Itinerary
Desolation Canyon Rafting
Weather & Rapids
Desolation Canyon Rafting
Weather in Desolation Canyon
The Week’s Forecast
OURAY, UT (Closest town to Put-In)Average Temperatures
Average Rainfall
MAY: 0.7 INCHES
JUNE: 0.4 INCHES
JULY: 0.3 INCHES
AUGUST: 0.5 INCHES
SEPTEMBER: 0.7 INCHES
Canyons tend to make their own weather patterns, so always, always, always bring rain gear! Even if these numbers seem underwhelming.
Rapids & Water Levels in Desolation Canyon
Average Water Levels
During the rafting season from May to September, the Green River’s water levels typically range between 3,000 – 30,000 CFS. Higher flows usually start in May and trickle down thereafter.
CFS stands for “cubic feet per second.” One cubic foot is about the size of a basketball. So if the Green River is flowing at 1,000 CFS, imagine standing on the side of the river, watching 1,000 basketballs bounce past you every second.
If you’d like to explore the Green River’s water levels near Desolation Canyon, visit this page of USGS.
Rapids
If your Desolation Canyon trip occurs during a period of high flow, you can expect multiple large class III rapids with many class II mixed in. High flows in Desolation Canyon are considered over 10,000 CFS.
If your trip is during a period of low flow, you can still expect tons of class II rapids. Low flows can be considered below 4,000 CFS.
For trips taking place with medium flow rate, expect a mix of both, natural! Usually between 4,000 and 10,000 CFS.