2025 Whitewater Rafting Season Outlook

Where to Find the Best Whitewater Rafting in the West This Year

The 2025 rafting season has commenced, and abundant late-season snowfall for most of the West, especially in the Central and Northern Rockies, Sierra, and Southern Cascades, has boosted snowpacks for many key river basins.

SNOTEL data collected by the National Resources Conservation Service as of April 10 shows 2024-2025 winter snowpack totals (snow water equivalent) across many basins are at, or slightly above, the norm, with the exception of the southeast.

“2025 is shaping up to be a bit of a sampler platter for rafters, with a general trend of above-average conditions in the majority of the Northwest, and average to below-average conditions toward the Four Corners,” says Seth Davis, OARS Operations Director. 

In general, this means rafters can expect great flows on many of the most popular rafting trips in the West well into summer with lower flows likely to not show up until late in the season.

According to Davis, one of the most exciting developments for the 2025 rafting season is happening on the Klamath River on the border of Oregon and California where nearly 400 miles of river have been restored after the largest dam removal in history. OARS paused operations on the Lower Klamath in 2024, but will resume trips in early June offering rafters the chance to be among the first to experience the river in its more natural state.

“It’s also exciting to continue to witness the returning rapids of the Colorado River in lower Cataract Canyon,” says Davis. With water levels in Lake Powell at historic lows in recent years, the river is re-emerging above the reservoir unveiling new rapids, hidden hikes and other new sites that are fascinating for guides and rafters alike. 

Below, OARS operations managers from each of the company’s Western outposts share more about what to expect for the 2025 rafting season.

Key Takeaways: What to Expect for the 2025 Whitewater Season

• After a dry start to the winter, late season storms saved the day in Idaho where the snowpack is sitting above average to average in most of the major river basins. This means optimal rafting conditions for the popular Snake River through Hells Canyon and Lower, Main and Middle Fork of the Salmon River this season, with elevated flows on early season trips, then tapering for the rest of the season, providing reliable flows into September.

• Oregon’s Rogue River and newly revitalized Klamath River are primed for a robust rafting season with snowpack levels over 150% in their basins and expected flows of 5,000–7,000 CFS in early May. OARS is excited to offer trips on the Lower Klamath for the first time post-dam removal, opening up hundreds of miles of newly free-flowing river on the Oregon-California border.

• California is set for a solid and sustained rafting season, with normal to above-normal snowpack supporting reliable flows on the Tuolumne River near Yosemite, a consistent release schedule for the South and Middle Forks of the American River from March through September, and strong spring conditions on the North Fork American and Merced Rivers into late May and June.

• Outfitters are expecting a classic spring season on Colorado’s Yampa River, with flows expected to peak around 13,000 CFS in late May or early June, followed by sustained flows into late June, early July. 

• Utah rafting trips are benefiting from a strong Upper Colorado Basin snowpack for the third straight year, setting up Cataract Canyon for another thrilling high-water season with flows projected around 37,000 CFS in early June. The Green River through the Gates of Lodore and Desolation Canyon will offer reliable, family-friendly flows all summer long, while southern rivers like the San Juan will experience lower-than-normal flows due to lagging snowpack.

• Grand Canyon river trips will stay steady and splashy all season, thanks to carefully managed dam releases that will provide consistent flows ranging from 7,000 to 15,000 CFS—ideal for dory and raft trips alike, regardless of natural snowpack variability upstream.

Idaho Rafting Trips in the Sweet Spot 

After a dry start to the winter, a wet, cold February, significantly boosted Idaho’s statewide snowpack. According to SNOTEL data from the second week of April, the majority of the major river basins are above average to average. 

“Last year and this year there were later storms that came and saved the day,” says Lauren McCullough, OARS Idaho Operations Manager. “Across the board, all of the basins that we look at are sitting really solid.”

McCullough adds that a snowpack year like this typically means that rafters can anticipate a normal high-water peak in late May to mid-June, unless there’s some unexpected warming event where much of the snow melts off at once.

In the Snake River Basin, the snowpack is at 107% of normal, which promises rafters good conditions through the summer. McCullough suggests that the real sweet spot for Idaho rafting this season is on the Salmon River where snowpack numbers are 120% as of April 10.

Those looking for a more adventurous whitewater experience should aim for trips earlier in the season, while families and first-timers can look to the beginning of July for optimal rafting conditions, especially on the Main Salmon River, according to McCullough.

“Everything is still green, you get to see the flowers, and side creeks are still moving,” she says. “It’s really the cherry season for the Main Salmon.”

