River Rafting Adventure

As the 2012 rafting season is in full swing, we would like you to meet our guide - Julie Clinton!  Leaving law behind, Julie has been a guide with Arizona River Runners since 2007. Say "hello" Julie...

"Naturally, as a young kid growing up in Arizona, I wanted to get out, go where there were mountains, where it was green and where it wasn’t 120 degrees. Then as life always does, it taught me a lesson. In 2003 I took my first trip down the Colorado River and fell in love with the brown and red desert for life.  Naturally, finishing school with a Pre-Law degree, I went into Guiding River Rafting Trips, and have been going at it strong since 2007. Nothing brought a greater sense of adventure, laughter and the unique gift of meeting and learning from wonderful, fascinating people than being down on the river watching the experience change peoples lives as it is continuously doing to mine. It’s truly an education that can’t be taught in any classroom.  With a little bit of time in between the seasons I often find myself in another country exploring the culture and terrain it has to offer."

Book your river rafting adventure with Arizona River Runners - who knows - Julie just may be your guide! 1-800-477-RAFT (7238)

Why do people go white water rafting through the Grand Canyon? Here is an article that will shed some light on it, and will help you choose a whitewater trip with Arizona River Runners. 

"There were 25 of us who came together to do this trip of a lifetime. Our group was comprised of fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, good friends, husbands and wives, solo travelers and colleagues. And though we hailed from different places and backgrounds, we all had one thing in common – a shared desire to do the mother of all rafting trips through one of the most heralded natural wonders in the world. Each of us, however, had our own personal motivations for wanting to embark on this amazing experience. So, what is it that drives people to explore the Grand Canyon from the seat of a raft?"

Read the complete article about Deborah Stone's Colorado River adventures on Way Beyond Borders.

Call Arizona River Runners for your river rafting adventure this summer! 1-800-477-7238.

We have found that the major factors to consider when choosing your whitewater trip include:

1. Length of Trip
2. Type of Raft
3. Cost
4. Weather
5. Water

Length of Trip

How long do you want to go white water rafting? How long is your vacation time? How much of the Canyon  do you want to raft and explore? These are all questions you must ask yourself. Then decide on how long you want your Colorado River adventure to be.

Arizona River Runners has a wide variety of trip lengths and type; from 3 - 13 days!

Type of Raft

We have two types of rafts - motor and oar powered. Our motorized rafts are custom made, with the new Evinrude E-TEC two-stroke engines that produce fewer reportable emissions than any other brand of engine. The raft is 35' and sits 14 comfortably and 2 crew members. Two boats travel together, so there are 28 rafters plus 4 crew on at motor trip. Average speed: 8 miles an hour.

Oar rafts are rowed by ARR guides, and travel about 4 miles an hour. The oar boats are 18' and have 4 rafters and a guide per boat. There are usually 6 oar rafts, 20 to 24 guest and 6 crew per whitewater trip.

Cost

Our Grand Canyon rafting packages are all inclusive. We have "bundled" transportation, food, camping gear and equipment to fit your budget. All you need to bring are your personal clothes, toiletries, camera, sunscreen, and a sense of adventure! In fact one rafter stated, "Before I took the trip I thought it was a little expensive, but after taking the trip I think it’s a bargain.” (Remember all your food, drinks, snacks and equipment are provided!)

Weather

Here is a great temperature chart for the floor of the Canyon. As you can see April and May are cooler (with the possibility of a late winter storm), late May-July are mainly sunny, August-September are sunny, but with a chance of a summer thunderstorm. Truthfully, the weather is seldom an issue for guests on their Colorado River adventures.

Water

The water in Grand Canyon is released from Glen Canyon Dam on Lake Powell, 15 miles above our Lee’s Ferry launch point.  The dam provides us with consistent water flow and cold water. Water is released from the dam at about 50 degrees, and rarely varies; the cold water provides a beach like cooling effect near the river for comfortable sleeping. We seldom worry about the water releases.  Current laws require for a yearly allocation of water to be released for the downstream states and this provides us good rafting water even in a drought year.

