Doing a multiday rafting trip with kids might seem like a massive undertaking or just be too far outside of the comfort zone to even consider, but hear me out that it’s actually very doable and really unforgettable. We get to do a lot of different types of travel as a family, so our kids are pretty flexible and down for most things, but when I asked who wanted to spend four days doing family whitewater rafting and camping overnight, the looks I got could make bread mold. I did get one taker so my youngest and I jumped at the chance to raft the Green River in Utah and Colorado with OARS. I’m so glad we did. Not only was it fun and beautiful, but it’s one of the most special trips we’ve gotten to do and some of the most enjoyable rafting we’ve done in America.
Before we set out on our multiday rafting trip with OARS, we had a lot of questions about what it would be like, from setting up camp each day to using the restroom in a desert canyon. Those were the questions we were getting from everyone else too, but between the advance information and the lived experience, I can say that we were stressing too much and it was all a breeze. I’m excited to share what our multiday family overnight rafting trip with OARS was like and our tips for making it easy if you want to do it too. If you have any questions about ANYTHING around multiday whitewater rafting with kids or packing or anything, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an unforgettable adventure.
Check out OARS for lots of different sorts of rafting trips from the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon to the Snake River and Salmon River.
Why Do a Multiday Rafting Trip with Kids?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of adapting the types of travel we do as the kids get older it’s that you never know what your kids are capable of until you give them the chance to show you. We’ve done plenty of rafting over the years, from scenic floating to Class IV rapids with the kids and it’s always fun, but stretching the experience to be over several days and adding camping, hiking and wilderness skills to it was a wonderful stretch. I spent four days on the river with our youngest (11 at the time) doing the OARS Gates of Lodore 4 Day rafting trip and it was simply… no words. Between the awesome guides who clearly cared about my 11 year old’s experience as much as all of the adults, and the bighorn sheep walking on the cliff’s edge above us as we hiked, each moment was special.
For the kids’ experience, I think doing a multiday family whitewater rafting trip surprised them too. We were a group of 15 guests with four guides, and of us there were seven kids. What started as shifty glances around our camp circle while nobody knew each other became buddies sharing kayaks through the canyons and jumping off rocks into the river together. I think the like-mindset of the families who choose to have an adventure like a family multiday whitewater rafting trip with OARS sets up the kids to be fast-friends, or at least everyone is open to meeting kids with their similar interests and having fun while they’re together.
The collective experience of being on the river and learning, going through rapids and splashing one another is one of my favorite travel memories now. I’m not a social person, and I was able to enjoy peoples’ company enough and then retreat into the sounds of the river and birdsongs around me. The kids trying new things and sleeping under the stars I know has shaped how they’ll look at certain moments of life going forward. Watching the water change as it moves through canyons made me reflective. I have a thousand deep thoughts about what a mutliday rafting trip does for a person.
How Safe is Whitewater Rafting with Kids?
Here’s my take on adventure business like whitewater rafting and how safe they are: there are lawyers, insurances, social media and network news – they’re not going to allow kids on the river and then have to deal with the backlash of any of those things. Yes, there’s an inherent danger every time you get onto the water, but it feels safer and statistically is safer than driving on the freeway or to the grocery store. Going out with OARS we were given instruction and demonstration in the most safe ways to do everything, from listening to paddling cues on the river to properly washing your hands after using the “groover” (toilet). No danger-stone is left unturned so that everyone can have the best trip and go home to tell everyone about it.
We’ve been family whitewater rafting many times and have done big runs and small, and it does always feel more dangerous initially than it ends up being. Rafting the Flathead River at Glacier National Park is different from doing the Class VII rapids in the Grand Canyon, and doing a family overnight whitewater trip on the Green River like we did was definitely safe with all precautions taken
Rapids and Paddling with Kids
When you sign up for a multiday whitewater rafting trip with kids, you know that you’re going to be encountering all kinds of water on the river, and that it won’t be either calm or whitewater the whole time. There are a lot of stretches of calm on any river, and for us rafting the Green River from the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument, we had lots of time to enjoy the peace and beautiful landscape… but there were also plenty of rapids.
