Private River Trips

If you are getting ready to take a river trip, be sure to watch the Grand Canyon National Park Orientation Video available on Google Video. This 40 minute video includes some beautiful scenery as well as extremely useful information.

Rafts on the Colorado River by Brad TraverThere are two different ranges in length of trips that will affect where you can actually take your private trip. Noncommercial river trips which launch from Diamond Creek (river mile 225) take 2 to 5 days. This section of the Colorado River is located at the west end of Grand Canyon National Park and is often referred to as the Lower Gorge. It includes 52 river miles of smooth and white water, with many dramatic and colorful views. Noncommercial River Permits are required, and since the access crosses Hualapai Indian Reservation, a separate permit fee is required by the tribe. You can find more information about these shorter trips on the NPS Diamond Creek page.

The second option is the 12 to 25 day Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek stretch which takes you through the main section of the Grand Canyon. There are no places for trips to put in or take out in between Lees Ferry and Diamond Creek, a distance of 226 miles. Permits for these trips are made available to the public through a weighted lottery. This is a technical trip and requires strong whitewater skills. Find out more about the lottery system, FAQs, river trip support companies, and regulations on the NPS Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek page.

Grand Canyon River Permits Office
Grand Canyon National Park
PO Box 129
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
Toll Free: (800) 959-9164
Outside USA: (928) 638-7843
FAX: (928) 638-7844

Grand Canyon also has a web page listing Noncommercial River Trip Support Companies that provide equipment rentals as well as support and shuttle services.

Other resources for private boaters

Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association

Colorado River Flow Data—Lees Ferry. USGS real-time flow data for the Colorado River at Lees Ferry

Colorado River Flow Data—Diamond Creek. USGS real-time flow data for the Colorado River at Diamond Creek

Colorado basin river flow information. NOAA forecasts for river conditions

Downstream Shuttle & Supply. Excellent resource for all kinds of river information, services, and links.

Copyright © 1998 - 2008 Denise Traver, Raven & Coyote and its licensors. All rights reserved. Except where noted otherwise, all printed material may be freely copied and distributed subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice. Photographs and artwork may not be copied in any form without the express permission of the copyright holder. Photographs #1 and 2 in the banner used on this site are courtesy photographer Mike Quinn of the National Park Service, Grand Canyon.