Desolation Canyon Trip Highlights
Desolation Canyon is the pinnacle landscape of the Great American West. Ribboning through ever-growing cliffs and ever-crumbling escarpments, this 84-mile section of the Green River is nestled in a wilderness as remote as anyone could ask for. It’s a place where wild mustangs still traipse the river banks, fossils hide in the shale, and old outlaw hideouts have remained in tact.
- Trip starts with an unbelievably scenic flight over the Green River into Desolation Canyon.
- 60+ fun and friendly Class II – III rapid sections dispersed throughout the trip.
- Towering walls deeper than the Grand Canyon in some stretches.
- Numerous off-river excursions to 19th century homesteads and ancient petroglyph panels.
- Tons of wildlife, including wild mustangs, bears, birds of prey, big horned sheep, and more.
- Big sandy beaches with shady cottonwood trees for camp each day.
- The largest continuous wilderness and research study area in the lower 48.
- A true wilderness trip with one road in and one road out.
Desolation Canyon Rafting Trips
More About This Trip
The Whitewater
Desolation is far from being short on rapids, boasting over 60 Class II sections to splash through in a raft or kayak. There are also a few exciting Class III rapids, including Steer Ridge, Cow Swim, and Three Fords.
High water season in Desolation Canyon is typically from late May to early June. The flows on this stretch of the Green River are pretty dependent on its contributing tributaries like the Yampa, White, and Duchesne Rivers.
The Sites and Camping
The longer the trip in Desolation Canyon, the longer you’ll have to explore its remarkable history and side canyons. The top sites right off the river include Rock Creek Ranch and the Flat Canyon petroglyph panel, which are usually visited on every trip.
Many of the campsites in Deso also offer opportunities to hike to old homesteads and Native American rock art. As for the campsites themselves, this canyon is lined with amazing beaches and big beautiful cottonwoods.
Legacy
Desolation Canyon was recently designated as a Wild and Scenic River in 2019, ensuring its protection for public enjoyment. We have many devoted river runners and environmental organizations to thank for making this happen after decades of dedicated work.
These trips continue on the legacy of Adventure Bound River Expeditions, combined with the legendary customer service and expertise of Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep tours.
Trip Options
Green River
A quick run through Desolation Canyon with lots of time on the river!
- Youth: $1,249
- Adult: $1,369
Green River
5-day trips offer more time to relax, rejuvenate and refresh in one of most stunning canyons in America.
- Youth: $1349
- Adult: $1549
Green River
6-day trips allow ample time to hike, explore, and enjoy premier camp sites.
- Youth: $1449
- Adult: $1599
Trip Option Comparison
Trip | Trip Features | Additional Cost Per Adult |
---|---|---|
4-Day (~84 River Miles) |
|
$1,369(Base Price) |
5 Day (~84 River Miles) |
|
+$180 |
6 Day (~84 River Miles) |
|
+$230 |
We offer private trips! Click below to learn more about this option.
Rates & Dates
Why Raft Desolation Canyon with Mild to Wild?
Trip Provisions
- AEDs and comprehensive first aid kits on all trips
- Satelite communication devices
- Delicious meals and snacks provided from lunch on day 1 to lunch on the last day
- Catered 3 course dinners with appetizers, entrees, and deserts
- Dietary accommodations
- All necessary high quality custom river and camp equipment is provided
- Round trip transportation from meet location
Professional, Interpretive & Entertaining Guides
- Trip leaders average 2,000 river miles
- All guides are certified in Wilderness Advanced First Aid, Swift Water Rescue, & Food Handling.
