Moab: Colorado River Full Day Rafting & Castle Valley Lunch

4.91

(205 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

First thing I noticed was the red dust clinging to my shoes as we stepped out at the Moab office. There’s something about that color—like you’re walking through an old movie set, except it’s real and the air smells faintly of sage. Our guide, Jamie, handed out life jackets while cracking jokes about “river hair” (which I definitely had by the end). The shuttle ride out to Castle Valley took about 45 minutes but honestly, I barely noticed. Windows down, sun pouring in, someone pointed out Fisher Towers in the distance—those weirdly shaped rocks that look like they belong on Mars or maybe a Dr. Seuss book.

Once we hit the water, everything slowed down. The Colorado River here is warm enough that you don’t flinch when you jump in (I did, twice). Between the gentle rapids—nothing wild, just enough to splash your face—we floated past Castleton Tower and those spindly monuments people always photograph. Jamie told stories about old river runners and pointed out where scenes from westerns were filmed. At one point she tried to teach us how to spot a raven’s nest tucked into the cliffs; not sure I ever really saw it but I nodded along anyway.

Lunch was this deli spread right on a sandy beach—turkey sandwiches, chips, cold lemonade. There was a breeze that kept blowing napkins around and someone lost their apple to the river (Jamie fished it out with a paddle and we all cheered). The second half of the day picked up a bit—more splashing, more laughter echoing off the canyon walls. My arms got tired but I didn’t mind. There was this moment when we drifted quietly for a few minutes and all you could hear was water lapping against the raft and some distant bird calls. That stillness stuck with me longer than any photo.