UTAH RIVER RUNS

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Utah is a paradise for whitewater enthusiasts, with a variety of rivers that offer thrilling rapids and stunning scenery. One of the most popular destinations is the Green River, specifically the Desolation Canyon stretch. This 84-mile run offers a mix of Class II-III rapids, making it perfect for both beginner and intermediate paddlers. The best time to visit is in the spring and early summer when the snowmelt provides optimal streamflow levels. Another must-visit spot is the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands National Park. This 100-mile stretch is known for its challenging Class III-IV rapids, breathtaking red rock canyons, and abundant wildlife. Be sure to check streamflow levels beforehand, as they can vary depending on the season.

For those looking for a more adrenaline-pumping experience, the Westwater Canyon section of the Colorado River is a top choice. This 17-mile run features Class III-IV rapids, including the famous Skull Rapid, which will challenge even the most experienced paddlers. The best time to visit is in the spring and fall when streamflow levels are at their peak. Safety is paramount when embarking on any whitewater adventure in Utah, so be sure to wear a proper fitting life jacket, helmet, and wetsuit if necessary. Always paddle with a buddy and be aware of potential hazards such as strainers and undercut rocks. With its diverse range of river runs and stunning landscapes, Utah offers something for every whitewater enthusiast.

       

Location Streamflow (cfs) Difficulty (class)
Western Boundary Of Park To Fruita Area
63 II-IV
Beging Just Downstream From South Draw Road To Eastern Park Boundary
63 NONE
Southern Boundary Of Park To Ends 4 Miles Downstream From Southern Boundary Of Park
1720 III-III
Northern Boundary Of Park To Confluence With Colorado River
1720 NONE
Eastern Park Boundary To Western Park Boundary
2580 III-IV
Fruita Area To Eastern Park Boundary
63 III-IV
Southern Boundary Of Park To Ends 10 Miles Downstream From Southern Boundary Of Park
0 II-III
Western Park Boundary To Ends Just Downstream From South Draw Road
63 II-III
Headwaters To Southern Boundary Of Park
63 II-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Colorado River
126 II-IV
Begins One Mile Upstream From The Western Border Of Zion National Park To Western Boundary Of Zion National Park
13 II-IV
Northern Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Lake Powell
126 II
Northern Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Confluence With Colorado River
1 III-IV
Eastern Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Confluence With Colorado River/Lake Powell
716 NONE
Headwaters At T39s, R9e To Confluence With Escalante River
126 III-IV
Western Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Confluence With Escalante River
1 III-IV
Eastern Border For Natural Bridges National Monument To Western Border Of Natural Bridges National Monument
716 II-III
Headwaters In T41s R11e To Confluence With San Juan River
126 IV-III+
The Bureau Of Land Management Boat Ramp At Indian Crossing To Gates Of Lodore
854 III
Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area And Capital Reef National Park To Confluence With Colorado River
126 III-IV
