Planning · When to go
Best time to go rafting on an overnight river trip
Seasons on 19 rivers in one chart, plus what high water means for rapids and minimum ages.
Quick answer
The best time to go rafting depends on the river. Spring snowmelt rivers like the Owyhee, the Illinois and the John Day run in April and May. The Salmon rivers, Lodore and Desolation run through summer. The Grand Canyon, Cataract Canyon, the Rogue and Hells Canyon run into October, and the Deschutes runs year round.
Season by river
Rafting season by month, 19 rivers
Earliest seasons first. Each row links to that river's outfitters.
| River | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deschutes | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Year round, busiest in summer |
| Cataract Canyon | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | March to November, by outfitter |
| Klamath | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | March to October, by section |
| Grande Ronde | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | March to July, by outfitter |
| Owyhee | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Part of the month | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | March to early June, by water |
| Grand Canyon | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | April to October, by outfitter |
| Hells Canyon | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | April to October, by outfitter |
| Rogue | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | April to October, by outfitter |
| Westwater Canyon | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | April to October, by outfitter |
| San Juan | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | April to October, by outfitter |
| Desolation Canyon | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | April to September, by outfitter |
| Illinois | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | April and May |
| Main Salmon | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | May to October, by outfitter |
| Middle Fork Salmon | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Part of the month | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Late May to September |
| Gates of Lodore | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | May to September, by outfitter |
| John Day | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Part of the month | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | May to early July |
| Yampa | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Part of the month | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | May to early July, by outfitter |
| Lower Salmon | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | June to September, by outfitter |
| Selway | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Part of the month | Trips run | Trips run | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | No trips listed | Late June to August, by outfitter |
From the season on each river page: the months outfitters list trips, checked September 2026. Water decides the real window on spring rivers; check with the outfitter.
Spring, summer, fall
What each season brings
Spring: short windows on snowmelt rivers. The Owyhee, the Illinois, the John Day and the Yampa run only while snowmelt lasts. The Park Service says the Yampa is too low for rafts in most years by mid July, and outfitters on the Owyhee and the Illinois say low or fast rising water can cancel a trip.
Early summer: high water. Bigger rapids, colder water and higher minimum ages. The Park Service says high water on Cataract Canyon generally runs from early May to late June, and the BLM says Desolation's flows typically peak in late May or early June.
Summer: the main season. The Middle Fork, Main Salmon, Selway, Lower Salmon, Lodore and Desolation run most trips from June or July into September. Several outfitters lower minimum ages in July and August.
Fall: long seasons on dam controlled and big rivers. The Grand Canyon, Cataract Canyon, Hells Canyon, the Rogue and the San Juan run into October. Recreation.gov says Navajo Dam controls the San Juan's flows.
River by river
Water and timing notes
| River | Season | What the agency or outfitters say |
|---|---|---|
| Owyhee | March to early June, by water | The BLM says the primary float season runs from March through early to mid June, with the best flows between 1,000 and 6,000 cfs at the Rome gauge. Most outfitters schedule trips in April and May. |
| Illinois | April and May | The Fish and Wildlife Service gives the primary boating season as March through mid May. Outfitters run in April and May. |
| John Day | May to early July | The Park Service says the John Day usually becomes unfloatable by July 4th for most boats, and the BLM recommends at least 1,000 cfs for rafts. Outfitters run in May and June. |
| Yampa | May to early July, by outfitter | The Park Service says high flow from spring runoff generally lasts only a few weeks in late May and June, and the river is too low for rafts around 1,000 cfs, which in most years comes in mid July. Outfitters schedule trips from May to early July. |
| Cataract Canyon | March to November, by outfitter | The Park Service says high water generally runs from early May to late June, with lower water later in summer. Outfitters run trips from March or April into October, and Mild to Wild into November. |
| Desolation Canyon | April to September, by outfitter | The BLM lottery covers launches from May 1 to September 30. Outfitters run from April or May into September; Mild to Wild starts in April. |
| Middle Fork Salmon | Late May to September | The Forest Service's control season runs May 28 to September 3, and outfitters run trips from late May into September. |
| Lower Salmon | June to September, by outfitter | The BLM says the floating season begins in June above Hammer Creek and in July below it. Most outfitters run from July into September. |
| Rogue | April to October, by outfitter | The BLM's regulated season runs May 15 to October 15. Outfitters run most trips from May to September; River Drifters starts in April, and several run into October. |
| Deschutes | Year round, busiest in summer | Imperial River Company runs overnight trips year round, with its busiest months in July and August; most outfitters run May to September or October. |
High water
Why June trips can have higher age limits
Outfitters set minimum ages by water level on several rivers. On Cataract Canyon, Adrift and Holiday set 16 for May and June. On the Middle Fork, Northwest Rafting Company sets 16 in June and 7 in July and August, and Solitude sets 12 in June and 8 from July. In Hells Canyon, Western sets 12 in May and June and 8 from July.
If you are bringing kids, pick the month first, then the outfitter. See family rafting trips for the youngest ages on each river.
Questions
When to go rafting questions
What is the best time to go rafting?
It depends on the river. Spring rivers like the Owyhee, the Illinois and the John Day run in April and May, and the Yampa from May to early July. The Salmon rivers and Dinosaur run through summer. The Grand Canyon, Cataract Canyon, the Rogue and Hells Canyon run into October.
When is rafting season in the West?
On the 19 rivers we compare, outfitters list trips from March to November, and on the Deschutes year round. Each river's window is shorter: see the chart above.
Which rivers can you raft in the fall?
Cataract Canyon runs into November with Mild to Wild. The Grand Canyon, the Main Salmon, Hells Canyon, the Rogue, Westwater, the San Juan and the Klamath run into October, depending on the outfitter.
Which rivers only run in spring?
The Owyhee (March to early June), the Illinois (April and May) and the John Day (May to early July). The Yampa runs from May to early July. All depend on snowmelt, and low water can cancel trips.
Is high water a good time to go?
It brings bigger rapids, and outfitters raise minimum ages. On Cataract Canyon, Adrift and Holiday set 16 for May and June. Northwest Rafting Company sets 16 in June on the Middle Fork, then 7 in July and August.
When is the best time for a family rafting trip?
Mid to late summer, when outfitters lower minimum ages on rivers like the Middle Fork, the Main Salmon and Hells Canyon. See family rafting trips.
When should I book?
Early, especially on lottery rivers. Grand Canyon National Park says commercial trips are often reserved a year or two in advance. Spring rivers have short seasons, so dates fill fast. See the lottery calendar.
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A packing list for river and camp, plus the lottery dates for the season in one calendar.
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Pick your month, then your river
Every river page lists each outfitter's season and dated prices.