McCullough was quick to add, though, that there’s really no bad time to raft the Main Salmon. ”If someone made me choose the section in Idaho that I like to run the most, I would choose the Main Salmon.”

“It’s everything you have on the Middle Fork Salmon…it’s an alpine forest, it’s in a wilderness area, plus the rapids are bigger because it’s a higher volume river,” she says. “On top of that, we get to take dories out and camp on white sand beaches, which is unreal.”  

On the Idaho-Oregon border, the Owyhee Basin is sitting above average for the third year in a row, which will provide solid flows for Owyhee River trips. Being able to run the Owyhee over multiple seasons is a bit of an anomaly because it historically has had a less reliable snowpack than some of the larger, high mountain basins.

“It can be tricky to catch depending on when the snow melts off, but it’s a very cool trip if people want to do it,” says McCullough.  OARS currently has one departure available on May 2 with limited availability.

Robust Rafting Season in Oregon

Oregon’s statewide snowpack is robust, with many of the major river basins showing snowpack levels significantly above average. 

On the Rogue River and Klamath Rivers where OARS operates, the snowpack for both river basins looks fantastic,” according to Dustin Abbott, OARS Oregon Operations Manager. “As of April 10th both drainage areas are reporting well over 150% snow water equivalent.”  

“We have been experiencing a rather wet start to spring here in Southern Oregon and Northern California,” says Abbott. “If these weather patterns continue, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rogue river reach 5,000 to 7,000 CFS (cubic feet per second) for some of our early season trips in May and early June.” 

Even with a higher than normal snowpack, and a brief window of anticipated elevated flows, Abbott points out that rafters can still expect pretty typical conditions for the dam-controlled Rogue River.

“There is never a bad time to visit the Rogue River during the commercial rafting season,” he says. “Every month offers a slightly different experience in regards to the seasonal changes of water, flows, flora, and fauna.” 

Following the removal of four dams on the Klamath River, Abbott is looking forward to resume trips this season on the Lower Klamath. He expects to see more seasonal water fluctuations and improved water and camp conditions overall. 

“With the one remaining dam and the similarity with the Rogue drainage, I anticipate a similar timing to peak flows and decline throughout the season,” says Abbott. “Based on current snowpack and weather patterns, flows on the Klamath in early June could be as high as 7,000 CFS.”

“The Klamath has not seen this many miles of free flowing water for over 100 years,” Abbott explains. “This means the water quality should be vastly improved with cleaner and cooler conditions, further enhancing the beauty of the canyon and the overall experience.” 

While there are some unknowns about what to expect on the Klamath this season, it’s undoubtedly an exciting time for rafters to rediscover this gem on the border of Oregon and California.

Solid California Rafting Season Ahead

After a prolonged dry spell, a series of late season storms boosted California’s statewide snowpack to 96% of average on April 1, when the snow season typically reaches its peak, according to the California Department of Water Resources. 

Following an additional storm cycle in early April that delivered several more feet of snow across areas of the Sierra, the snowpack in the Northern Sierra which feeds the American River is currently hovering around 120%. In the Central Sierra the snowpack is near-average at 93%, which will provide solid flows in river basins like the Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced. Further south, the Sierra snowpack is at 85%.

On the American River, where the rafting season is already underway, Jess Wallstrom, OARS California Operations Manager, anticipates ideal conditions.

“It’s shaping up to be an average water year, which is great,” says Wallstrom. “Because we have an average snowpack, we’re not going to see the crazy influxes of high water like we did last year that resulted in some canceled trips on our spring flow rivers.”

She adds that water levels are perfect right now on the free-flowing North Fork of the American River, where OARS expects to run trips into early June. Those looking for an exciting Class IV adventure before Memorial Day can count on this scenic spring rafting trip for big thrills.

On the dam-controlled South Fork American, water managers have indicated reliable flows from now until September, while the Middle Fork American will have reliable water releases beginning Memorial Day Weekend through September. 

For both the South Fork and the Middle Fork, Wallstrom says that weekend departures in the busy summer months for these popular whitewater trips are filling up quickly and recommends groups book sooner than later. Rafters looking for a quieter and less busy experience should consider rafting midweek and prior to mid-June when there’s typically fewer trips on the water and not as many people camping at OARS American River Rafting Outpost.

On the Tuolumne River near Yosemite, California’s premiere multi-day rafting trip, rafters can expect reliable flows from late April until Labor Day with peak flows anticipated May through mid-June. 

On the free-flowing Merced River, a classic spring rafting trip on the other side of Yosemite, Wallstrom adds that outfitters are expecting to see good flows from as early as mid-April to June, depending on how quickly the snow melts.

