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Rafting trip cost: what an overnight river trip costs
Listed prices for guided overnight trips on 19 US rivers, side by side, with what they leave out.
2 to 18 days / 1 to 17 nightsQuick answer
A guided overnight rafting trip costs from about $400 per person for 2 days and 1 night to more than $4,000 for a 5 day, 4 night Selway trip, on outfitters' own sites checked September 2026. Longer, remote and permit limited trips cost more. Fees, flights and tips are often extra.
Prices by river
Overnight rafting trip prices by river
The lowest and middle listed price per person on each river we compare, cheapest first.
| River | Trip length | Lowest listed | Middle listed | Prices compared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westwater Canyon | 2 days, 1 night to 3 days, 2 nights | $399World Wide River Expeditions: Westwater on day 1, camp at Fisher Towers, Moab Daily on day 2; year not shown | $590 | 8 |
| Deschutes | 2 days, 1 night to 4 days, 3 nights | $425River Drifters: 2 day, 1 night trip, listed as $425 to $450 plus Boater Pass; year not shown | $640 | 5 |
| Klamath | 2 days, 1 night to 5 days, 4 nights | $399Ironhead Guide Service: $1,200 group minimum; year not shown | $750 | 11 |
| Grande Ronde | 3 days, 2 nights to 5 days, 4 nights | $995Minam Store Outfitters: 3 day, 2 night trip, Minam to Mud Creek; year not shown | $1,090 | 6 |
| John Day | 3 days, 2 nights to 9 days, 8 nights | $1,099Arrowhead River Adventures: 3 day, 2 night trip, 2026 | $1,160 | 3 |
| San Juan | 3 days, 2 nights to 8 days, 7 nights | $895Canyonlands Field Institute: Upper, 3 day, 2 night trip; private groups of 6 to 25 only; year not shown | $1,175 | 6 |
| Rogue | 3 days, 2 nights to 5 days, 4 nights | $895River Drifters: 3 day, 2 night trip, listed as $895 to $1,100; year not shown | $1,350 | 18 |
| Gates of Lodore | 3 days, 2 nights to 5 days, 4 nights | $1,149Mild to Wild Rafting: 3 day, 2 night trip; year not shown | $1,395 | 7 |
| Hells Canyon | 3 days, 2 nights to 6 days, 5 nights | $1,350Salmon Raft: 3 day, 2 night trip, 2026; 20% off in May and September | $1,490 | 10 |
| Yampa | 4 days, 3 nights to 5 days, 4 nights | $1,279Dinosaur River Expeditions: 4 day, 3 night trip; 2026 rate held for 2027; 8 guest minimum | $1,515 | 6 |
| Lower Salmon | 2 days, 1 night to 5 days, 4 nights | $600Barker River Trips: 2 day, 1 night Slide trip; year not shown; 3 day, 2 night trip from $1,100 | $1,535 | 19 |
| Cataract Canyon | 2 days, 1 night to 7 days, 6 nights | $564Adrift Adventures: 2 day Express with a jet boat leg; 3 day motor trip from $900; year not shown; 4% access fee extra | $1,555 | 11 |
| Desolation Canyon | 4 days, 3 nights to 7 days, 6 nights | $995Colorado River & Trail Expeditions: 5 day, 4 night trip; year not shown; plus $315 flight and $40 BLM fee | $1,700 | 9 |
| Owyhee | 3 days, 2 nights to 8 days, 7 nights | $950River Drifters: Middle Owyhee, 3 day, 2 night trip; Lower listed at $1,050 to $1,150; year not shown | $1,840 | 18 |
| Illinois | 4 days, 3 nights | $1,999ARTA: Starting price; year not shown | $2,100 | 3 |
| Main Salmon | 4 days, 3 nights to 6 days, 5 nights | $1,650Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures: Adult rate, 2027; ranges to $1,950 | $2,400 | 21 |
| Grand Canyon | 3 days, 2 nights to 18 days, 17 nights | $1,775Arizona River Runners: Low end of the range on its site | $2,930 | 12 |
| Middle Fork Salmon | 4 days, 3 nights to 7 days, 6 nights | $1,895Rocky Mountain River Tours: 4 day, 3 night early season trip | $3,300 | 17 |
| Selway | 5 days, 4 nights to 6 days, 5 nights | $4,000SOAR Northwest: 2027; $4,500 in 2028 | $4,250 | 3 |
Per person, from each outfitter's own site, checked September 2026. "Middle listed" is the midpoint of each outfitter's lowest listed price on that river, rounded to $5. Private charters, fishing trips and group rates are left out. Confirm when booking.
What sets the price
Why some trips cost three times as much
Length and distance. A 2 day, 1 night trip near a road costs a fraction of a week in a wilderness that needs a flight in or out. The Middle Fork, Selway and Grand Canyon trips at the top of the table are long and remote.