Headwaters At T39s, R9e To Confluence With Escalante River
126 II-IV
Headwaters (North Of Twenty Five Mile Creek) To Confluence With Escalante River
1 III-IV
Eastern Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Confluence With Lake Powell
126 II-III
Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Confluence With San Juan River
126 III-IV
Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Confluence With Lake Powell
126 II-IV
Headwaters At T31s, R16e To Confluence With Colorado River
126 II-IV
Headwaters At T41s, R10e To Confluence With San Juan River
126 III-IV
Eastern Boundary Of National Monument To Western Boundary Of National Monument
8 III-IV
Headwaters At T38s, R9e To Confluence With Fence Canyon Creek
126 II-III
Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. To Confluence With Colorado River
126 II-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Coalpits Wash
47 III
Headwaters To Southern Boundary Of Zion National Park
100 III-IV
Headwaters To One Mile Upstream From The Western Boundary Of Zion National Park
13 III-IV
Western Boundary Of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area To Confluence With The Green River
1720 IV-V
Gates Of Lodore To The Southern Boundary Of Dinosaur National Monument, South Of The Split Mountain Boat Landing
1260 III-IV
Source To Hoop Lake Diversion
49 III-IV
Source To Mouth
25 III-II
Source To Confluence With Little East Fork
25 III-IV
The Forest Service Spillway Boat Ramp Below Flaming Gorge Dam To The Bureau Of Land Management Boat Ramp At Indian Crossing
854 III-IV
Immediately Below Boulder Top To Upstream Side Of King's Pasture
63 III-IV
Headwaters To Nf Boundary
0 IV-III
Northern Boundary Of Box Death Hollow Wilderness To Southern Boundary Of Box Death Hollow Wilderness
0 II-IV
Headwaters To Forest Road #1473
1 III-V
Elevation Of 6720 Feet To Nf Boundary
1 III-IV
Source To Nf Boundary
53 III-IV
Frost Canyon/Bear Canyon Confluence To Causey Reservoir
25 NONE
Trial Lake To U35 Bridge
53 III-IV
Confluence Below Timpooneke To Mt Timpanogos Wilderness Boundary
8 III+
Mt Timpanogos Wilderenss Boundary To Scout Falls
8 III-IV
Headwater Spring In Sec 8 To Mt Timpanogos Wilderness Boundary
8 III-IV
Mt Timpanogos Wilderness Boundary To Theater In The Pines
8 IV
Top Of Cascade Springs To Road Crossing In Section 36
0 III-IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Sixth Water Creek
31 II-III
Source To Red Butte Reservoir
1 III-IV
Source To Murray City Diversion
8 II
Source To Holiday Park
41 II-IV
Wilderness Boundary To Mouth
41 I-III
Confluence Of West Fork And East Fork To Meeks Cabin Reservoir
25 III
Source To Wilderness Boundary
25 III-IV
Wilderness Boundary To Trailhead
25 III-IV
Alsop Lake And Norice Lake To Near Trailhead
41 IV/V
Confluence With Beaver Creek To Bridge In Guinavah Malibu Campground
0 II-III
Trappers Creek To I 70
15 III-IV
Source To Confluence With East Fork Bear
41 II-III
Headwaters To Trappers Creek
23 III-IV
Headwaters To Dixie National Forest Boundary
14 III-IV
1 Mile Below Highway 12 To Nf Boundary
0 II-III
Forest Road #1473 To Nf Boundary
1 III-IV
Range Creek
14 III-IV
Green River
14 II-IV
Crystal Creek
26 III-IV
Price River
6 III
Escalante River
0 II-III
Unknown
29 NONE
Muddy Creek
42 III-IV
Pine Creek Box Section
0 IV-V
Virgin River
46 III-IV
San Rafael River
2930 III-IV
Cane Wash
42 III-IV