For more information on white water rafting call Arizona River Runners at 1-800-477-RAFT (7238)

Looking for a summer vacation for the whole family? Look no further - Arizona River Runners has a family rafting trip just for you! Grand Canyon rafting is our specialty. Our  white water rafting trips for the family are thrilling, safe, and with our multi-talented, seasoned, professional, caring guides you have are bound to have the time of your life!

Our Colorado River trips vary in length from 3, 6, 7, & 8 day motor powered to 6, 8 & 13 day oar powered whitewater trips; with side canyon hikes, swimming in cool pools and camping under star studded skies. The 6 day oar powered trip involves a hike out of the Canyon on the Bright Angel Trail, giving you the "upper" canyon tour. The 8 day oar powered trip has a hike into the Canyon on the Bright Angel Trail to start your vacation.

The time spent on the river provides you with quality time to spend with your family too. Enjoy their companionship, talk to each other. This is a perfect opportunity to have your kids “unplug” - from texting, videos, Wii, PlayStation, all those electronic wonder toys. They need down time too. There is off river time - hiking, dining, setting up camp, playing in waterfalls and side streams. Our rafting trips are great ways for families to strengthen bonds, reconnect - be together and have fun. We provide the setting and adventure – you create and make the memories. Arizona River Runners has run white water rafting trips with groups of children from age 8 to teenagers, baby-boomers and grandparents and each person found the trip unique, exciting and fun. 

For your family rafting trip this summer call Arizona River Runners at 1-800-477-74238.

White water rafting through the Grand Canyon is wonderful on so many levels. Sights, sounds, food, friendship....but there is one thing that is truly "grand" - stargazing!

On a Grand Canyon family vacation the nights provide a special show. The natural darkness that the Grand Canyon provides lets you see the stars at their most glorious. When the last rafter has gone to bed, silence is all around and you are blanketed by a night sky bursting with stars, stars so bright you just want to reach out and touch them. The night sky in the Grand Canyon is indescribable! And at certain times of the year you may be fortunate enough to see a meteor shower.

The Grand Canyon is the perfect location not only for stargazing but to behold a meteor shower. Each time a comet swings by the sun, it produces large amounts of small particles, which will eventually spread out along the entire orbit of the comet to form a meteoroid "stream." Depending on where the Earth's orbit and the comet's orbit intersect, meteors appear to fall from a particular place in the sky for a few days, maybe within the neighborhood of a constellation, thus giving the meteor shower its name.

There are a number of meteor showers in the year; the Lyrids in late April, Eta Aquarids in early May, Delta Aquarids in late July and the Perseids in mid-August. Depending on the moon, you can see from 15-100s of meteors per hour. To see a meteor shower is awe-inspiring!

The Perseids are considered by most to be the year’s best shower and can peak at 50 or more meteors per hour in the dark sky. The Perseids can strengthen in number as the late night deepens into midnight, and typically produce the most meteors in the wee hours just before dawn. These meteors are often bright and frequently leave lasting trains. Starting at mid to late evening on the nights of August 11 and 12, and August 12 and 13, watch for the Perseid meteors to streak across this summer night sky from late night until dawn, with only a little impediment from the waning crescent moon.

Arizona River Runners offers a number of river rafting adventures to see these meteor showers. There is no better way to take in an event of this magnitude than camping on the banks of the Colorado River. Call us at 1-800-477-7238 for your Colorado River adventure and indulge your love of the night sky! 

With minimal effort on your part you can be "uber" green on a Colorado River trip with Arizona River Runners. It is very simple and super easy to do your part to help save our planet.

Once you hit the river you are encouraged to minimize the footprint that you leave in the Canyon. Your presence should be undetectable by rafters that come after you, just as you should see no traces or evidence of rafters that have been on a whitewater trip before you. Off river hikes and side streams will remain natural and clean in every sense. The methods used to cook the meals at camp do no damage to the beach, or to any other part of camp. There is no burning indigenous wood at any time. Trash is collected and separated so that it can be tossed or be recycled back in Flagstaff.

