One of the most common packing questions we get is: “Do I need to bring bug spray for my river trip?” Our answer is usually no- here’s why…

Who provides the best whitewater rafting experience out there? According to Newsweek’s readers, Hatch does! That’s right—Hatch River Expeditions was one of 10 rafting outfitters chosen as the best providers of outdoor whitewater adventure experiences. Winners of the accolade are scattered across the country from West Virginia to California. We’re honored to be among them!
What makes Hatch the best? We can only speculate about what made people vote for us, but here are a few things that we think make us stand out:
Bus Hatch took the first ever group of paid guests down the Green River in 1929. Eventually, that venture developed into a whole business that was passed to Bus’s sons and eventually to our current owner, Steve Hatch.
Hatch has been running river rafting trips through Grand Canyon since 1934. (That’s over 90 years!) These days, Grand Canyon is the only place the business operates, so we can focus 100% of our energy on providing the best Grand Canyon whitewater rafting adventures out there.
Hatch guides are experienced professionals who will make you feel as at home at the bottom of the Grand Canyon as you are back home. They are full of helpful, interesting, funny information about the canyon and those who have traveled it before. They’re expert river rafters, and incredible cooks. When your trip is nearing its end, we expect you’ll be sad to be leaving them behind.
Our full canyon packages start with a pre-trip stay in Marble Canyon, right down the road from where you’ll get on the river. That means when you wake up on the morning of your Grand Canyon trip launch, you can have a leisurely breakfast, gather up your gear, and mosey outside to do your trip orientation beneath the Vermilion Cliffs. When your trip is over, you get a scenic helicopter ride out of the canyon. After that, we’ll put you on a plane to either Las Vegas or Marble Canyon—whichever is most convenient for you.
Think about the kind of food you have eaten on camping trips before. Now forget it! Hatch provides delicious home-cooking style breakfasts and dinners with a full and balanced selection of food options. When you aren’t in camp, lunches consist of a deli spread so you can build your own tasty sandwiches or wraps. We also have awesome snacks available all day!
Rafting gear? Camping gear? Cookware? Meals? Don’t even worry about it. All you have to bring is yourself and your personal gear (things like clothes, toiletries, and a camera)—we take care of the rest!
If you’ve been thinking about booking a Grand Canyon whitewater rafting adventure, but want to make sure you book with the best company. Look no further! Book a trip with the best!
Read full list of best adventures at: Newsweek Readers’ Choice: Best Whitewater Rafting Adventures
Rafting Reviews from Hatch Guests Hatch has received some stellar feedback for the start of 2025! If you’ve ever wondered what the guest experience is like on a Grand Canyon rafting trip with Hatch, check out the great rafting reviews we’ve gotten this year:...
June is one of the most popular months for rafting in the Grand Canyon, here are a few reasons many of our guests decide to go in June!
Though she was a major contributor to southwestern architecture, Mary Colter is still a relatively unknown figure in American history.