Whitewater Rafting Articles and Videos
Arguably the most popular whitewater sport, rafting is a thrill for all ages, and Trails.com can help prepare you for a trip downriver. From questions to ask whitewater outfitters before launching and tips for scouting rapids, to information on rapid classifications and the best whitewater runs near you. The advice in the articles and videos on Trails.com will teach you the basics of rafting, so that you can spend more time on the river enjoying the waves and the water rather than worrying about the proper technique or next step.
Erosive and gravity-loyal, rivers often offer the swiftest passage through a landscape, and people have attempted to navigate them for thousands of years. More recently, rafting river cascades has become one of the most popular extreme sports in ...
Life vests are no longer the ultra-bulky, uncomfortable, ugly orange, smelly devices they used to be. Well, some might still stink if they are not maintained properly, but they are now available in a wide range of styles, sizes and types for wate...
Floating the Grand Canyon can be a calm, gentle exploration or a rush of riotous rapids. Your experience may take half a day, a week or more. You may ride in a dorie or raft, relaxed and at ease or paddling like mad. Every trip is different and e...
Whitewater rafting is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of many ages and abilities. Seated in an inflatable raft, participants use the current of the river to travel downstream. Some areas of the river may have swift current and will require ...
Part of the fun of making a raft is using the materials you have at hand in a creative way. A raft can be made of anything that is strong enough to hold it together and light enough to float. If you have a platform and a few buoyant floats, you ...
The Colorado Rockies is the starting point for many of the nation's biggest river systems including the Colorado and the Rio Grande. For the intrepid adventurer Colorado's rivers offer a plethora of rafting and kayaking opportunities from mild be...
Nothing is more irritating while you are trying to scan the riverbed for fish or sunken treasure than having to constantly remove your swim goggles due to fogging. Someday, a dedicated swimmer will come up with the perfect solution and retire qui...
Rafts are a great option for those that enjoy being out on the water, as they require less storage space and maintenance than traditional boats. Rafts can be used for leisurely trips down a stream, traversing whitewater rapids or fishing and divi...
Floating down the river is one of the best ways to discover the incredible vistas of the Grand Canyon. The terrain of this immense canyon is extremely rugged, but the mighty river allows travelers to pass with relative ease and enjoy numerous par...
Rafting is a popular sporting activity with guided raft tours popping up all over the country. Whether you enjoy whitewater rafting or prefer a lazy ride on a gentle river, rafting is an activity that just about everyone can enjoy.
River tubing is a fun, cheap, relaxing way to explore riparian ecosystems in your area. It also is a good summer activity the whole family can enjoy. Children can start tubing as soon as you feel comfortable with their ability to navigate the wat...
The rivers and lakes created by the Colorado Rockies provide a huge variety of engaging water sports. Whether you choose to kayak, raft, canoe or motorboat, it's important to consider safety first and carry proper flotation devices. Colorado foll...
Whitewater rafting may be dangerous for a novice who is not fully trained in navigating the inflatable boat over the currents. And if you are a guide, you know that there is more to working with passengers during a rafting trip than merely paddli...
Whitewater rafting on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona can be a life-altering experience that raises the bar for wilderness travel adventures. Commercial operators offer tours that range from quick to leisurely, rug...
The skills of rowing and paddling a raft are so different that they don't even go in the same direction. The rower, alone on the metal frame seat, propelling a raft with two long oars in oarlocks, faces downriver and works against the current m...
Washington State is blessed with a dazzling number of rivers, mostly running off one side or another of the Cascade or Olympic Mountain ranges. Although lots of elegant whitewater exists west of the Cascades, the central state rivers see a good b...
Hells Canyon spans 10 miles and is the deepest river gorge in North America. It is one of the Northwest's greatest attractions. This geologic feature was created over many thousands of years by the carving action of the Snake River, which runs th...
Rivers differ in such categories as gradient, shape, rockiness, hazards, thrills, temperature, seasonal changes and scenery. Outfitters vary somewhat less, but are not completely equal in emphasis on safety, experience and overall excursion qual...
Entering big rapids with your raft in the wrong position or missing an important mid-rapid move will often yield a calamitous outcome. A detailed plan for the entire rapid is vital when facing the holes, drops, haystacks, rocks and chutes served...
The throw rope is a fundamental tool for rescue in water sports and is carried by all responsible river guides. It provides a lifeline for white water rafters and kayakers who have unintentionally become swimmers. Throw ropes usually have a clip ...
A Colorado rafting trip is an exciting adventure filled with white-water thrills, drops and peaks sought after by outdoor enthusiasts. Because the water in Colorado can still remain cool throughout the year, dressing appropriately is essential. W...
Whitewater rafting has become increasingly accessible to people who aren't necessarily daredevil adventurers. Manufacturers are making rafts of all sizes and sending people out on their way. If you are keen to learn how to whitewater raft, but yo...
What you decide to wear whitewater rafting will depend on several things. First of all, you'll need to consider the weather and the outside temperature. Whatever it is on the outside, it's generally cooler in the water. You'll also need to consid...
It's summertime, and you've decided to plan a whitewater-rafting trip. The problem is that you've never been before. Whether you're going with a group of friends or family, follow these tips for planning and your experience is sure to be one you'...
River rafting is a varied sport. The term includes flatwater and scenic rafting, whitewater trips and any number of trips in small river craft. Each of these activities has its own type of raft that is designed to meet particular needs on the r...