Everything (yes EVERYTHING) brought into the canyon is taken out. No trace is left behind - zip, nada, nothing! Many of the foods served are organic and raised in a humane way. The incredible "cowboy"coffee is shade-grown and organic as well. The salmon that is for dinner is wild. Even better, if you have a fisherman on your whitewater trip, then your trout will be VERY fresh! 

We are inspired to work with the techniques that are in place naturally. Mother Nature can cleanse all. The river corridor has a huge volume of water; which we use to wash dishes, hands and clothes with.

We must remember the Colorado River is home to many fishes and plants; wildlife lives along the river bank and up the Canyon walls - from the tiny, annoying ants to the majestic big-horn sheep, they co-exist in this environment. We are the visitors and are responsible for our actions and how these actions affect their home. 

Be green, its good for everyone! Go on a “green” Grand Canyon rafting trip with Arizona River Runners - it's fun and fascinating ! Call 1-800-477-4238 for your "green" Colorado River adventure.

Arizona River Runners is featured in the April issue of West Valley Arizona Health and Living Magazine!  

Here is a snippet of the article:

"Many adventurers agree that the guides make the experience so much more enjoyable for the rafters than an unguided trip. They serve as storytellers, they share their knowledge about the history and geology of the Canyon; they talk about the wildlife in the area, and they prepare the meals that rafters enjoy each evening under the open Arizona skies."

Click here and turn to page 26 to read the entire article.

Arizona River Runners offers a variety of Grand Canyon raft trips. Our guides are the best in the business, not because we say so but because our customers do!  The guides do all the cooking; from making fresh "cowboy" coffee in the morning with French toast or pancakes...to delicious Dutch oven lasagne, grilled steaks and more - even Dutch oven brownies may be on the menu! They make your whtiewater trip come to life!

To book your Grand Canyon river trip call Arizona River Runners at 1-800-477-7238 - our guides are waiting to take you white water rafting through the Grand Canyon!

No one can tell you what to expect from a Grand Canyon raft trip better than someone who’s actually taken one.  Not one of the pros who lives day to day on the river every season, but someone maybe just like you, who has wanted to try a white water rafting trip for years and finally gets there.  After thoroughly researching all the rafting trip options, Dan Watson and his wife decided to book their Grand Canyon rafting adventure with Arizona River Runners.  Dan explains that ARR had the right trip available for them, “We initially thought about 3-4 days, but the more we looked into it the more we wanted a longer trip, and ARR had the trip for us!”  In hindsight, he says that he would definitely recommend a minimum of 6 days/5 nights, so participants can see the majority of the amazing Grand Canyon.

One of the things that Dan and Mary Lou thought added the most to their experience in the Canyon was the many side hikes that are available.  “I strongly recommend that anyone on a Grand Canyon raft trip take all the hikes they offer.  You see so much more and experience what the Canyon is all about on the hikes,” Dan says.  The Watsons especially enjoyed the magical Elves Chasm, Havasu Creek and swimming in the Little Colorado, as well as the excitement of Hermit and Lava rapids.  Looking back on their trip, Dan shares their special appreciation of the ARR guides, saying, “My wife is a two time cancer survivor and would not have gone all the way on a couple of the more difficult hikes if it hadn’t been for the encouragement of the guides.  There were a lot of scrambling type hikes, but the guides were GREAT.  When my wife or anyone, for that matter, needed a hand they were right there to help.”  He concludes, “She was so thankful for both their encouragement and their help.  ARR’s guides wanted to ensure she enjoyed the experience to the fullest and they did.”

Dan recalls that the guides were also interesting and fun to be around. “Kelly was a great storyteller, about other whitewater trips and happenings and told great jokes!” he says.  “Troy and Kelly were great with their knowledge of the river, history, geology and animals.  Tyler was amazing with all his knowledge!”

