8 Colorado River Rapids You’ll Never Forget

Guides Share Their Favorite Rapids on the Colorado River

The Colorado River, an awe-inspiring and powerful force of nature, meanders 1,450 miles from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. Slicing its way through seven states, it has sculpted some of the most stunning canyons in the West, attracting adventurers from all corners of the world with its diverse flora and fauna and mesmerizing geological formations. So it should come as no surprise that it’s also home to some of the best whitewater in the country (maybe even the world). From Gore Canyon to Grand Canyon, here are some of the best rip-roaring rapids on the Colorado River.

Gore Canyon

1) Gore Rapid (Class V)

Not for the faint of heart, Gore Canyon is home to the Colorado River’s rowdiest and most dangerous section of whitewater that tests the mettle of even the most experienced paddlers and kayakers. Along this stretch of the Colorado, continuous Class IV-V rapids offer up some of the country’s most difficult and heart-pounding river action, but Gore Rapid stands out as a pinnacle among them. A longer, technical rapid, paddlers must keep laser-sharp focus as they navigate one of several different lines they can take through a massive boulder garden to run the rapid successfully. Choose your path wisely, because one wrong move in this legendary rapid can send you straight into churning, turbulent waters that can be difficult to recover from.

2) Tunnel Falls (Class V)

Less than two miles downstream (and with three Class IV-IV+ rapids in between) is Tunnel Falls, a river-wide waterfall with a whopping 10- to 12-foot drop. Like the rest of Gore Canyon’s rapids, Tunnel requires precision maneuvers and unwavering concentration to run without mishap. Those who pull it off are rewarded with an adrenaline-pumping experience sure to top even the most extreme adventurer’s best-of list and earns them lifelong bragging rights.

Westwater Canyon

3) Skull Rapid (Class IV)

The most notorious rapid in Westwater Canyon, Skull is created by a complex maze of boulders–including Skull Rock–that requires different strategic maneuvers to navigate depending on water flows. “[Skull Rock] creates a huge hole that spans the right side of the river at high water and is called Skull Hole,” explains OARS Canyonlands guide Davide Ippolito. “If you manage to sneak around this feature, you’re still not in the clear,” he continues. “On the right is a massive boat-flipping eddy called the Room of Doom that you don’t want to end up in, as it’s nearly impossible to exit at high flows. If you are in this chilling 60-80’ deep eddy, I wish you luck in finding your way out without getting pushed into the Rock of Shock.” 

While the stakes can be high, Skull Rapid provides rafters with a thrilling experience and paddlers can expect to have their technical skills put to the test. 

4) Sock-it-to-Me (Class III)

Close on the heels of Skull Rapid is Sock-it-to-Me. Don’t be fooled by the Class III rating of this sneaky rapid. According to Ippolito, Sock-it-to-Me often flips more boats than Skull. “This rapid approaches quickly while you’re celebrating getting past the Room of Doom,” he says. “With a huge wave center right called the Catcher’s Mitt and a strong current pushing left into a wall known as the Magnetic Wall, this rapid will make you rethink taking any of Westwater’s rapids lightly.”

Sock-it-to-Me lives up to its name with a big splashy hit in the Catcher’s Mitt and is the biggest wave train in Westwater Canyon, making it an exhilarating addition to an already epic adventure through the desert Southwest.

Cataract Canyon

5) Rapid 18 aka The Button (Class III)

Much like Sock-it-to-Me, The Button is not to be underestimated when Cataract Canyon is experiencing higher spring flows. “The Button” refers to a large boulder in the middle of the river that controls the biggest feature of the rapid, according to Russell Schubert, a guide for OARS Grand Canyon and Canyonlands. “It crescendos around 30,000 CFS [cubic feet per second], where the main current of the upper rapid freight trains right into this thrashing, crashing hole,” he says. “Cataract Canyon at real high water is game on in so many places. But at 30k, minds are on Rapid 18, and one reason some call it the Dirty Thirties.”

The Button is located in a stretch of rapids known as the Mile-Longs, and Ippolito likens it to being in a barroom fight, “You don’t know where the next punch is coming from.” Rafters lucky enough to experience The Button at peak flows can look forward to a knockout run they’ll never forget.

6) Rapids 21-23 aka The Big Drops (Class IV-V)

The Colorado River’s infamous Big Drops are regarded as some of the best whitewater in the country and consist of Big Drop 1, Big Drop 2, and Big Drop 3, all coming in quick succession. “No matter the water level, the Big Drops always keep you on your toes and always provide exciting runs,” says OARS Operations Manager Seth Davis. “And with the wild-river character of this section of the Colorado, one can experience a wide range of flows in one season which bring entirely different experiences.” 

Whether running the Big Drops during springtime high water or the mellower flows of fall, rafters can expect to head home with an exciting tale of conquering Cataract Canyon’s wildest bucking broncos. 

Grand Canyon

7) Hermit Rapid (Class IV, 8 on Grand Canyon Scale)

While often overshadowed by Grand Canyon’s more famous rapids, anyone who’s run Hermit knows it could be considered the best wave train and one of the funnest rides on the Colorado. Depending on flows, Hermit boasts the biggest free-standing waves in the canyon, with around a dozen of them in a row, creating a rollercoaster ride like you’ve never experienced before.

Located around mile 95 in the canyon, folks who want to experience this epically fun rapid should plan on a full- or lower-canyon rafting trip and be prepared to hang on tight as they bounce through wave after wave of shriek-inducing fun.

8) Lava Falls (Class IV+, 9-10 on Grand Canyon Scale)

This list would not be complete without what is undeniably one of the most famous and formidable rapids on the planet–Lava Falls. Known for its steep drops and technical challenges, Lava Falls draws river runners from all over the world to experience its relentless power. 

While successfully running this rapid is an achievement in and of itself, for most of the 20,000 rafters who run Grand Canyon each year, Lava Falls is the crux of the entire journey and signifies a remarkable accomplishment as they near the end of one of the biggest bucket list adventures on Earth.

Honorable Mention: The Returning Rapids of Cataract Canyon (Class II-III)

The water level of Lake Powell has dropped significantly in recent years, and a series of rapids formerly buried beneath the lakebed have been emerging for the first time since Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966. While they may not be the biggest whitewater on the Colorado, the sheer excitement of witnessing these rapids returning from their watery grave has Cataract Canyon boaters sitting on the edge of their rafts as they wait to see what these rapids will do. “This whole section has been like unwrapping a whitewater present over the course of years,” says Ippolito, “with about ten more rapids to come as the lake drops, according to historical accounts of river runners.”

Rapid 29, also known as The Chute, is one of the Colorado River’s underrated rapids found in this stretch, according to OARS guide Peter Lefebvre, who is also a member of the Returning Rapids Project. “Huge at high water, and very long, technical, and steep at low water, it is overshadowed by the Drops but quite a ride,” says Lefebvre. Davis agrees, stating that Rapid 29 is, “pure delight at higher flows. Kinda similar to Hermit in Grand Canyon, this section creates a rollercoaster of huge standing waves. Dig those oars in deep, brace, and hang on for a hootin’-and-hollerin’ good time.”