Grand Canyon: Access & Resources

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Outside Magazine, June 2005

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Float It Now
Access & Resources

By Grayson Schaffer

It's easy to set up a Grand Canyon trip, and you can still arrange to go this year. Since private trips aren't in the cards right now—the National Park Service, which oversees the canyon, has a 12-year wait list and has temporarily stopped adding names—commercial outings are the only option.

PICK YOUR BOAT
Dories: The guide rows while you shift weight to balance the vessel against crashing waves. // Paddle Rafts: You and five others provide the muscle while the guide rudders you through the biggest holes. // Oar Rafts: The most stable ride, these guide-rowed boats give you a platform to lounge and take in the scenery. // Kayaks: If you can handle Class III rapids and paddle for two straight weeks, you can chart your own course.

PICK YOUR LENGTH
The standard trip runs 225 miles and lasts two to three weeks. You can also opt for the weeklong portions to or from Phantom Ranch. If you have to choose, the lower portion features the best side hikes—like Havasu Canyon, with its three cascades.

PICK YOUR MONTH
The river is a chilly 50 degrees year-round, so choose your time based on the air temperature. April, May, September, and October are relatively cool, with highs in the nineties, while June, July, and August days often hit 110. Our pick: October, a cool month featuring postsummer quiet.

PICK YOUR OUTFITTER
OARS has run dories and oar boats in the canyon since 1964. Nine to 22 days, $3,213– $5,103; April–October; www.oars.com // Arizona Raft Adventures offers all-paddle raft trips and "partial-paddle" trips, featuring oar boats for rest breaks. Six to 16 days, $1,565–$3,260; May–October; www.azraft.com // America's premier kayak school, the Otter Bar Lodge, runs one Grand trip a year. Non-kayakers can ride in the support rafts. Fifteen days, $3,075; September; www.otterbar.com // Canyon Explorations/ Expeditions uses oar and paddle rafts and offers specialty trips, including one accompanied by a string quartet. Seven to 16 days, $1,810–$3,485; April–October; www.canyonexplorations.com // Arizona Outback Adventures can take you on foot to the pools of Havasu Falls. Three to five days, $1,250–$1,550; March–October; www.aoa-adventures.com

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