Dan and Mary Lou hadn’t expected the food to be very good on the trip, and were pleasantly surprised by how fresh, healthy and delicious the meals were.  Dan shares an example of how the rafting company caters to their guests, recalling, “It was my wife’s 65^th birthday the last night of the trip and I had mentioned it to the office staff.  They must have made a note of it because they baked a cake for her – in a Dutch oven – it was delicious, and just a great celebration with the whole group!”

So what advice would this first time rafter give to someone considering a Grand Canyon white water rafting trip?  He recommends doing some physical training and practice hikes in advance for conditioning.  That way, you can be sure to be ready to take advantage of all the incredible hidden side-canyon hikes within the Canyon.  In terms of packing, Dan recommends following Arizona River Runners’ excellent guidelines, bringing closed-toe water shoes that work for side hikes, layer your clothing, and good quality rain gear.  “Be prepared to get SOAKING wet!” he exclaims. “And bring a waterproof camera so you can get pictures while on the raft.”

Crossing an item off of your bucket list is a major accomplishment, and when asked if Dan and Mary Lou waited too long to take their incredible journey, Dan responds, “No and yes.  “No” in that we’re so glad we did it when we did; but “yes” because if we had done it earlier in life we would have taken the trip again!”  So it seems that based on these rafters’ experience, it’s never too soon (or too late) to take the plunge and experience a whitewater trip in the Canyon for the adventure of a lifetime.

Starting to plan your summer vacation? Not sure what you want to do? Where to go? Take a poll of what each family member would like to do, or get out of the vacation. Is it to kick back and relax? Looking for excitement? Soak up the sun? Experience something new? Take a look at this mini video of our 3 Day Family Rafting trip. This is sure to tickle your fancy!

Our 3 Day Family Rafting Trip has something for everyone...It starts with a plane ride from Las Vegas to the Bar 10 Ranch on the Arizona Strip. At the ranch there's horseback riding, skeet shooting, great food, evening entertainment and then you can sleep out under the stars, or even in a covered wagon! After and early breakfast it's down to the river by helicopter! 

The day is filled with rafting down the Colorado River; you stop for off river hikes to petroglyphs, lunch a hike or two, and then set up camp for the evening. By this time, you have met the others in your group, and are one big happy family! Dinner is a creation by the guides - from Dutch oven lasagna to grilled steaks or pork chops. There may even be some brownies for dessert.

Bed down under the stars - so many you can't begin to imagine - you may even catch a glimpse of a shooting star or two! Wake to the smell of hot "cowboy" coffee and a delicious breakfast. then back on the river for more rafting excitement.

The last leg of this river rafting adventure is a jet boat ride to Lake Mead where a charter bus meets you to take you back to Las Vegas.

For your family rafting trip call Arizona River Runners at 1-800-477-RAFT! (7238)

At Arizona River Runners we get the question "what do your guides do in the winter? What do they do when they aren't guiding a whitewater trip?" Well here is what one river guide did this off season...Read Kelly's story.

"I started out as a river guide while I was still in college.  White water rafting was a really fun way to fill my summer and save up some money to be able to make it through another winter in school!  Once I graduated, I joined the ranks of true seasonal workers.  I love having a seasonal job because it allows me a lot of creativity when I answer that typical college graduate question, “now what?”  I have all summer to dream up a way to spend October through March.  I have a job waiting for me every April and each winter can hold different plans from the last.  I let my creativity run wild, dream up where I’d like to try living, what type of work I can find, what playing and traveling I want to squeeze in and can afford, and I go forth!

My boyfriend Tyler and I met our first year working at Arizona River Runners in 2008.  We have been dating, and running the river ever since.  Last winter I graduated from Northern Arizona University in December.  We strapped our backpacks on and headed for Taiwan, Thailand, India, and Nepal for the next three months.  We spent most of our savings just in time to come back to our wonderful job guiding river trips. 

