the Grand Canyon has to offer. If you are on the fence about taking a white water trip just do it- you won't regret it.

Dacia Murphy

19:04 01 Oct 18

If you're thinking about using a differnt rafting company for your vacation of a lifetime, stop right here. By far the most qualified, knowledgeable, and most fun staff I've ever had the pleasure of rafting with. With almost everything provided for you, all you need is yourself and your personal items, then you can have the best rafting vaca EVER with this company. My 4 day trip was the most exciting, fun filled, relaxing vacation I've ever had. Chris, Cloe, Joe, and Rachael are the best guides this company has!!! Every crew member is very knowledgeable about the river, the rapids, and the geology of the canyon. Seriously, the best company to use is Grand Canyon Whitewater. Book a trip with this company and I promise you won't regret it!!!!!

Paul Casey

14:45 26 Sep 18

This company is well run and efficient starting with the initial booking process. They kept me informed of what was needed to train and prepare for the river trip well in advance of the trip (6 day oar with hike out along the Bright Angel Trail). Transportation to and from the canyon was timely and comfortable. The outstanding part of the experience were the river guides, 7 men and one woman. All were experienced experts in their craft plus all had detailed knowledge of the canyon's geology, history, plant, and wildlife. The guides were/are friendly, funny, caring, cool under pressure and just great individuals. I always felt safe with them on the river. This was my first river trip so I don't have a starting point to rate GCW with other rafting companies, but I highly recommend them.

Kym Wilkens

13:11 18 Sep 18

WOW!!! Everything about our trip was SPECTACULAR!!!! The guides were THE BEST. We felt safe in their hands and also that they truly cared about each one of us and in delivering the most unforgettable trip possible. Their genuine warmth and lightheartedness made us feel so lucky they were guiding our adventure. Their passion for the Canyon was infectious and they took care of every tiny detail to make our trip truly perfect! We had the best mix of opportunities for peaceful solitude and contemplation, white knuckle adventure and laughing our booties off too! Also, I cannot say enough about THE FOOD. My mind was blown at the culinary masterpieces on this trip. I’d heard the food was very good but that was an enormous understatement! I don’t want to give away any surprises but days later I’m still thinking about those delicious meals! I slept very well every night on a different gorgeous sandy beach in the comfortable gear they provided under the most amazing stars with the peaceful lullaby of the river. Thank you GCW for taking us on hikes to hidden gems we’d never have access to otherwise and the opportunity to see so much of beauty and grandeur of this amazing natural wonder. I loved every second of the 8 day trip and I can’t wait to go back!!!

Dena Petersen

20:46 17 Sep 18

Highly professional guides who maintained their courtesy, friendliness, and composure 24/7 for 5 days, and this is beyond their navigating us safely through impressive rapids. Amanda (in the office) is incredibly well-organized and helpful. A great team for a great trip.

James Kruppa

14:26 05 Sep 18

I did the 7 day-6 nite motorized trip. Grand Canyon Whitewater (GCW) did an outstanding job. Everything was spot on. Great organization, superb guides, excellent equipment, great communication and preparation, good food. I could not be more pleased. I very highly recommend them. One of the great experiences of a lifetime!

Tom Woodfield

15:29 08 Aug 18

Best trip I’ve ever had. Better than I could of imagined. Guides are amazing and knowledgeable. Food was also great 3 meals a day made for you. For 4 days I didn’t care what time it was and just enjoyed every moment. Will definitely be coming back to do the south rim.

Megan Nolan

10:24 16 Jul 18

This was a once in a lifetime experience. We took our three kids on the seven day motor trip in early July. Prior to going- I was nervous about how it would go. We just returned two days ago and I can’t say strongly enough about how all met expectations were exceeded. Loved it!!