At all times on the river, everyone is required to wear a PFD/life jacket. The guides and guests have them on at all times, where it’s a rapid or if you’re in calm water and dangling your legs over the side of a raft. With that, wearing a PFD all the time means that if anything unexpected happens in any place, you’ll float and you’re more easily rescued because you basically are wearing handles to be pulled back into a boat. Everyone wears helmets as well whenever their in a paddle boat, a kayak or in big rapids. It’s always a safety-first environment.
When it comes to actually going through rapids, OARS and the authorities that govern recreation on the waterways also have specific rules for who can do what sort of rafting action. Some classes of rapids cannot be done in a kayak if you’re under a certain age, and in general, some classes of rapids cannot be done in a commercial raft if you’re under a certain age. This means that when you’re doing a multiday whitewater rafting trip with kids, the rapids they face will be done in the most appropriate way to their age, skill level and regulations.
Sun Protections and Hydration
I thought we were smart and understood the sun and how it impacts us; I mean, we live in Florida… But I’ll tell ya what: the high desert sun is different. With temperatures ranging from the 50s (F) at sunrise to mid 90s in the heat of the day, your body gets confused. The sun and dry air zaps the moisture right out of your body. I know, you’re on the river all day and swimming from morning to night, so it seems unlikely that you’d get dehydrated, but it happens and happens quickly.
You have to drink water continually, meaning several quarts of water each day. The OARS crew provided Gatorade powder to mix into our water to boost electrolytes and give water a fun flavor, but even that made it tough to drink enough water continually. You just have to do it and love it.
The other side of preventing heat exhaustion and dehydration is protecting yourself from too much sun. Applying and reapplying sunblock all day long became a hobby for us. For our multiday rafting trip, we mostly wore lightweight pants and long sleeve sun shirts, continually dipping back into the river to soak our clothes and keep us cool. Hats that we could wear under our helmets and sunglasses to protect our eyes from the reflections rounded out our daily river-wear. Between protecting ourselves from the sun and drink tons of water, we stayed healthy and made it through the week. This really is key to having a great multiday rafting trip with kids.
How Big are the OARS Rafts?
Every OARS trip is a little different so you’ll have different rafts running on different itineraries. For our Gates of Lodore multiday rafting trip we had quite a few watercraft in our little fleet:
- paddle boat – where all the passengers paddle the raft
- oar boat – these are the supply boats that you can ride on, no paddling
- kayaks – super fun and a splashing challenge
- stand up paddle board – available in some parts of the river
The paddle boat for our trip was 16’ long and seated 8 rafters and a guide using oars. When you’re doing a multiday whitewater rafting trip with kids, this is one of the most fun boats to ride in because it gets the most splash and has the most activity. And yes, it’s pretty safe.
The oars boats are a very different experience. These boats carry all of the food and camping gear, so they’re heavily loaded and the guides paddle them. They have comfortable seating though and since they’re so big, they’re a smooth, high ride along the river. These are also the conversation boats.
Kayaking when you’re doing an OARS trip is an option depending on the class of rapids ahead and the age of the kayakers. There are restrictions for who can use them and when, but they’re a blast to take through Class II and III rapids. They take a little skill and a lot of stamina, but they’re really fun to mix into a multiday whitewater rafting trip with kids.
Where Do You Sleep for a Multiday Rafting Trip?
Camping!!! One of the things we looked forward to the most leading up to our OARS multiday family whitewater rafting trip was the camping. When you’re spending several days on the river, it means that you’re not in regular towns but in the wilderness, and thus have to sleep in the wilderness. Each day you raft anywhere from 5 to 18 miles, and then each night you’ll camp somewhere different. Now, with a guided whitewater rafting trip camping isn’t just wherever it looks like you can sleep, but it’s closely managed by the National Park Service or BLM, or whoever the entity is managing the river. When you raft your distance for the day, the rafts all pull up to their designated camp area and you unload. This will be your home until you leave the next morning.