Colorado Snowpack Divided

The snowpack across Colorado tells two vastly different stories this season. Northern river basins such as the Yampa, Gunnison and North and South Platte are near or at average, according to SNOTEL data early April. This is good news for the Colorado River, which is boosted by the snowmelt from these drainages. 

For the free-flowing Yampa River in northwestern Colorado, where the snowpack is 92% of average as of April 10, rafters can expect a healthy Yampa season. “I’m expecting to see above 10,000 CFS on Yampa this season with a possible peak around 13,000 CFS,” says Bruce Lavoie, OARS Dinosaur Regional Manager. “The last week of May, first week of June are typical peak weeks.”

Beyond that window, the Yampa should have reliable flows for a normal season into late June or early July, depending on how quickly the snow melts.

Moving south, a lack of snow has left southern river basins lagging behind. The snowpack for the Arkansas is 70% of average, while the snowpack in the Rio Grande Basin and San Miguel-Dolores-Animas San Juan basin are far below average, hovering around 60% as of early April. 

Several Bright Spots for Utah Rafting Season 

The San Juan River in southeastern Utah will be impacted by lower flows this season due to a meager snowpack, along with several other river drainages in the southern part of the state, but there is plenty of positive news for rafters elsewhere.

The Upper Colorado River Basin snowpack, which feeds the Colorado River, peaked the second week of April at 110% and is currently at 93% of average. That’s the third year in a row of optimal spring conditions for Cataract Canyon rafting trips, which during peak flows can have some of the biggest whitewater in the western U.S. 

Right now, the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center’s median peak flow projection for Cataract Canyon is 37,000 CFS, which is slightly lower than 2024. The “sweet spot” for Cataract Canyon trips is that peak week, according to John Covington, OARS Moab Operations Manager, but very hard to predict. He says it may be the end of May if it warms up quickly, or the beginning of June if we get some more cold weather. 

“We take bets,” he laughs. “My bet is that Cat will peak at 42,000 CFS on June 6th this year.”

The rapids are always a big highlight of trips on this free-flowing stretch of the Colorado River, but in recent years, Cataract Canyon trips have become noteworthy because of all of the changes happening in lower Cataract Canyon above an ever-shrinking Lake Powell.  

“We’re still enjoying Meander Canyon before Cataract and spending a ton of time in the rapid corridor, but we’re also adjusting our trip logistics to spend more time down in the lower canyon because there are so many changes happening down there,” says Covington. “There’s the returning rapids like Gypsum, amazing hikes like Dark Canyon, and other really, really cool stuff to see.” 

Further north in the state, where the snowpack numbers are right around average and slightly above average, rafters can expect a normal rafting season similar to 2024. The Upper Green River Basin is at 101% of average according to SNOTEL data in early April, which is great news for popular Utah rafting trips like the Green River through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument and Desolation Canyon further downstream.

“We’re right at 100% for most of the Upper Basin,” says Lavoie. “So we’re going to see high water flows at some point, but it’s not going to go super high.”

Lavoie is anticipating two high water releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir, likely in early and late June that will elevate flows on the Green River. In a normal water year, Lavoie adds that rafters can also expect reliable flows all summer on the Green River, with some potentially higher flows later in the summer thanks to additional upstream water releases to help boost water levels in Lake Powell during peak summer months.

According to Lavoie, those looking to hone in on the best 1-day rafting trip in Utah, should look to Split Mountain Canyon trips in June, when this stretch of the Green River is boosted by runoff from the Yampa. 

“Split Mountain is at its best in June,” says Lavoie.  “It’s a hybrid river that offers a high water experience with big, crashing waves…it’s just a fun and exciting trip.”

No Surprises for Grand Canyon Rafting Trips

The snowpack across the greater Colorado River Basin has been highly variable this season, with some basins near or above 100% of normal and others significantly below average. Less runoff and lower water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead are expected following two consecutive above average snowpack years, but it will be business as usual for Grand Canyon outfitters.

“Unlike the unpredictability we sometimes see on free-flowing stretches of river like the Yampa or Cataract, our flows in Grand Canyon are carefully managed by the Bureau of Reclamation and by complex agreements between Upper/Lower Basin states,”  says Lars Haarr, OARS Grand Canyon Operations Manager.

“Judging by the water levels scheduled for April, this year will be similar to last year,” he reports. “Spring flows will likely range between 7,000-12,000 CFS, ramping up in the summer to 10,000-15,000 CFS when dam operators release more water to manage increased power demands before returning to 8,000-13,000 range in the fall.”

“All this is to say we’ll have good, splashy fun for both rafts and dories all season long in Grand Canyon,” adds Haarr.