Ever dreamed of rafting down the Colorado River? With a controversial proposal for large-scale development at the confluence of the Colorad...
Ever dreamed of rafting down the Colorado River? With a controversial proposal for large-scale development at the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers – with hotels, a gondola, and more – not to mention diminishing rainfall, and ever increasing flyover traffic from sightseeing tours, now is the time. Some 140 years since John Wesley Powell shared his account of the first river descent, the trip down the longest stretch of navigable river in the US has become one of the iconic US adventure travel experiences – and one that might not last forever.
Starting in its namesake Colorado, the river is born as a trickle in Rocky Mountain National Park, a hiker’s paradise. In Utah, it runs through Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Located between the two, the city of Moab is the go-to hub for desert adventures, with legendary mountain biking, canyon hikes, and river floats. In Arizona, the 280-mile stretch from Lee’s Ferry to Lake Mead through the Grand Canyon features 98 rated rapids, sandy beaches and ancient ruins. The National Park Service restricts the number of people allowed on the water here, so rafters can experience the winding course in relative solitude.
Flagstaff, often treated as a pit stop on the way to the Grand Canyon, is worth a fresh look with its Flagstaff-Grand Canyon Ale Trail for wandering beer lovers and, as the first city to be designated an International Dark Sky City, lots of stargazing options.
Read more in The Best of the Colorado River: one step, pedal or stroke at a time and Flagstaff: Northern Arizona's capital of cool.
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