While you’re camping, there are activities like swimming, jumping off rocks into the river, hiking, relaxing around camp, photography and games. You get your own space and can participate in activities or just zen out on your own. It’s a legit camping experience like you would have in any other setting, but you get to do it from rafts! You’re not sleeping on rafts, but you’re sleeping in tents with sleeping bags and pads on land. We loved it.
Setting up Camp
Yes, rafting the river means that each day you are camping in a different place. When you’re doing a multiday family whitewater rafting trip, you get good at setting up camp each day. The OARS crew is there to help you and they’ll show you how to put up a tent if you’ve never done it, but they keep things very simple for guests. All you have to do is help unload the rafts for the night (simple fire-line process), collect up your tent and personal gear (clothing bag, sleeping bags and pads) and then you pop up your tent real quick.
For our camping, each time we came ashore we looked for a spot that would be in the shade for the late afternoon, knowing that we’d bbbe waking up with the sunrise everyday no matter where se set up our tent. We’d pop it up, put in our pads, unroll our sleeping bags and pillows, and then relax. All of the kitchen stuff and handwashing stations are managed by the crew, so we just got to have fun doing the easy part of camping.
Meals on the River
When you do a multiday rafting trip with kids, you’ll be having lots of meals on the river. For ourrrr OARS trip through the Gates of Lodore, we had lunch and dinner on our first day, then three meals on our middle days, then breakfast and lunch on our last day. The crew does all the cooking and they really have it down to a science. Each meal has a bit of an appetizer, sometimes cut fruit and chips, sometimes fresh veggies and DIY sandwiches, and there’s always a healthy balance of protein and fiber.
The menu can vary, but we had things like French toast or pancakes for breakfast with eggs or sausage, and then lunches were always a hearty sandwich or wrap. Dinners were nicely done with chicken, steak, or fajitas, and there is always some sort of dessert. Because the environment is so harsh in terms of heat and sun exposure, OARS is sure to provide lots of salt, protein and fiber to keep guests healthy on the river. Yes, lots of fiber, because part of keeping everyone healthy is making sure everyone can successfully use the restroom (#2).
Using the Bathroom on a Multiday Whitewater Rafting Trip
The big question from everyone, including avid outdoors people, has been “How do you use the bathroom when you’re rafting for several days?” This is the most valid and relateable travel question I’ve ever gotten. Going #2 in public spaces is a big point of anxiety for many people, and the thought of using a pit toilet or sanican is something that some just can’t overcome. I get it and we had to get informed and okay with it before heading out on a multiday raft trip.
When you’re on the river for more than a day rafting trip with OARS, you’ll be using what they call a “groover” for your bowel movements. This is a metal toilet with a seat, and it is set up each time you make camp. The groovers are place far from the main camp area in a very private place that nobody can see you doing your business. They have a system to signal to others that the restroom is in use so you don’t get surprised on the potty. The setting is beautiful and once you are okay with it, you can swiftly take care of your business.
I know this still doesn’t sound ideal, but the vibe of being on an OARS trip is very respectful and mutually relatable (we’re all humans), and the crew is very gentle about the topic, but also very matter of fact. We were nervous, but we made it through and I’m so glad we conquerd the fear.
Best Parts of a Multiday Family Whitewater Rafting Trip
Trying to pinpoint just a few moments from doing a multiday family whitewater rafting trip is like trying to choose the coolest fish on a coral reef. As a parent, my favorite part was having such fun one-on-one time with my son. I loved waking up in a tent each day and we’d just lay there and listen to the river and chat. You can’t beat that. As an adventurer, I have lots of things that I loved about our OARS trip, and I think anyone, traveling with kids or not, can connect to these things.
Amazing Sights to Share
Before we planned our OARS multiday rafting trip in Dinosaur National Monument, I had never heard of the Gates of Lodore, and we visit a lot of National Park areas. Wow. The Gates of Lodore is one of the most breathtaking places we’ve been in the American West. Jagged, layered sandstone cliffs towering high above with just the right amount of greenery that it felt lush and alive, this part of Dinosaur National Monument is incredible. For our itinerary, we launched our rafts in the Colorado portion of the park and then rafted 44 miles through millions of years of geology.