This year I was ready for a challenge, a job, and an experience.  And the universe quenched my thirst.  Through a simple internet search I found a listing for an internship that made my ears perk up.  To make a long story short, Tyler and got the 2 internship positions and we’re now working for a nonprofit organization called Citizenship Counts.  But, we don’t sit in an office and commute to work each morning.  We sit in an RV, Tyler sits on a bicycle seat for 50 miles at a time, and this is our office as we are interns on a cross-country journey. 

Dr. John Eckstein and his wife Diane Eckstein are board members of Citizenship Counts who decided to raise awareness and funds for this fairly young organization they’d like to really see take flight.  They wanted help; they needed “guides” if you will, so they hired us.  John is biking and walking a total of 3500 miles along the way.  Tyler leads him on a 50 mile bike ride about every other day.  We’re the logistics people.  We plan the route, the stops, RV parks to stay in, where to safely ride 50 miles on a bike every other day, we capture video and photos of the journey, and we cook dinner for our newfound road family. 

There is a team in the Phoenix office of Citizenship Counts which deals with the really tough planning.  They coordinate with schools, United States Customs and Immigration Services, and the district court systems to plan naturalization ceremonies that students attend in culmination to studying about good citizenship.

We began in San Diego and we’ll end in New York City June 6^th.  We will bear witness to 12 naturalization ceremonies, and maybe by the end I’ll be able to watch one without getting all weepy.  We are learning more about being good guides as we help John and Diane realize their dream of this journey.  And we, ourselves, are thrilled by this US adventure.  We’ve soaked up the salty San Diego sunshine, we’ve felt small in the vast magnificence of Carlsbad Caverns, we’ve watched pigs race, and a chick hatch from its shell (not simultaneously) at a Texas rodeo! And we’ve already been privileged to watch over a hundred people’s American dream become reality.  

We’ve got just over 2 months left on the road.  We will fly back to Arizona June 9^th and be at Arizona River Runners warehouse June 11^th for our first whitewater trip of the 2012 season.  This is a heck of an adventure but it’s impossible not to always look forward to another season in the white water rafting in the Canyon!"

Above photo: Kelly and Tyler with President Bush at Texas A & M for a naturalization ceremony

Call Arizona River Runners and book a white water rafting trip with Kelly as your guide!

Developing a team mentality in the workplace is a major objective in today’s business world, and taking the time to work specifically on teambuilding outside of the office is an effective way to see real changes.  Andrew Carnegie said, “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives.  It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”  This is something that experienced Colorado River rafting guides have observed for years and know for a fact.

White water rafting trips are becoming a popular way for corporate groups to naturally bond and grow together. Co-workers unite in powerful ways on a whitewater trip in the Grand Canyon, spending time together sharing outdoor experiences in a close group. There’s no greater experience than spending days, or a week together, conquering North America’s biggest whitewater rapids of the Colorado River. The inspiring setting, which holds a place in many people’s hearts creates natural enthusiasm, relaxation and a powerful shared sense of accomplishment.

Participants’ communication skills are sure to improve on a Grand Canyon rafting trip.  Effective communication is often challenging in the office, with the constant distractions of email, meetings and ringing phones.  In the Grand Canyon, there is time for co-workers to disengage from their normal daily responsibilities and truly connect on a more basic level.  On the river they have the chance to simply share in new experiences by day, and then hear each person’s input on the day’s adventures.  Gathering together in camp each evening for a great meal after a fantastic day of outdoor activities in itself is a powerful relationship building experience.  Moira Winter of Arizona River Runners says, “We have been amazed over the years at how we see people’s relationships grow over the course of one of our whitewater trips.  Even co-workers who think they know each other from spending time in the office together every day discover a whole new dynamic on the river. We’ve found that corporate groups bond in a really special way out here.” 

