Most Popular Rafting Trips in America

• Grand Canyon, Colorado River
• Jackson Hole, Snake River
• Rogue River
• Kern or American river
• New River
• Nanthahala River (North Carolina)
• Pigeon River (Tennessee)
• Middle Fork Salmon River
• Arkansas River, Colorado

Here are highlights of a few of them:

Rogue River, Oregon: Rafting America offers a variety of trips that allow visitors to experience the 34 miles of scenic beauty and majestic canyons of Rogue River. The two day Wild Rafting Lodge Trip is a two day trip offered in May and June featuring class III rapids. After a long day of navigating the rapids, visitors enjoy a stay at a historic lodge that is located deep within the canyon. The four day camp and lodge rafting trip was voted the Best Family Vacation 2010 by Sunset Magazine.  Featuring class III rapids, visitors can enjoy this trip from May through October with a minimum age of 6. This trip takes guests on a four day trip with camping the first two nights and a stay in the historic Paradise Lodge on the last night. Riverside meals are offered nightly, and put together by your very own guide.   

New River, West Virginia: Rafting companies offer a number of trips on the New and Gauley Rivers of West Virginia that are tailored to all ages and levels of experience. Some trips are year round while others have seasonal restrictions.

Lower New River Gorge: This river in West Virginia has year round trips that offer rapid classes from III-V and serene pools for swimming or relaxing. Some of the rapids you will navigate while on the river have names that include Greyhound Bus Stopper, Keeney Brothers, and Surprise. New River makes a great overnight or multi-day trip as there are other attractions as you navigate the rapids and make your way down the river. A number of ghost towns can be found along the way. There is no experience necessary for the Lower New River Gorge but there are age restrictions. You must be at least 10 and no older than 90.  

If you have more children or elderly people in your group, you may want to consider Upper New Canyon which is a float trip with class I-III rapids that is available all season, and there are no age or experience restrictions. You can still enjoy the ghost towns along the way and enjoy a riverside deli lunch.

Colorado River, Grand Canyon Arizona: Rafting companies on this river lead many unique rafting trips. Trips through the Grand Canyon range from three to seven days. Visitors will experience more than navigating the rapids with hidden waterfalls to discover and breathtaking canyon walls. Longer trips include visits to Indian ruins and majestic overlooks. The four day trip includes the experiences of working on a cattle ranch, horseback riding and a variety of entertainment.

Top 10 Summer Rafting Destinations

The United States is abundant with raging rivers perfect for rafting. From north to south and east to west, there is something for everyone when it comes to summer rafting destinations. 

Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho is one of the world’s most popular with rapids up to class IV and amazing scenery to match. Rafters can expect this 105-mile tributary to the Main Salmon River to drop 3000 feet along the way, and over 300 rapids.  

Nantahala River in North Carolina is the most popular rafting destination in the Southeast and one of the oldest rivers worldwide. The name comes from the Indian word which means “land of the noonday sun.” Rapids range from class II-III, eventually emptying into Fontana Lake. Over 250 feet deep and cool water year-round, this a perfect summer destination to cool off from the southern heat.

Menominee River separates Wisconsin from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Besides boasting the best rafting next to the Colorado River (why this comparison? Is it similar in some way?), this area also features scenic wildlife and numerous campgrounds and boat launching areas. The Pier’s Gorge area features some of the fast moving water paired with beautiful scenery and wildlife.

Skykomish River in Washington is for the thrill seeker, featuring class V rapids, an impressive series of fast moving rapids, and a finale at the famous “Boulder Drop.” Trips to Skykomish River are ideal for summer destinations as the season runs from April to early August.

Tuolumne River in California is perfect for a summer trip as it is just 30 minutes outside of Yosemite National Park, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Main Tuolomne features class IV-V rapids for moderate rafters and Cherry Creek features V+ rapids for experts only. Runs start at Meral’s Pool and end at Ward’s Ferry after an 18 mile ride through slalom rapids.

Flathead River in Montana’s Glacier Park is ideal for a summer getaway with tons to do between the scenery, wildlife, and 275 miles of thrilling rapids. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River features class II-III rapids and the North Fork with class I-II rapids, perfect for groups with mixed experience levels.

Hudson River Gorge in New York is best in the summer when visitors can enjoy riverside lunches or a swim. Rated one of the top 10 whitewater rafting runs in America, Hudson River features 500 feet of granite cliffs and thrilling rapids. Some of the best known rapids are Givney’s Rift, Greyhound Bus Stopper and the Narrows.

Lochsa River in Idaho has 40 class III-IV rapids and a steep gradient. Known for its challenging rapids, like Bloody Mary and the Grim Reaper, trips to Lochsa River will not disappoint. The river is also known for its combination of speed and volume of water making navigating this river like none other.

Ocoee River in Tennessee features rapid classes III-IV and over 20 continuous rapids. In addition to the rafting, visitors can also enjoy the wildlife and scenery of Cherokee National Forest, which the Ocoee flows through. Ocoee is one of the top locations in the south and also the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics, featuring the mile long Olympic course and rafting area.

Lehigh River Gorge located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains is the ideal summer vacation destination for families, featuring class I-III rapids in addition to other exploration and recreation activities in the area. Several trips also take rafters through the scenic Lehigh River State Park.