- Dedicated company division to risk management, guided training, and continuing guide education
Our Commitment
to You
Our Client Reviews from Google
Robert Sharp2025-07-24Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Rafting was great for first timers. Dillon was awesome working and helping Tim that was visually impaired. Great job and I highly recommend there service. Ron Howard2025-07-24Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. During our family of four 40-day adventure we spent four nights in Durango, Colorado. My 12 and 13 year old daughters had never been rafting so the Lower Animas Rafting 3/4 day adventure was the perfect choice. Steven was our guide and was the best! He ensured we were prepared before stepping into the raft. Safety, technique, and fun were the agenda for the day. While the river was lower than normal it was fun navigating different ways to get past the many rocks. It was also nice that Steven suggested we grab some trash that washed was stuck in river debris. Tyler was another guide helping kayakers we traveled with and was really nice. It was fun interacting and enjoying the perfect day together. I recommend the 3/4 day which includes lunch and more time on the river. There was plenty of time to jump for a swim and we even surfed one of the rapids. Eric Steinberg2025-07-24Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. All the folks at Mild to Wild are great and clearly love what they do. It’s like rafting with friends. My son, his friend and I had a great time! A special shout out to our guide Ryan who was outstanding and a ton of fun. Michael Barber2025-07-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had a fantastic raft ride with Mild to Wild’s guide Toby. He was funny, informative and clearly very skilled at his job. We did a “Mild” ride but he still managed to take us on a class 2/3 rapid for a little wild and talked us through perfectly . 10/10 would definitely recommend Adam Kane2025-07-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We did a 3/4 day rafting trip, and had a FANTASTIC time! Our guide was Stephen, and he was AWESOME! Really professional on the water, and worked with us early on to work as a team on the water. The rapids were a blast, and the lunchtime stop was refreshing with some local sandwiches. Would HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! Ronny Robinson2025-07-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sam is a great guide! We did the 1/2 day raft, and it was great! Toby was a guide in another raft, and they had good comradery going down the river together! Great time! Jacob Finseth2025-07-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ryan our guide was the best captain 🫡. - The Fantastic 4️⃣ Beth Barber2025-07-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fantastic time on the River with Toby as our guide. Friendly, knowledgeable, concerned about safety and clear instructions. Great time! Thank you Toby! Mel Garofalo2025-07-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My wife and I booked a half day tour of Arches NP with Mild to Wild while staying in Moab. Due to the high temperatures and our age, we were not looking for strenuous hiking so we booked a guided tour on an air conditioned 15 passenger van. It turned out we were the only two who had booked this tour so we essentially had a private tour with Darren, our driver and guide. He was extremely knowledgeable, interesting to talk to and overall provided a great 4.5 hour experience. We stopped frequently, sometimes for short hikes, others for pictures. He left it up to us as to how much hiking we did. Besides doing Arches tours Darren does river raft trips and jeep tours as well. Highly recommend him and his company.
What are you waiting for? Call today (800) 567-6745 OR (970) 247-4789
Payments & Cancellations
Payment Options
- 1/2 down, 1/2 charged 30 days prior to trip.
- 1/3 down with remaining balance charged in thirds.
- Call for other arrangements!
Free Courtesy Hold
We don’t want you to miss out on this trip so we’ll hold your spots, payment-free, for 24hrs while you make your final arrangements & prepare for payment.
Fees
In addition to the listed trip cost, we collect an additional 9% for River and Land Access Fees (ie. Forest Service, BLM, City, Private Land Use).
Cancellation Policy
- 60+ days: Receive a refund less $200 per person unrecoverable fees.
- 45+ days: Reschedule for another trip/date, or receive Mild to Wild gift certificate less $200 per person.
- Less than 45 days, unfortunately there will be no refund. Substitutions/name changes are allowed.
- RoamRight Travel Insurance is recommended to help cover unforeseen circumstances, such as cancelled flights, sickness or medical evacuations.
- Guests needing to be evacuated from the canyon will be charged a minimum of $1,000 per person.
Gallery
Plan Your Trip
FAQ
Camping & Dining
Itinerary
Map & River Log
Packing Guide
Weather & Rapids
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Mild to Wild Rafting is proud to be an authorized concessioner of Canyonlands National Park.