Paria River
1 II-III
Mamie Creek & West Tributary
0 III
Deep Creek
26 III
Robbers Roost Canyon
0 III-IV
Lower Boulder Creek
0 III-IV
Harris Wash
0 II-IV
Kane Springs, Colo. River Seg. 4
4210 NONE
Quitchupah Creek
9 III-IV
Stevens Canyon
0 III-IV
Starlight Canyon
1 II-III
Death Hollow Creek
0 II-III
Colorado River Segment 2
4280 III-IV
The Gulch
0 NONE
Deer Creek Canyon
1 NONE
Dry Hollow Creek
0 III-IV
La Verkin Creek
36 III+
Virgin River, North Fork Segment 48 49
26 III-IV
Fremont River 3 (A)
48 III-IV
Cottonwood Wash
2930 III-IV
Twenty Five Mile Wash #2
0 II-III
White River
306 III-IV
Georgies Canyon
48 NONE
Nine Mile Creek
76 III
Beaver Dam Wash
7 II-III
Hackberry Creek
1 III-IV
Phipps Wash & Tribs
0 III-IV
Evacuation Creek
306 III-IV
Mill Creek
7 III+
Bull Valley Gorge
42 III-IV
Neon Canyon
0 III
Indian Canyon, South Fork Segment 22 23
5 IV-V
Lower Paria River
1 III-IV
Fish Creek
5 III-IV
Dirty Devil River
0 II-III
Sheep Creek
1 III-IV
Lower Deer Creek
0 II-III
Virgin River, East Fork Segment 40a 41
37 III
Lower Horse Canyon
0 III-IV
Coyote Gulch #2
0 III-IV
Cottonwood Canyon
0 III-IV
Beaver Creek
270 II-IV
Scorpion Gulch
0 III-IV
Maidenwater Creek
0 III-IV
Orderville Canyon Segment 44 45
26 III-IV
Lower Sand Creek
0 III-IV
Gordon Creek, South Fork
27 III-IV
Sams Mesa Box Canyon
0 IV-V
Steep Creek
0 IV-V
Beaver Wash Canyon
0 NONE
Twin Corral Box Canyon
0 III-V
Willow Patch Creek
0 III
Mineral Gulch Segment 35 38
37 III-IV
Lamanite Arch Canyon
0 NONE
Fence Canyon
0 IV-V
Onion Creek
270 II-III
Little Death Hollow
0 III-IV
Fools Canyon
0 III
Dolores River Segment 2
270 II-III
Lower Green River
47 II-III
Hell Dive Canyon Segment 30 31
5 IV
Gordon Creek
27 IV-V
Fremont River 2 (Fremont Gorge)
48 III-IV
Wolverine Creek
0 WOLVERINE-V
Rock Creek
14 III
East Moody
0 II-III
Moody Creek
0 III-IV
Slickrock Canyon
0 III-IV
Argyle Creek
76 III-IV
Virgin River, East Fork Segment 37 40a
37 III-IV
Colorado River Segment 3b
4280 III-III
Granite Creek, Dolores River Segment 2
270 III-IV
Water Canyon
0 III-IV
Water Canyon Segment 20 21
5 III-IV
Mill Creek, North Fork
0 NONE
Esplin Gulch Segment 45 45a
26 III-IV
No Mans Canyon
0 III-V
Calf Creek
0 III-IV
Fisher Creek
270 IV-V
Buckskin Canyon
14 III-IV
Revee Creek
13 III-IV
Coal Wash, South Fork
42 II-III
Choprock Canyon
0 III-IV
Hogeye Creek
1 IV
Silver Falls Creek
0 III-IV
Cow Canyon
0 III
Yellow Creek
42 III-IV
Coal Wash, North Fork
42 III-IV
Dolores River Segment 3
4280 III-IV
Cottonwood Creek Segment 28 29
5 IV-V
Paria River Segment 68 69
1 II-III
Blackwater Canyon
0 III-IV
Sheep Creek, Nps
42 NONE
Eastside Tributary #1
48 III-IV
Indian Canyon Seg 24 25, North Branch South Fork
5 III-II+
Bitter Creek
306 IV-V
Larry Canyon
0 III
Indian Canyon Segment 26 27
5 III-IV
Coal Wash
42 III-IV
Snake Creek
1 III
Kitchen Canyon
1 III-IV
East Fork Boulder Creek
48 III-IV
Dolores River Segment 1
270 NONE
Colorado River Segment 3a
4280 NONE
Unnamed Tributary
0 III-IV
Fisher Creek, Dolores River Segment 1
270 III-IV
Unnamed Wash (4)
0 III-IV
Meadow Creek Segment 33 35
37 III-IV
Kanarra Creek
13 III-IV
Colorado River Segment 4
4280 III-IV
Colorado River Segment 5
4210 III-IV
Green River Segment 4a
2 III-IV
Indian Creek
0 III-IV
San Juan River
643 II-III
Fable Valley
0 III-IV
Upper Green River
890 IV+
Colorado River
4210 II-IV
Dark Canyon
0 III
Arch Canyon
0 IV-V