Eating on the River You’ve got your trip booked. You’ve shopped for gear. You’ve booked your transportation. Now all that’s left are...
Eating on the River – Hatch Meals and How They Work
read more
Raft 89 beautiful miles of Grand Canyon then hike to the South Rim
Upper Canyon Motorized
4 Day Motorized Upper Grand Canyon Rafting
Perfect for distance hikers with a few days and a modest adventure travel budget! Our upper canyon motorized trips combine hiking, rafting, camping, and exploring into one spectacular vacation. Each day, you’ll raft the Colorado River’s famous rapids (with an experienced Hatch guide running the boat). Along the way, you’ll stop to visit some of Grand Canyon’s most beautiful and interesting places. Nights are spent camping along the river on the canyon’s sandy beaches or rocky ledges. The final day of your trip is spent hiking up the Bright Angel Trail, enjoying the expansive view of the canyon behind you, and reflecting on your amazing days on the river.
-
- 89 miles of rafting from Lees Ferry to Phantom Ranch
- Pre-trip stay at Cliff Dwellers or another lodge (double occupancy provided complimentary)
- 9.5 mile hike up Bright Angel Trail
- minimum age 12 years old
“I could not have asked for a better trip. The side adventures were unique and interesting, while the rapids were exciting and exhilarating.” – Jason B.
2025 Regular Rate
Cost per person
$1933
2026 Regular Rate
Cost per person
$1933
What to Expect
A Colorado River rafting trip is an active vacation in a wilderness environment. To ensure you have the best experience possible, we recommend showing up with an adventure attitude, ready to roll with the rapid’s waves and whatever other challenges may arise. You’ll spend days hanging on through the Colorado River’s famous (and chilly!) rapids and scrambling down Grand Canyon’s unmaintained trails. At night you’ll camp on sandy beaches or rocky ledges between the canyon walls. There are no hotel accommodations or hot showers. The beauty of this type of vacation is the journey and discovery that comes along with it.
Learn more about what to expect on a Grand Canyon rafting trip with Hatch:
The Bright Angel Trail
On the last day of your trip you’ll be up before the sun to hike the Bright Angel Trail from near Phantom Ranch all the way up to the South Rim of Grand Canyon. This all day hike is 9.5 miles long, mandatory, and strenuous, so make sure you prepare in advance! The trade off for all that work is the incredible views you’ll get as you turn around to see where you’ve been. This trip is only recommended for experienced hikers.
Get your trip packet!
Looking for specific details about what to pack, where to go, and how to prepare? Download the Upper Canyon Motorized trip packet for the complete run-down.*
*If you’ve already booked, check the “View Info and Documents” section of your Activity Manager for this information. Your Activity Manager link is in your email!
Upper Canyon
Experience the thrill of whitewater rafting in Upper Canyon
Sample Itinerary
Get an idea of what your trip could look like. Note: This is a sample only. We can never guarantee specific stops.
Arrive at Cliff Dwellers Lodge in Marble Canyon, AZ. Relax and rest for the approaching adventure!
8:30 a.m., meet our Hatch crew, pack your river bags, and shuttle to the river. Meet your guides, listen to safety instructions, and learn about the rafts. Enjoy the tour as your river trip begins! Eat lunch on a beautiful white sand beach and experience your first rapids: Soap and Badger Creek, House Rock and the Roaring Twenties. Pass below Vasey’s Paradise and frolic in Redwall Cavern. Hike to Ancestral Puebloan granaries or delve into side canyons.
Don your life jacket and get ready to float the Little Colorado River. Begin preparations for larger rapids ahead as Horn, Granite, Hermit, and Crystal offer impressive waves and epic splashes. You may stop at Phantom Ranch, Elves Chasm or Deer Creek Falls for more hiking, water play, and views.
Hike up Havasu Canyon and enjoy the turquoise water paradise. Lava Falls signals the end of the journey so prepare to take it all in and appreciate this famous rapid. Sometimes the guides might give you a “second ride.” Unwind at camp and enjoy our home cooked meals, especially those Dutch oven brownies!
The day begins early with your helicopter flight commencing around 7:00 a.m. where you will catch more than a glimpse of Grand Canyon from above. After you reach Bar 10 Ranch you take a combination of fixed wing aircraft flight and shuttle back to either Las Vegas or Marble Canyon.
Weather Forecast
Wondering what to bring and wear on the Colorado River? Check the weather before your trip so you can make last minute adjustments!
7 Day Forecast
Get the 7 day forecast for Phantom Ranch at the bottom of Grand Canyon.
How to Prepare
Learn how to manage weather conditions you may encounter rafting in Grand Canyon.
Phantom Ranch, US
12:28 pm,
Dec 24, 2024
68°F
clear sky
Not up for a long hike?
Hiking the Bright Angel Trail isn’t for everyone, but it is mandatory on Upper and Lower Canyon trips. If you’d rather not hike quite that far, check out our Full Canyon trip instead.
Begin your adventure at Lees Ferry and raft 188 miles to Whitmore Wash.
Testimonials
Both Matt and Dan were excellent, knowledgeable, experienced guides. They were very down to earth and had great personalities they made the trip a great experience .
Melissa G.
Kelsey & Holden were pros. Extremely knowledgeable and I felt very safe with them. The rafting was amazing. The daily excursions were fun and beautiful. Better than I imagined.
Demae R.
Once in a lifetime type experience. Guides were fantastic with their boating skills, story-telling (and depth of knowledge), cooking skills, etc.
David S.
The guides are extremely knowledgeable, and all the information they shared about the geology and history of the canyon and its surroundings and its people was fascinating. A number of guests in our party were frustrated that they wouldn't give us answers to questions on how to dress for the river, and leaving things up the personal preference. When no one has done any rafting before, we can't possibly have a personal preference and we just want to be told what to do. We can decide later on that. The green pants are too hot, for example, but in the meantime just some clear direction will be great.
Dan F.
I could not have asked for a better trip. The side adventures were unique and interesting, while the rapids were exciting and exhilarating.
Jason B.
The Guides were knowledgeable and excited about the Canyon, and Rafting in general. They made it a lot of fun.
Cory D.
We are a family of 4 - mom, dad and a teen boy and girl. It was an amazing trip for all four of us. Admittedly, this is out of the norm for us. We are typically a Florida beach vacation family, so this was really different, but for that reason, so good. We loved not having cell reception, loved sleeping under the stars (except the first night with the tiny black beetles in Marble Canyon), loved floating down the Little Colorado, and loved bathing in the river. The hike out was challenging, but we were proud to have made it. My only complaint would be that the transportation out of the South Rim was pretty difficult. We flew out of the tiny airport with Bar 10, but feel there may have been better options. A little more advice on best options in and out would be helpful to folks. I would recommend this trip to families for sure. It was truly a trip none of us will ever forget.
Jennifer W.
We enjoyed the extra information regarding the rock and history of the river narrative.
Robert P.
Magical experience. Went the extra mile to accommodate our travel arrangements. Thank you Hatch team!
Nels M.
My second time with you. I could not imagine a better trip
Kris P.
More from Hatch River Expeditions
Learn cool facts about Grand Canyon, tips for river trips, and what's happening at Hatch.
Need a souvenir or gift for a loved one? Get Hatch shirts, hats, stickers, and more.