Southwest Rafting & Canoeing
« Back to SearchIn some of the most spectacular canyons in the world, gain skills in river navigation and learn to be the captain of your crew.
While rafting, you’ll get to feel the exhilaration of rushing waves as you paddle through whitewater rapids. By canoe, you’ll have the chance to slow down and take in the beauty of the canyon. Camp along sandy shores and search for shooting stars under pristine skies. Spot ancient dwellings and rock art and pictographs tucked within the canyon walls. There will be times of excitement as well as times to slow down and connect with your crewmates and the natural world. By the end of course, you and your crewmates will be the leaders as you hone-in your skills in backcountry camping and river travel. No previous boating experience is necessary to enjoy this expedition. At the end of it all, you’ll emerge a confident and resilient leader with the tools to be your best self on the river and at home.
UPCOMING COURSES
Course # CUYH-2541
Age 14 - 16
Days 15
Cost $5,745
Dates 6/13/2025 - 6/27/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
Course # CUYH-2542
Age 14 - 16
Days 15
Cost $5,745
Dates 7/23/2025 - 8/6/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW – Almost Full
This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
JOIN WAITLIST
Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
CALL TO APPLY
This means a course is very close to its start date. Although it is unlikely to secure a spot this late, you can call the National Admissions office at 866-467-7651 to discuss your options.
COURSE IS FULL
When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
CLOSED
As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
The entire trip was incredible, and once home, I realized that not only was I a better leader, but I was a better person. I became obsessed with getting work and chores and jobs done right the first time, to the best of my ability, and I yearned for the feeling of approval from others who saw my work. My own vision of what I could create and do for myself, and others, was cleared when I went through that rapid. I understand the reality of accepting a challenge, whatever it may be, and I am ready and willing for more. College is my next rapid, and the effort and spirit required for me to survive and conquer it is in me. I have matured and readied myself for the challenges ahead, whether scholarly or other, and I am the ready captain of my ship.
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While rafting, each day is spent practicing paddle strokes and learning to read the water – all while taking in the beauty of the canyon. Crewmates will become a team, coordinating their paddling and taking turns as boat captains. Between rapids are flat water sections where students can swim, relax and enjoy the view. Time in a raft is ideal for getting to know each other, laughing and singing throughout the day. Afternoons can bring strong winds, leading to challenge and adventure as crews paddle hard to reach camping destinations. The canyon rims can rise hundreds of feet above the river, enclosing participants in a remote world of rushing water and delicate ecosystems.
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While canoeing, each day is spent practicing the unique skills needed to navigate a canoe down river. As there are only two or three students in a canoe, everyone gets ample opportunities to be the captain of their own boat. Students will have time to slow down and enjoy the views, watch for wildlife, and connect with their crewmates. Most courses get the opportunity to take day hikes away from the river. These hikes provide stunning views and often the chance to see archaeological sites, petroglyphs, pictographs and remarkable geological formations.
Service is a pillar of the Outward Bound experience. On each course, Students learn to practice intentional service to themselves, to others and to the environment. This may look like practicing self-care or supporting a crewmate who is having a hard day. Participants also learn to Leave No Trace ethics, practicing service to the environment by preserving and respecting the fragile ecosystems they encounter. Students experience firsthand the social and emotional benefits of acts of service. They are encouraged to bring this ethic of care to their life back home.
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The Green River
The Green River is one of the largest and grandest rivers in the Southwest. It is famous for its world-renowned whitewater rapids and towering red rock canyon walls. Whitewater river sections may give students the opportunity to navigate Class 2 or 3 rapids while slow water sections provide time for swimming and relaxing. Throughout the canyon, there are spectacular cultural wonders including ancient dwellings and pictographs. As crews descend deeper into the canyons, they will get to observe a variety of unique geologic formations and layers of pink, red, and orange rock. Sagebrush, cottonwood, juniper, and willow trees pepper the shores. Beaches provide an opportunity to stop for lunch or set up camp along sandy shores. Many of our longer rafting courses will travel through Canyonlands National Park, reaching the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers. These regions are within the ancestral lands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) nation.
Course Stories
The entire trip was incredible, and once home, I realized that not only was I a better leader, but I was a better person. I became obsessed with getting work and chores and jobs done right the first time, to the best of my ability, and I yearned for the feeling of approval from others who saw my work. My own vision of what I could create and do for myself, and others, was cleared when I went through that rapid. I understand the reality of accepting a challenge, whatever it may be, and I am ready and willing for more. College is my next rapid, and the effort and spirit required for me to survive and conquer it is in me. I have matured and readied myself for the challenges ahead, whether scholarly or other, and I am the ready captain of my ship.
The views are to die for, and the discoveries about oneself are truly life changing.
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Getting Started
If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Admissions Advisors (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.
To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.