How do I get to Lees Ferry to start my rafting trip?

 

If you’re on a full canyon or an upper canyon rafting trip with Hatch River Expeditions, your trip begins with a stay in Marble Canyon, AZ. Then, on the morning of your trip, you’ll get to Lees Ferry (where the boats launch) via a short, 15-20 minute van ride driven by Hatch staff.

How you get to Marble Canyon will probably depend on where you’re starting from! If you’re close, you can drive, if you’re a bit farther away, we recommend using Las Vegas as a hub. Read on for more details about each option.

How do I get to the Marble Canyon & Lees Ferry area?
(from the Southwest)

 

If you live somewhere in the American Southwest, Marble Canyon may be less than a day’s drive from you. Many of our guests from Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Nevada and parts of California find that we’re within easy driving range. 

If you’re up for a road trip, there are plenty of great stops in the area. Check out our Tips for Driving to Marble Canyon or look up a “Great Circle” road trip itinerary to plan your journey!

Benefits of driving to Marble Canyon

• Save money by not booking a flight and shuttle before your trip (especially if you are carpooling!)
• Avoid the time and hassle involved in airport transfers and shuttle rides
• Leave your vehicle at the Hatch warehouse for the duration of the trip and use your car for luggage storage!
• Fly directly back to your vehicle in Marble Canyon at the end of your trip

Driving directions to Marble Canyon

From Flagstaff, AZ
(connect to Flagstaff from Southern Arizona via I-17 or from other parts of the Southern US via 1-40)

• Head North out of Flagstaff on N Hwy 89 toward Page.
• Stay on N Hwy 89 for about 100 miles.
• In Bitter Springs, turn left on N Hwy 89A. 
• Cliff Dwellers Lodge is about 23 miles down the road at mile post 547. 

Highlights: You’ll drive across the Grand Canyon on the Navajo Bridge and pass Lees Ferry Rd when you drive this route. If you have extra time, stop at the bridge and look down into the canyon, or drive to Lees Ferry and check out Lonely Dell Ranch. 

From Las Vegas, NV
(connect to Las Vegas from California or Nevada)  

• Depart Las Vegas via I-15N.
• Stay on I-15N for about 126 miles.
• In Hurricane, transfer to Hwy 59 S. 
• Stay on Hwy 59 S for 22 miles until it turns into AZ-389 E at the Arizona border
• Continue on AZ-389 E about 32.5 miles.
• In Fredonia, turn right on S Main St / US Hwy 89A.
• Stay on US Hwy 89A for 62 miles until you reach Cliff Dwellers Lodge at mile post 547.

Highlights: After Fredonia, you’ll drive through Jacob Lake, where Hwy 67 to the North Rim begins. If you have extra time, detour to the North Rim and take in a whole different view of the Grand Canyon!

From Salt Lake City, UT
(connect to this route from anywhere in central Utah)

• Take 1-15 S out of Salt Lake City.
• Stay on I-15 S for about 215 miles. 
• Take exit 95 for UT-20 to connect with US-89.
• Continue south on US-89 to Kanab, UT.
• From Kanab, choose to either:
  • continue on US-89 toward Lake Powell and Page, then connect with US-89A in Bitter Springs and drive west about 23 miles to Cliff Dwellers Lodge (mile post 547), OR
  • take US-89A through Fredonia and Jacob Lake to Cliff Dwellers Lodge (mile post 547)

Highlights: Choose your own adventure! The US-89 and US-89A routes take about the same amount of time, so it’s up to you whether you’d prefer to drive past Lake Powell or through the forest near Grand Canyon’s North Rim. 

From Denver, CO
Option 1: the Moab route (you can also connect to this route from eastern Utah)

• Take I-70 W out of the Denver area toward Grand Junction.
• Stay on I-70 W for about 300 miles, crossing the border into Utah.
• Take exit 182 for US-191 S toward Moab.
• Stay on US-191 S for about 150 miles, crossing the border into Arizona.
• Head west on US-160 W for about 75 miles.
• Turn onto AZ-98 W and continue heading west about 70 miles toward Page.
• Turn south onto US-89, then connect with US-89A in Bitter Springs. 
• Follow US-89A west about 23 miles to Cliff Dwellers Lodge (mile post 547). 

 

Option 2: the Durango route (you can also connect to this route from southern Colorado)

• Take the US-285 S out of the Denver area.
• Stay on US-285 S for about 175 miles.
• Take CO-112 W to connect with US-160 W. 
• Stay on US-160 W through Durango, across the Arizona border, and on toward Page, AZ.
• Turn south onto US-89, then connect with US-89A in Bitter Springs. 
• Follow US-89A west about 23 miles to Cliff Dwellers Lodge (mile post 547).

 

How do I get to the Marble Canyon & Lees Ferry area?
(from the outside Southwest)

 

If you live more than a day’s drive away, we recommend using Las Vegas as your transportation hub. You can fly into Harry Reid International Airport and then take a ground shuttle with Bar 10 Transportation directly to Cliff Dwellers Lodge in Marble Canyon.

Benefits of traveling through Las Vegas

• Someone else is driving or flying your vehicle the whole time. 
• You can book a shuttle directly from the Las Vegas airport to the Cliff Dwellers Lodge.
• When your trip is over, Hatch will book your transportation all the way back to Las Vegas. (So, there’s no long van ride when you get off the river.)
• If you want to add a few extra days before or after your trip, Las Vegas has a lot of options for places to stay, eat, and be entertained!

 

How to get to and from your river trip by traveling through Las Vegas

Getting to the start of your river trip

• Fly to the Las Vegas airport (Harry Reid International). 
  • Make sure to arrive with plenty of time to meet the ground shuttle that will take you to the Lees Ferry area! 
  • For guests coming from the eastern US or traveling internationally, this may mean arriving a day early and staying the night in Las Vegas before catching your shuttle.
• Take an executive van shuttle with Bar 10 Transportation from the airport in Las Vegas directly to Cliff Dwellers Lodge, where you’ll be staying the night before your trip launches. 

Getting home after your river trip

• Hatch will book you a return transportation package that includes a helicopter flight, plane flight, and short shuttle transfer back to the airport in Las Vegas. Most guests arrive by mid-afternoon. 
• Stay an extra night (or multiple nights) in Las Vegas if you want to extend your vacation.
• Fly back home from Las Vegas. 

Packing tip: There is no luggage storage option after you leave Las Vegas, so either plan to pack only what you can bring on the river, or arrange to have your luggage stored somewhere in Las Vegas.