The changing landscape and we moved into Utah and through the many canyons was breathtaking. Our favorite sight was rafting in Echo Canyon. As we approached, we actually did a silent raft for quite a while just floating along, watching wildlife and taking in the canyon walls… and then our expedition leader, Nina, broke the silence in Echo Canyon with a wild call. Y’all, it echoed and bounced more than I’ve ever heard a sound reverberate. I was shook.
Another part of our OARS multiday rafting trip that we really enjoyed was the hiking. Yes, a rafting trip with a little hiking dashed in was just what we looking for and it was really fun and perfect for the time of year and guests we were with. None of our hikes were too intense or lasted too long, but were the perfect length to pepper into our activities. Hiking to waterfalls, views and pictographs really added to the overall Utah rafting experience.
Kids Making Friends on the River
I’ve hit a point in my life where I am reserved in making friends and socializing, but leave it to the kids to set a good example of being ready to mingle and make the most of things. Our particular OARS multiday family whitewater rafting trip had five kids and ten adults on it. The kids all got along great and actually liked to paddle and hike together. This brought the parents together, and then the guests without young kids also were drawn in by the general happiness and good vibes. The kids set the tone of community for us. I loved it.
100% Disconnected from Technology
Besides using the restroom in the wildness, the other element that might be a struggle for some people is the complete lack of technology or even a weak cell signal for several days on the river. I haven’t been in a tech-free situation like this in years. WOW. The moment I accepted that I could not contact anybody and nobody could contact me I felt a huge weight lift. It was probably a half hour into our rafting on a quiet part of the Green River where I wanted to send a picture of where we were back to our family that didn’t come along… and I couldn’t. I just had to keep that memory and moment for myself.
With several days of no technology, it was also great for the kids. My son made progress on his book, the kids were doing kid things like digging and splashing, and there wasn’t an audible digital sound to be heard. It felt so light and like such a pure experience. If you ever need some time to get into nature and not even have the option of tuning into technology, doing a multiday whitewater rafting trip is for you.
Wildlife Watching in the Wilderness
Utah and Colorado don’t have the concentration of wildlife that Montana or nearby Yellowstone National Park do, but when you’re rafting through the remote canyons, you’ll be surprised what you might see. The primary wildlife we saw continually along the Green River, from the Gates of Lodore to the last rapids at Split Mountain in Dinosaur National Monument, were the desert bighorn sheep. We saw them while we camped along the river, as we rafted by, and even mirroring our movement on the cliff’s edge as we hiked.
Mule deer are a common sight (we saw the most incredible rack on one in Echo Canyon) and there are always rabbits running around the campsites. One of the surprising animals we saw during our multiday rafting trip was actually a martin, like a mink. As we came ashore to set up camp on our third night, he watched us and then took off running when we started moving gear.
When it comes to birds, the canyons of Utah and Colorado are wonderful for seeing all sorts. We saw several bald eagles, a golden eagle, hawks, colorful songbirds and so many swallows with their mud nests all through the canyons. I didn’t expect lots of wildlife on a rafting trip, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Packing for a Multiday Whitewater Rafting Trip with Kids
OARS provides a packing list for their different itineraries, and they’re very helpful, but there are some extra things to consider. When you first arrive for your multiday rafting trip, you’ll be given two large dry bags for your things (like your checked luggage) and one small dry bag for your all-day items (consider it your carryon). You need to fit everything you want to bring in these bags, and that includes your sleeping gear, but don’t worry, because it’s actually easier to fit everything that you might think.
Clothing for a Multiday Rafting Trip in Utah
For our days on the river, we wore pants and long sleeve sun shirts and then when we made camp in the afternoon we would change into shorts and t-shirts. Our sun-conscious clothing was always suplimented with sunblock. We brought watershoes for rafting, and then also had regular shoes or hiking sandals for time on land. Days when you’re whitewater rafting in Utah and Colorado can be wildly hot, so dressing in a way that you can stay cool but also protected from the sun is smart.