Scarce launches. The Selway allows one launch a day, and four outfitters share it. The middle listed price there is $4,250.
Flights and shuttles. Colorado River & Trail Expeditions lists the flight to Desolation's Sand Wash at $315 extra; most other Desolation outfitters include it. Western lists a $210 air taxi on Middle Fork trips from July 30, and Tributary adds a $100 jet boat shuttle in Hells Canyon.
Lodge or camp. On the Rogue, Tributary lists a 4 day, 3 night camping trip at $1,400 and its lodge trip at $1,645.
Season. In Hells Canyon, Salmon Raft lists 20% off in May and September.
Read the fine print
What prices often leave out
Each river page lists what to check. A sample:
Middle Fork Salmon
- The Forest Service fee of $4 per person per day, which some prices exclude
- Backcountry flights on late season trips
- Travel to Stanley or Salmon
- Guide tips
Main Salmon
- Sleeping bags, which not every outfitter lists
- Travel to the meeting town and home from the take out
- Flights, which Tour West includes and most do not
- Guide tips
Selway
- Backcountry flights, if needed
- Travel to Missoula or Hamilton
- Sleeping bags
- Guide tips
Rogue
- BLM and Forest Service fees, which several outfitters add
- Sleeping bags on camping trips
- Travel to Merlin, Galice or Grants Pass
- Guide tips
Cataract Canyon
- Park and access fees: about 9% at Mild to Wild and Sheri Griffith, 4% at Adrift
- The flight back, when it is an add on
- Sleeping bags
- Guide tips
Desolation Canyon
- The BLM fee of $40 per person, which most prices leave out
- The flight, when it is an add on
- Travel to Green River or Moab
- Guide tips
Budget
Building a trip budget
Start with the listed price for the trip length you want, then add the extras on that river's page: fees, a flight or shuttle, travel to the meeting town and a night there, sleeping bag rental if it is not included, and tips.
For tips, the outfitters we checked suggest 10 to 20 percent of the trip price. On a $1,249 trip, the OARS 3 day, 2 night Rogue price for 2027, 10 to 15 percent is about $125 to $187. See guide tipping.
Book early on lottery rivers. Grand Canyon National Park says commercial trips are often reserved a year or two in advance. The lottery calendar explains why a guided trip is the way onto those rivers.
Questions
Rafting trip cost questions
How much does an overnight rafting trip cost?
On outfitters' own sites, checked in September 2026, the lowest listed prices start near $400 for 2 days and 1 night on the Klamath, Westwater Canyon and the Deschutes.Week long wilderness trips cost more: the middle listed price is $3,300 on the Middle Fork Salmon and $4,250 on the Selway.
What is the cheapest multi day rafting trip?
Two day, one night trips on the Klamath, Westwater Canyon and the Deschutes list the lowest prices we found, from $399 to $450. Two of them have conditions: Ironhead's Klamath price has a $1,200 group minimum, and World Wide's Westwater trip camps outside the canyon. The rivers with the lowest middle listed prices are Westwater Canyon ($590), Deschutes ($640), Klamath ($750) and Grande Ronde ($1,090).
Why does the Selway cost so much?
The Forest Service allows one launch a day, and only four outfitters run it, so trips are scarce and long. Listed prices run from $4,000 (SOAR Northwest, 2027; $4,500 in 2028).
How much is a Grand Canyon rafting trip?
The lowest listed price we found was $1,775 (Arizona River Runners: low end of the range on its site). The middle of the 12 outfitters' lowest listed prices is $2,930. Full canyon trips cost more; see the Grand Canyon page.
Is food included in the price?
On the trips we compare, outfitters list meals on the river as included, along with guides, boats, life jackets and camp gear. Sleeping bags, travel to the meeting town and some fees vary, so read each outfitter's list.
Do kids pay less?
Some outfitters list youth rates. On the Main Salmon, Action Whitewater lists a youth rate for 14 and under, Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures a child rate for 12 and under, and Rocky Mountain River Tours a child rate for 6 to 18.
Are permit and park fees included?
Often not. On the Middle Fork the Forest Service fee is $4 per person per day, and some prices leave it out. Desolation trips have a $40 BLM fee that most prices leave out. Several Rogue and Cataract outfitters add access or federal fees on top.
How much should I budget for tips?
Outfitters we checked suggest 10 to 20 percent of the trip price, with 10 to 15 percent the most common. See how much to tip a rafting guide.
Is it cheaper to go in spring or fall?
Sometimes. In Hells Canyon, Salmon Raft lists 20% off in May and September, and Western lists September trips at $2,020 against $2,190 from May to August.
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