Barb Adams

15:39 09 Jul 18

Our Grand Canyon Whitewater vacation was EXTRAORDINARY! Excellent! Fantastic! I am a real person, and not a paid reviewer. Just back from their 8-Day Motor trip and I can not speak highly enough of the experience. Great rigs that are safe and comfortable. Friendly and SUPER knowledgeable guides. Unbelievably fresh and healthy meals. The sites for sleeping are beautiful. All logistics of traveling to and from the river were smooth and easy. Honestly, I can not recommend a Grand Canyon Whitewater vacation highly enough.

barbara v sartorius

12:39 05 Jun 18

Spectacular guides that made the trip, for this 71 year old woman who had never been camping and on her own, doable. A little more training on my part beforehand would have made hiking (aka scrambling)a little easier and you don't want to miss the amazing waterfalls and vistas. Pack very light and bring a waterproof camera. Sometimes, my cell phone got too hot during the day and turned off. It was a wonderful bucket list trip!

Leslie Lance

18:08 27 May 18

Grand Canyon Whitewater could write the book on the customer experience! From our first encounter with the reservation staff to the guides and rafts on the river! The customer service staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. There were frequent updates and reminders as our trip got closer and it was very much appreciated! The river trip was spectacular! We did the 5 day motorized lower canyon trip from the Bright Angle Trail. The guides were there for us along the whole hike into the canyon. Then there was the river! We are rafters ourselves, so weren't quite sure what to expect when they said 35 foot j-rig rafts. I can say those rafts are nearly bomb-proof, especially with the experienced and knowledgeable guides. The really cool thing about going motorized, is the speed you can travel the canyon. I was surprised at the amount of flat water between the rapids. A paddle/oar raft would have taken days longer and would have been a lot more effort. We felt completely safe going through the big water, especially with the expertise of the guides! Our guides were beyond amazing! Troy worked tirelessly to make sure we felt completely safe and learned about the history, geology and geography along the way. He had a wealth of knowledge that comes with the years and love of the canyon. Big Matt added his special sense of humor and fun along with his expertise. We loved being on his boat! Little Matt obviously has the passion of his youth on the river and it was a delight to spend time with him. We were fortunate to have Chris along on the trip, who added his own fun and knowledge (Loved the "heart arch") and hope he gets to spend more time with this fabulous team. Our guides worked from sun-up to sun-down to makes sure our experience was beyond measure, and we truly appreciate them. Then there's the food! All I can say is WOW! How can you provide such qualify and variety on a river, in the middle of the Grand Canyon? The food was fresh and delicious. There was always fresh fruit and veggies! The crew went out of their way to make everyone feel special--especially the ones celebrating milestones like birthdays! This was truly a trip of a lifetime! I highly recommend it to anyone with an adventurous spirit!

Tim Warlick

13:38 26 May 18

We had the trip of a lifetime!! Every aspect of the trip was great. The pre-trip information and videos helped us prepare. The guides were informative and worked really hard to make our trip outstanding in every way. The side trips really added to the experience. Food was above outstanding. Pictures can not describe the grandeur of seeing the Grand Canyon from the bottom up. Interaction with the other travelers added to the enjoyment of the trip. Hiking in and rafting out was perfect to experience both aspects of the Grand Canyon. I would HIGHLY recommend this trip and especially this company!

Ashley Mynchenberg

16:05 17 May 18

Our 8 day motor adventure with GC Whitewater was nothing short of spectacular. Everything from the food to the gorgeous natural wonders that constantly surround you to the knowledge/stories shared by the guides and fellow passengers was all wonderful and above and beyond. The guides really did a fantastic job ensuring everyone got to truly experience the canyon and set a great example of people helping people which our group instantly adopted. If you are looking to truly experience the Grand Canyon, you have to do this trip!

Stephen Ritch

13:40 16 May 18

Exceeded all expectations. Well planned and executed. Excellent guides. Twenty wonderful companions in adventure. Unspoiled Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Priceless!

Christian .Andreen

19:27 11 May 18

It has been one of my best life experiences (so far) rafting the Grand Canyon with GCW. So grateful to have lived in such a beautiful place for a week with incredible people. Food was better in the Canyon than it is when I cook at home. The guides are top notch and prepared for anything. Total JOY. Go. Live the adventure. You won't regret it.