Arizona River Runners offers a range of Grand Canyon rafting adventures that bring corporate teams together.  The Colorado River outfitter’s experienced guides and crew work with teambuilding facilitators to create an excursion tailored to specific goals and objectives.  Daily itineraries can include easy to challenging hikes to side canyon streams, swims in refreshing pools under hidden waterfalls, and spectacular lunch settings.  Once in camp spirited games and facilitated team building exercises can be arranged, and there is always time to just sit by the river and connect while relaxing in a majestic natural setting.

If your company group is looking for a truly unique and powerful team building experience, white water rafting in the Grand Canyon could be the answer to better communications, increased productivity and a lot more smiles around the office. Your company provides the facilitator and exercises; Arizona River Runners provides all of the equipment, gear, food and river expertise so that participants can get the most out of their team building adventure. No rafting or camping experience required.  All people need to do is show up with a sense of adventure and be ready for fun. The guides and the Canyon will do the rest! Developing a team mentality in the workplace is a major objective in today’s business world, and taking the time to work specifically on teambuilding outside of the office is an effective way to see real changes.  Andrew Carnegie said, “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”  This is something that experienced Colorado River rafting guides have observed for years and know for a fact.

White water rafting trips are becoming a popular way for corporate groups to naturally bond and grow together. Co-workers unite in powerful ways on a whitewater trip in the Grand Canyon, spending time together sharing outdoor experiences in a close group. There’s no greater experience than spending days, or a week together, conquering North America’s biggest whitewater rapids of the Colorado River. The inspiring setting, which holds a place in many people’s hearts creates natural enthusiasm, relaxation and a powerful shared sense of accomplishment.

Participants’ communication skills are sure to improve on a Grand Canyon rafting trip.  Effective communication is often challenging in the office, with the constant distractions of email, meetings and ringing phones.  In the Grand Canyon, there is time for co-workers to disengage from their normal daily responsibilities and truly connect on a more basic level.  On the river they have the chance to simply share in new experiences by day, and then hear each person’s input on the day’s adventures.  Gathering together in camp each evening for a great meal after a fantastic day of outdoor activities in itself is a powerful relationship building experience.  Moira Winter of Arizona River Runners says, “We have been amazed over the years at how we see people’s relationships grow over the course of one of our whitewater trips.  Even co-workers who think they know each other from spending time in the office together every day discover a whole new dynamic on the river. We’ve found that corporate groups bond in a really special way out here.” 

Arizona River Runners offers a range of Grand Canyon rafting adventures that bring corporate teams together.  The Colorado River outfitter’s experienced guides and crew work with teambuilding facilitators to create an excursion tailored to specific goals and objectives.  Daily itineraries can include easy to challenging hikes to side canyon streams, swims in refreshing pools under hidden waterfalls, and spectacular lunch settings.  Once in camp spirited games and facilitated team building exercises can be arranged, and there is always time to just sit by the river and connect while relaxing in a majestic natural setting.

If your company group is looking for a truly unique and powerful team building experience, white water rafting in the Grand Canyon could be the answer to better communications, increased productivity and a lot more smiles around the office.  Your company provides the facilitator and exercises; Arizona River Runners provides all of the equipment, gear, food and river expertise so that participants can get the most out of their team building adventure.  No rafting or camping experience required.  All people need to do is show up with a sense of adventure and be ready for fun.  The guides and the Canyon will do the rest!

At Arizona River Runners we cater to those who want to have FUN - individuals, families, groups, seniors, juniors - any and all who are looking for adventure.

We offer unique white water rafting trips that include side canyon hikes, sumptuous meals on the banks of the Mighty Colorado River, history of the Grand Canyon, spectacular vistas, swimming in the cold waters of the Canyon, new friendships and FUN!

Our whitewater trips vary in length from 3 to 13 days. We have a trip for everyone! If you only have a week's vacation, our 6 or 7 day trips would fit your schedule. If you only want a "taste" of white water rafting, the 3 day trip might be more what you're looking for. Those of you who want to follow in the footsteps of Major John Wesley Powell and take a more leisurely tour, the 13 day oar powered adventure would be for you. Make no mistake - this is the granddaddy of whitewater trips - it maybe longer, but not necessarily calmer!

