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Does the Grand Canyon provide the best white water?

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, ash     Colorado River, Grand Canyon, New Zealand, north america, Peru, united states, whitewater rafting, zambezi

Looking at white-water rafting spots, it’s clear there is a premier league of locations. But what sets aside the best, from the rest?

The wildest waterways are found scattered around the globe. But to make a river into rapids requires the correct topography (steepness of the river bed, narrowing of the river course, and obstructions).

Photo from Flickr user: Video4net

And it needs nature and her rainfall, or snowfall, to create the volume before the flowing, frightening and frothy mass pours downstream.

The Grand Canyon hardly sounds like the best spot to go looking for white-water rapids. It’s a huge empty cavern famous for its redwall limestone. But wait. Forget the postcard pictures brought back from Vegas – the Grand Canyon was formed by the Colorado River; this divides into tributaries and narrows in places to form some of the fastest rapids there are.

Take the section from Lees Ferry to Whitmore Wash for instance, between the two you’ll go through 38 major rapids rated above 5 (the scale being 1-10), two of which are rated 8-10!

The Grand Canyon is 227 miles long and its elevation varies by more than 3,500ft, so it’s got the gradient. And nature provides the volume thanks to the downpours that collect in its tributaries.

Here the river is swelled by snow packs that melt in the spring, warm winter storms from the Pacific, and the so-called ‘North American Monsoon’.

Thanks to all this, there is white-water rafting in Arizona to test even the most experienced oars(wo)man – and hours of fun to be had….

If you’ve rafted the Zambezi and think it’s better, or prefer rivers in New Zealand or Peru to the Colorado River, tell us why.

About the author

Mark Pawlak wrote 194 articles on this blog.

Editor at Adventure Sports Holidays, Mark's love affair with travel and the challenges of adventure sports continues... "You could save all year for a two-week, all-inclusive, doss by the pool, booze and buffet binge. Or, with a little planning and some good equipment, get off your arse and plan an adventure!"

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Related posts:

1. Rafting The Zambezi – Can anyone do it?
2. Hamish McMaster Interview: Rafting the World
3. Water Sports Holidays in Cabarete

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8 Comments to “Does the Grand Canyon provide the best white water?”

• 

  Ian K October 26, 2010 at 11:55 am

  I’ve never been white water rafting, it’s on the list of things to try!! Would love to hear about some good rivers to do it on..
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  Luke October 26, 2010 at 2:30 pm

  I have rafted in Thailand, Borneo and New Zealand but all just day trips. To be honest the only one with serious rapids was in New Zealand which had up to grade 5 the others were more relaxing with a few small (grade 1-3) rapids.

  The smaller rapids were still exciting but in New Zealand we went over a 7m waterfall on the Kaituna river which really got your adrenaline pumping! At the time we were told it was the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world and there was a 50/50 chance we might capsize….

  I would love to go on a rafting expedition one day and although it would be good to do so through the Grand Canyon I find Africa and the Zambezi most appealing.
• 

  josh marcotte October 26, 2010 at 6:43 pm

  New Zealand has the best white water rafting in the world without question. We have over 1000 rivers within a days drive and there is so much variety here, we have everything on offer from mild scenic floats through stunning scenery, from a desert landscape on the Clarence river to lush rainforest with no roads or people on the west coast to deep granite and limestone canyons through untouched wilderness on the west coast of new zealands south island. New Zealand also leads the world for safety standards.
  Heli rafting is also taking off here, due to the reasonable prices available it makes it feasable to fly into remote wilderness rivers, this has opened up an entire range of white water deep in the national parks of New Zealands South Island.
  All of the wilderness rivers on the west coast have water that is so clear and clean you can drink it without filtering.
  I have rafted all over the world and while there is white water out there in other places to match what we have here in NZ, for the total package, Scenery/wilderness/rapid quality and selection/safety standards… NZ is number one
• 

  Mark Pawlak October 27, 2010 at 1:52 pm

  Heli rafting? Now that’s something I’ve not heard of.

  I think you’ve laid down a bit of a gauntlet here with claiming NZ has the best white water!

  Watch this space, as I think we will have to write up another piece in a bit about NZ and all its gushing torrents.

  Thanks for getting involved,

  Mp
• 

  Hamish McMaster October 27, 2010 at 3:36 pm

  Although the Grand Canyon has some amazing rapids such as Hermit, Granite, Horn Creek and Lava, the experience of rafting the Grand Canyon is far more than just the rapids. The spectacular side hikes to waterfalls, archaeological ruins, the stunning food and beaches compliments the whitewater. If people are after JUST whitewater thrills on a multiday trip, then we suggest tackling the Coruh River in Turkey (2011 is the last year due to a dam being completed) the Zambezi River in Zambia or perhaps if you are looking to venture to South America, The Rio Futaleufu in Chile or the Rio Cotahuasi in Peru offer amazing whitewater challenges. Rafting on the Zambezi has a day trip option although for the biggest rapids on the river, venture down on a 4 or 7 day trip and perhaps get to paddle in amongst pods of hippo too.
• 

  Hamish McMaster October 27, 2010 at 3:41 pm

  Josh, I think you need to get out more! As a native kiwi myself, who has worked most rivers in New Zealand, your claims are bold to say the least. West Coast helirafting on the Perth and Whitcombe is amazing, but saying it is better than everywhere else is a bold claim. Not from Australia are you?
• 

  josh October 27, 2010 at 6:55 pm

  Hamish, I have been out and about plenty, having over 20 back to back seasons rafting in many places all over the globe as have a lot of my friends, and they and I all agree NZ has the best variety on offer, some have worked for you on the rivers you run as well. I think you need to get out and about more in NZ Hamish…
• 

  Kelly April 18, 2011 at 6:40 pm

  We need to get you to West Virginia to raft the New River Gorge. Rapids are Category 5+ in places, I’d love to get you to compare.