Arizona's Grand Canyon is a stunning landscape of spires and buttes that surround the main canyon, a dramatic rock chasm carved through the Colorado Plateau. Explore millions of years of geology and 4,000 years of human history on this voyage down the Colorado River. Discover the breathtaking beauty of waterfalls and experience the thrill of rafting rapids such as Horn Creek, Hermit, Granite, and Lava Falls. You'll have plenty of opportunities to hike to Anasazi ruins and amazing side canyons. It will quickly become apparent why the Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Wilderness Inquiry is pleased to work with Canyon Explorations to conduct this trip. These folks have a wealth of experience on Grand Canyon trips and they're fun, safety conscious, and care deeply about the environment.
Sample Itinerary
Please note: While the itinerary presented is an accurate depiction of what your trip will be like, it is only an example. Our trips are real adventures in the outdoors--not pre-packaged tours that happen on a schedule.
EVENING BEFORE FIRST DAY LISTED: Pre-trip orientation that afternoon at the Radisson/Woodlands hotel in Flagstaff, AZ. Here you will get river luggage and instructions on what and how to pack for the trip. Spend night at the the Radisson/Woodlands hotel. Lodging here is not included in trip fee. Cost is about $139 per room including breakfast, each room can sleep 2 people. Excess baggage can be left in a secure place at the hotel for no additional fee.
DAY 1: After breakfast, drive to Lee's Ferry (a 3-hour ride) to launch the trip. Practice paddling techniques and meet your guides and fellow adventurers, as you float down the river to your first camp site.
DAYS 2-13 or 14: The first 87 miles of the trip is considered the "upper" part of the Grand Canyon. During this stretch of the river you will discover the breathtaking beauty of waterfalls such as Vasey's Paradise. You can hike to Anasazi ruins and experience the thrill of rapids known as the Roaring Twenties, Hance and Grapevine. The close proximity to the high canyon walls in the "upper" part of the canyon provides an intimate experience. The final 138 miles of the trip from Pipe Creek to Diamond Creek is the "lower" part of the canyon. This part of the trip is popular for its more dramatic rapids such as Horn Creek, Granite, Hermit, Crystal and Lava Falls. Along the entire route, you will have the option of hiking the beautiful side canyons or relaxing at your scenic campsite.
DAYS 15 or 16: Take out at Diamond Creek that morning. Meet the van and drive back to Flagstaff to the Radisson/Woodlands hotel. Weather permitting, arrive back at the hotel in the early afternoon. We suggest you stay in Flagstaff that evening and return home the following day.
"The river turns sharply to the east and seems inclosed by a wall set with a million brilliant
gems. On coming nearer we find fountains bursting from the rock high overhead, and the spray
in the sunshine forms the gems which bedeck the wall. The rocks are covered
with mosses and ferns and many flowering plants."
From the report of John Wesley Powell, August 9, 1869.
Travel, Terrain, Etc...
TERRAIN/ROUTE CHOICES: The Grand Canyon is a rugged place. One of the most challenging, yet rewarding, parts of this trip is simply living outdoors in a desert canyon environment for two weeks. Throughout the trip you will camp on sand beaches and hike rocky side canyons. The pace of the trip will vary and the terrain of the river changes considerably as we proceed down the canyon.
TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: You will use 18-foot oar rafts that carry 4-5 passengers, as well as a paddle raft with 4-6 passengers. A river guide paddles the oar raft, whereas all passengers paddle the paddle raft . An average day's travel consists of 3-5 hours of paddling. Travel distances vary from 10-20 miles per day with the exception of scheduled layover days. To protect the environment, WI uses "minimum impact" camping techniques.
WEATHER: Temperatures range from 50 F (evenings) to 95 F (days) in August/September. Be prepared for unpredictable weather, such as sudden thunderstorms or gusty winds.
LODGING/BATHROOM FACILITIES: This is a camping trip. At night, we will have the option of sleeping in 2-person dome tents or staying out under the stars. Bathroom facilities consist of a comfortable, private waste box in a scenic location. This fragile environment requires us to carry out all waste. We make every effort to ensure privacy and cleanliness.
GROUP SIZE: The group size ranges from 14 -16 participants, plus 6 to 8 staff from Canyon Explorations and WI. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities.
CAMP CHORES: Our trips are cooperative in nature. WI staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can. Part of the adventure involves learning about daily camp activities.
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: If you are new to outdoor activities, you need not spend a lot of money on gear. Wilderness Inquiry will provide all necessary rafting and camping equipment. All you need to provide is your personal gear, such as clothing and toiletries. A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear, that can usually be arranged.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: No previous experience is needed to complete this trip, however if you are not used to camping outdoors you may wish to try a shorter WI trip first to make sure you like it.
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Wilderness Inquiry is proud to serve Caribou Coffee on all our trips. Great food, great coffee, and great company are just some of the ingredients that make Wilderness Inquiry trips special.
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The river was called 'colorado' or 'red-colored' by early Spanish explorers who saw the reddish hues of the silt-laden water. It was referred to as the Grand River in the United States until 1921, when, under pressure from the Colorado State legislature, the head of the river was officially declared to be in the state of Colorado, and the river was renamed in its honor.
Though the canyon itself is geographically quite young, dating back only 4-6 million years, the underlying rock through which it cuts is considerably older. The oldest layer, the base of volcanic rock on which the river now runs, is 2 billion years old - some of the oldest exposed rock on earth. This bedrock is the remains of an ancient mountain range which at one time reached as high as the Himalayas of today. Over 500 million years these massive mountains eroded, bringing them nearly level with the surrounding terrain. During the following 1 1/2 billion years, succeeding layers of sedimentary rock were laid down faster than counterbalancing erosion could carry them away. This created the variegated layers which are now exposed to people running the river.
In the arid environment at the bottom of the canyon, the river supports a wide variety of life. The river is a popular source of water for deer, coyote and many smaller mammals The squaw fish is an endangered species and native to the Colorado and Green Rivers. Catfish and crappie are common river inhabitants as well. The Colorado Plateau area is a popular winter home for bald eagles and a major migratory corridor for waterfowl and a number of neo-tropical birds.
Willow trees and cottonwoods are native to the area, and many varieties of flowers and ferns thrive hundreds of feet up along water seepage lines in the cliffs. However, an increasingly prominent plant is the tamarisk tree or 'salt cedar', so named due to the plant's ability to rid itself of salt content in the soil by pumping the salt out to its leaves. An interesting ecological tale accompanies the tamarisk tree and its fellow environmental members. Tamarisks are native to the Mediterranean region and Asia. Some hypothesize that they may have found their way to this area with the Spanish expeditions between 1540 and 1750. The first recorded tamarisks in this area date back to the late 18th century, but it wasn't until the 1930's that people began recognizing the colonizing tendencies of tamarisks.
Suggested reading list:
Belknap, Buzz. (1969) Grand Canyon River Guide. Westwater Books: Boulder City, Nevada.
Lavander, David. (1985) River Runners of the Grand Canyon. University of Arizona Press: Tucson, Arizona.
Wallace, Robert. (1973) The Grand Canyon. Time Life Books.
If you have other suggestions please let us know--there are many, many books about the Grand Canyon.
For more information, visit these links:
National Park Service - Official Grand Canyon National Park Website
Grand Canyon Explorer
TheCanyon.com
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon River Runners Association
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