Matt Eckhoff

18:34 09 May 18

Pure magic. Every single part of the journey (8-day motor from Lee's Ferry to Diamond Creek) was beyond incredible. Come prepared to have an experience that moves you to the core. The guides are top notch- constantly sharing their passion for and countless stories of the river. They work tirelessly to make this trip absolutely seamless- safe- (did I mention magical) and still adventurous. Don't hesitate for a single moment to take a trip with GCW. Not to mention- this company is a great steward of the Canyon and the Flagstaff community. They really live out the credo of my recent trip- people helping people- on and off the river. Cheers--

Peter Baxter

15:31 22 Apr 18

Magical Trip that our Grand Canyon Whitewater Guides Jeff, Jason, Sean, and Holly made sure this was trip of a lifetime. Food was wonderful, hikes were spectacular, and knowledge of guides on history, geology, and folklore of the Grand Canyon made for entertaining and meaningful experience. I have been to many parts of the world but this trip was special for my spouse and I. I would highly recommend this trip and to use Grand Canyon Whitewater, as the materials and videos provided prior to trip helped us prepare and it lived up to the expectations of the trip and much more.

Bart Wilhoit

22:48 27 Jul 17

This was the BEST TRIP EVER!!! I'd give more stars if possible. We did the 7 day motor trip and everything about it was awesome. We took a family of 5 (two teenagers and a ten year old) and everyone loved it. The teenagers went for nearly a week without a phone and never even thought about it because they were having so much fun. It was an awesome way to connect with the family and also meet new people. Very few vacations can do that. We've rafted on several rivers with good rapids, but nothing compares to the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Incredible scenery (which seems to get better and better at each turn), awesome short and accessible hikes to unique and amazing natural features (waterfalls, streams, floating down the Little Colorado and more) and, of course, blasting through gnarly rapids and loving every second of it. Then, set up camp on a nice beach and eat an awesome hot cooked meal as you watch the sun go down on the river and wonder what the next day has in store. Layer that with an absolutely incredible staff that has everything figured out, is really helpful, super fun and knowledgeable about the Canyon, history, geology and river and you've got an amazing experience. (Shout out to Jeff, Ted, Trevor, Davis, Dean and Miles! You guys created an experience that my family will never forget and we all really appreciate it!) If you have any inclination to raft or see the Grand Canyon in a unique way, don't hesitate to book this trip -- I guarantee you'll absolutely love it. Every part of the trip was incredible and Grand Canyon Whitewater couldn't have done a better job. Thanks so much guys!!!

d conrad

16:26 17 Jul 17

Best Vacation Ever!!!! We bonded even closer as a family on this trip! The river guides were amazing and the food was great too. Side hikes were beautiful and never a dull moment. I thought I would miss my phone and social media but that was the last thing on my mind. I highly recommend Grand Canyon Whitewater and hope to go back again one day! We did the 8 day motor trip

Blair Juliar

14:28 27 Jun 17

The experience is very difficult to describe in words or even show in a series of photos. I went on a 5 day lower river motorized tour with two of my college aged kids. Our guides, Brian D, Jeff P and John D were the very best at everything they did. From their knowledge of the river, their work ethic, their sense of humor and taking care of some special dietary needs at meal times. I can't imagine what they could have done to improve on their care for group. I highly recommend experiencing this adventure and experiencing it with Grand Canyon White Water

Emilee Thomas

00:49 05 Jun 17

Once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Grand Canyon from another perspective! What a great trip rafting down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon! We loved our four guides- Troy, Calvin, Brock & Stacy- who did a fantastic job throughout the trip-- navigating the river, sharing knowledge of the canyon, cooking delicious meals, and sharing the highlights of the canyon such as waterfalls and the little Colorado river. The 8 mile hike out was tough, but we felt so accomplished once we made it to the top (pack light!) We would, without a doubt, travel with Grand Canyon Whitewater again. Do not miss out on this trip!

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