Escape civilization and join us exploring this thrilling Canyon and its ever changing river! Call Arizona River Runners - the official outfitter of FUN! 1-800-477-7238.

Here is what some of our past guests felt about their whitewater trip with Arizona River Runners.

"TJ, Sarah & Dan should be the measuring stone to use for your crews. I just can’t say enough good things about those three!!

Everyone was great! This is the best trip I’ve ever been on!

Thank you for the trip, the presentation of the Canyon - and for sharing it - affordably!

Realized looking down from the South Rim Park is a joke in the big scheme!"

For your affordable and thrilling Colorado River adventures through the Grand Canyon, give us a call - we'd love to have you on one of our whitewater trips! Arizona River Runners 1-800-477-RAFT!!!

You're thinking "savings on a Grand Canyon raft trip?" We can assure you there are savings to be had. In fact, you can save up to 10% if you take your river rafting adventure before May 15th this year with Arizona River Runners.

We have a few 7 Day Grand Canyon rafting trips with spaces available, a 6 Day river rafting trip and an 8  Day Colorado River adventure with spaces available.

These are fantastic trips with great savings! Imagine shooting the rapids of the Mighty Colorado, taking off-river hikes to where few have ever been, swimming in the turquoise blue waters of the Little Colorado, seeing vistas that are indescribable. It's all waiting for you!

All you have to do is call Arizona River Runners at 1-800-477-7238 and book you river rafting adventure. Our knowledgeable and experienced reservation agents are waiting to help you book your vacation of a lifetime! 

Are you looking for a Colorado River rafting trip for the whole family? Well look no further, Arizona River Runners white water rafting trips are exhilarating, safe, and our professional, experienced guides will make sure you and your family have the time of your life! We offer a variety of family rafting trips that your entire family will not only enjoy, but benefit from as well.

Meet Arizona River Runners guide Joe Pollack. Joe has been guiding folks on whitewater trips with Arizona River Runners since 1994! Enjoy his story!

"I have been fascinated by the Grand Canyon since first visiting in the eaarly 90's and have been hooked by rafting the Colorado River since 1994.  I've had the privilege to be a participant on many different types of trips--archeological, geological, trails and vegetative work trips, biological survey trips, as well as commercial trips for fun--and find it amazing to see something new on every single adventure down through "The Big Ditch."  I am pleased to be able to represent Arizona River Runners and share with folks any of the human and natural history to which I've been exposed.  Come on down!!"

A Grand Canyon river trip provides a rare opportunity to be a guest in a living plant and wildlife community.  Home to over 1,500 plant species, 300 types of birds, and 80 different mammals, this is the perfect place to study biological diversity and see the challenge of survival in this harsh environment.  You may get to see a mule deer or desert bighorn sheep watering along the river or even have an opportunity to see some rare and exotic animals like the great blue heron, a golden eagle, peregrine falcon or the endangered California condor. 

Animals aren’t the only thing to study while in the Canyon and your guides will be able to point-out and explain the amazing ever-changing geology which you will experience throughout the trip.  Nearly forty identified rock layers help tell the history of the Canyon’s walls.  The majority of rocks were originally deposited as sediments and lava that were eventually metamorphosed.  Magma that filled in between the rocks cooled and crystallized into granite, and mountain building and erosion changed these formations once again. Your family will be able to study the Grand Canyon’s incredible past and have the unique opportunity to see marine and terrestrial fossils while on your Colorado River trip.

At Arizona River Runners we love sharing the history of the Canyon with you, but we have our adventurous side too. Our family rafting trips takes you through some of the biggest whitewater rapids in North America on a wet and wild ride down the Colorado River.  Each day you’ll have the opportunity to explore, relax and swim in some of the unique water-rich side canyons, caves, waterfalls and springs abounding with plant-life.