At night, we slept in sweats and t-shirts, which was great for being able to be in our sleeping bags or on top. When you go to bed, it’s still pretty hot outside and in your camping tent, but at some point in the night the temperature drops A LOT. It’s good to be comfortable and flexible as you sleep. I did like sleeping with socks as it was nice to keep my dry feet from being uncomfortable. We brought sweatshirts and warm coats because the desert can be unpredictable, but we didn’t use them at all. It’s better to be prepared than regretful.
Sleeping Gear for Camping on the River
Not everyone owns backpacking tents or sleeping bags, but if you do, you’re welcome to bring those along. If you don’t have your own gear, you can rent it from OARS and they make it easy. One of your two large dry bags will have your sleeping bag and pillow in it if you sign up for it, so then you’ll not need to worry about packing them, but you’ll be down a dry bag for packing your own stuff WHICH IS FINE because one is intended for your sleeping gear anyways.
We also brought our own pillows and light blankets for our multiday whitewater rafting trip. Sometimes it’s still too warm to get into a sleeping bag, so just having a fuzzy blanket is nice. And I always travel with my own pillow, because even when we’re camping on the river, if you’re head and neck aren’t comfortable, you’re not going to get great sleep. It’s worth it to bring your own pillow. Always. In any travel situation.
Personal Toiletries and Health – READ THIS
Of course you’ll want to bring your own toiletries and such that you regularly need, but think about narrowing down the daily regiment. You’ve got an opportunity to not look in a mirror for several days, so roll with it and enjoy looking however nature wakes you up. On the river nobody cares and everyone is having fun, so keep it mellow and moisturized.
MOISTURIZE. OMG. I didn’t know how badly we would need salves and lotions each day of our multiday whitewater rafting trip. In addition to the climate being very dry, all day your hands are getting wet and your skin is being challenged. Every time you wash your hands, which is often, there’s a little bit of bleach in the water for sanitary purposes. Between the elements and the hand washing, you’ll need to use hand salve several times a day paired with lotion to replenish your skin. Some people, and kids in particular, might not care to be dry, but for me it was constantly on my mind. Bring more salve and lotion than you think you’ll need, because you’ll use it. And sunblock too.
Camera Gear for a Family Whitewater Rafting Trip
If part of the joy of planning a multiday whitewater rafting trip with kids is being fully cut off from technology, lean into that and don’t bring your phone, power bank or digital camera. That’s not me so I did bring gear and I’m so glad that I did. I loved taking photos of the landscape and wildlife, capturing the rapids and splashing, and I got some wonderful photos with my best buddy as we had an unforgettable week on the river.
My recommendations for camera gear to bring on a multiday rafting trip include:
- camera phone with waterproof case
- GoPro or similar with a helmet mount
- DSLR or Mirrorless camera with its own waterproof storage (more on that below)
- two powerbanks with a good capacity for recharging your gear
See my camera gear shopping list here!
You’ll be provided with a small dry bag for the things you want to access throughout the day. We mostly used ours for extra sunglasses, our lotions and sunblock, and camera equipment. I brought my good camera with an 80mm and 250mm lens, but I wish I would’ve brough my 600mm lens. The wildlife was awesome and I would’ve loved the up-close shots.
I actually brough my camera gear in a small dry bag backpack which fit inside the daytime dry bag OARS provided. My camera gear was well-protected and remained accessible throughout our multiday whitewater rafting. I’m glad I was able to capture so much of the experience to share and for us to enjoy later in life.
I know that was a lot to process, but I think it’s important to understand what it’s like doing a multi day family whitewater rafting trip and that yes, we would absolutely recommend OARS for the experience because they’re so safe and great with all ages. If you have any questions about our trip or the details of planning something like this, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an incredible adventure!
Check out OARS for lots of different sorts of rafting trips from the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon to the Snake River and Salmon River.