Since Arizona River Runners provides all of the equipment and expertise necessary to make your Arizona rafting trip a success, your family can easily enjoy this experience even if you have never rafted or camped before.  If you’re looking for a unique, educational and adventurous summer excursion for the whole family, you have  come to the right place.  Let our guides provide you with the “Edu-venture of a lifetime” in one of the most amazing Natural Wonders of the World!   

Call Arizona River Runners today! 1-800-477-7238

Once is not enough - Arizona River Runners offers river rafting adventures from 3 to 13 days. Each trip offers something special, adventurous, exciting. For your Grand Canyon river trip, call us - we can help you choose and plan your Grand Canyon raft trip!

"I first saw one of your rafts crossing under me in 1992 as I hiked the Bright Angel Trail at Phantom Ranch. I looked you up and booked a whitewater trip the next year. I was so impressed I knew I'd do the trip again. I'm just sorry it took me until 2011. This trip was better than I had imagined and T.J, Sarah, Mac and Sarah were the icing on the cake. Thanks!"

Bill
New Smyrna Beach, FL
June 21-28 2011
8 Day Grand Canyon River Trip

Its amazing where people find love, in Paris, at the grocery store, even on a Colorado River Trip!

A Grand Canyon river trip with Arizona River Runners seems to work its magic on people from all walks of life.  The Grand Canyon has an effect on visitors from all over the world, even if they only walk from their car to the rim to snap some photos.  Imagine how immersing yourself for days in the depths of that awe inspiring natural wonder could work its way into your psyche.  The simple decision to take a vacation could truly change your life. 

For Moira Winter, seizing the opportunity to take a Grand Canyon rafting trip in her early 20’s led her on a path she never would have imagined as she prepared to climb into a raft for the first time over 30 years ago. “Did I just pay all this money and I’m going to die?” she thought.  Winter was no newcomer to travel and adventure, but had to convince herself that she was prepared for a different kind of experience. “The guides go down the river, come back, do it again and again and again,” she reasoned.  “So it must be okay.”  Winter says she experienced “an adventure beyond anything I expected or could have hoped for” and from that adventure, made the river her home.  She happened to marry that guide, Arizona River Runners owner Bruce Winter, and ran the river with him for years. The couple incorporated the inspiring energy of the Grand Canyon into their everyday lives as they raised a family, and today their two grown daughters work the river as well.

Happy Valentine's Day from Arizona River Runners!

Arizona River Runners' Guide Bianca Aiken tells us her feelings when hiking the Grand Canyon.

I have hiked down to the Colorado River from the rim well over fifty times. I'm not bragging, it's not an impressive feat, it's just time in the Grand Canyon which is always a blessing. I have hiked out of Grand Canyon enough to notice a trend, there's a certain anxiety that overcomes me with the inevitable butt kicking effect of those last thousand vertical feet. No matter the season, (fit in the summer, out of shape in the winter), it is always an effort. I persevere - one step after the other. I call them "zen steps" where I meditate, let each step just flow like water and my mind float somewhere above. I breathe easy, take little sips of water and it seems my heart beat slows to the rhythm of each footfall.

There are times I partially close my eyes and breathe deep, still walking, and it never fails, as the rim becomes closer and closer, as my journey begins its ending, a bittersweet wave floods my heart. I 'm never ready to walk back into "rim world."At the top I start planning the next trip to the Canyon. I feel a peace that comes with good hard exercise. I wonder what would happen if I just turned around and went back home. I think about the mac & cheese, or the burgers and fries; and I always turn back to the vastness of our glorious Canyon. While tourists excitably push around to get their memories, I give thanks and blessings for being humbled once again by this beautiful wonder.

So when you are on your Grand Canyon raft trip, look up, see the cliffs, the horizon, the birds floating on the currents. Take advantage of the off river hikes offered. This is an amazing place, with niches and secrets, beauty and adventure.

Call Arizona River Runners. We have Grand Canyon raft trips with hikes in and out of the Canyon, letting you experince it all! 1-800-477-7238.