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Overnight Rafting Trips
Yellow oar raft floating a calm river between tall red rock canyon walls, with tall green grass along the bank.
Calm water between rapids in red rock canyon country.

Trip type · Dory

Dory trips: overnight river trips in rowed boats

Every outfitter we found running dories on an overnight trip, on five rivers, side by side.

4 to 18 days / 3 to 17 nights
Rivers
5
Dory outfitters
4 in the Grand Canyon; OARS on 4 more rivers
Guests per dory
4, per OARS
Grand Canyon dory trips
5 to 18 days
Lowest dory price
$2,299, Hells Canyon
Private permits
Guided trips need none
Compare riversHow to choose

Quick answer

Dory trips run in rigid boats a guide rows, built for about four guests. On the rivers we compare, outfitters run them in the Grand Canyon, where four outfitters list dories, and OARS runs them in Hells Canyon, on the Main and Lower Salmon and, when the water suits, on the Owyhee. OARS lists Grand Canyon dory trips from $3,999 for 5 days.

Trips by river

Dory trips by river

Each card shows a dory outfitter on that river. Where we found a dory price, the card shows it.

Blue river with small rapids winding through a valley of grassy hills and pine trees. 4 to 5 days / 3 to 4 nights

Idaho · Salmon River to the Snake

Lower Salmon

Class II to VNo lottery
Season
Jun to Sep
Min age
From 7
Outfitters
19

From $1,799per person with OARS: 4 day, 3 night trip, 2027. Checked Sep 2026. Confirm when booking.

Trip detailsCheck dates
Calm river reflecting steep, dry grassy hills with scattered pines under a hazy sky, seen from water level. 4 to 5 days / 3 to 4 nights

Idaho and Oregon · Snake River

Hells Canyon

Class II to IVLottery
Season
Apr to Oct
Min age
From 7
Outfitters
10

From $2,299per person with OARS: Dory trip; its 4 day, 3 night raft trip lists $1,849 (September 2026). Checked Sep 2026. Confirm when booking.

Trip detailsCheck dates
Evening sun lighting a tall orange and red canyon wall above sagebrush and a dark river. 6 days / 5 nights

Oregon and Idaho · Owyhee canyon

Owyhee River

Class II to IVNo lottery
Season
Mar to early Jun
Min age
From 12
Outfitters
18

From $2,399per person with OARS: 2027. Checked Sep 2026. Confirm when booking.

Trip detailsCheck dates
Wide river under heavy gray storm clouds, with green grassy hills and dry reeds on the bank. 6 days / 5 nights

Idaho · River of No Return

Main Salmon

Class III to IV-Lottery
Season
May to Oct
Min age
From 7
Outfitters
22

From $2,649per person with OARS: Adult rate, 2027. Checked Sep 2026. Confirm when booking.

Trip detailsCheck dates
Still, clear green water reflecting clouds between tall layered red rock cliffs, with a distant butte under blue sky. 5 to 18 days / 4 to 17 nights

Arizona · Colorado River

Grand Canyon

Class III to IVLottery
Season
Apr to Oct
Min age
From 12
Outfitters
13

From $3,999per person with OARS and Grand Canyon Dories: 5 day dory trip, Whitmore Wash to Pearce Ferry, on its Grand Canyon Dories page; no year shown. Checked Sep 2026. Confirm when booking.

Trip detailsCheck dates

Grand Canyon and Hells Canyon cards show OARS's dory prices. The Main Salmon, Lower Salmon and Owyhee cards show OARS's lowest listed price for that river, from its own site, since it lists dories among the boats on those trips. Confirm the boat type when you book.

Side by side

The dory rivers side by side

Rivers with overnight dory trips: trip length in days and nights, whitewater class, season, private permit system, number of outfitters and the featured price
RiverTrip lengthWhitewaterSeasonPrivate permitOutfittersFrom
Lower Salmon4 to 5 days, 3 to 4 nightsClass II to IV, per the BLMJune to September, by outfitterFree self issue, no lottery19$1,799
Hells Canyon4 to 5 days, 3 to 4 nightsClass II to IV in summer, per the Forest ServiceApril to October, by outfitterLottery for private trips only10$2,299
Owyhee River6 days, 5 nightsLower: Class II to IV, per the BLMMarch to early June, by waterFree self registration, no lottery18$2,399
Main Salmon6 days, 5 nightsClass III to IV-, per American WhitewaterMay to October, by outfitterLottery for private trips only22$2,649
Grand Canyon5 to 18 days, 4 to 17 nightsApril to October, by outfitter13$3,999

Prices are per person on outfitters' own sites, checked September 2026, and each river page shows the year and trip behind them. Confirm when booking.

Every trip

Every dory outfitter we found

Sorted by river. Each link goes to the outfitter's own page to check dates.

Every overnight dory trip we found: outfitter, river, trip lengths in days and nights, what the outfitter says about its dories, minimum age and lowest listed price
OutfitterRiverTrip lengthsDoriesMin ageFrom, per personCheck dates
Arizona Raft AdventuresGrand Canyon6 days, 5 nights to 16 days, 15 nightsA dory may stand in for a raft on its classic oar trips12 (10 recommended on motor trips)$4,365Lower Canyon trip, 2026 rate. Lowest trip price not confirmed. Checked Sep 2026See dates with Arizona Raft Adventures
Canyon ExplorationsGrand Canyon6 days, 5 nights to 16 days, 15 nightsDories among its oar, paddle and inflatable kayak boatsNot listed$3,1252026 rate; from $3,185 in 2027. Checked Sep 2026See dates with Canyon Explorations
Grand Canyon ExpeditionsGrand Canyon8 days, 7 nights to 9 days, 8 nights on motor trips; dory trips also runRuns dory trips as well as motor trips; dory trip length not confirmed. Minimum age 12 on dory trips8 (12 on dory trips)$3,5008 or 9 day motor trip (7 or 8 nights). Checked Sep 2026See dates with Grand Canyon Expeditions
OARS and Grand Canyon DoriesGrand Canyon5 days, 4 nights to 18 days, 17 nightsRuns dories as Grand Canyon Dories, 5 to 18 days; 5 day dory trip from $3,99912 (7 on the 5 day, 4 night lower trip)$3,7995 day, 4 night lower canyon trip. Checked Sep 2026See dates with OARS and Grand Canyon Dories
OARSHells Canyon4 days, 3 nights to 5 days, 4 nightsLists a 5 day Hells Canyon dory trip; dory trip from $2,2997 (12 late May to late June)$1,8494 day, 3 night trip, September 2026; $1,999 in 2027; dory trip from $2,299. Checked Sep 2026See dates with OARS
OARSMain Salmon6 days, 5 nightsLists dories among its boats on this trip7 (12 to 15 at high water)$2,649Adult rate, 2027. Checked Sep 2026See dates with OARS
OARSLower Salmon4 days, 3 nights to 5 days, 4 nightsLists dories among its boats on this trip7 (12 at high water)$1,7994 day, 3 night trip, 2027. Checked Sep 2026See dates with OARS
OARSOwyhee6 days, 5 nightsBrings a dory when the water suits it12$2,3992027. Checked Sep 2026See dates with OARS

Prices are each outfitter's lowest listed price for that river, checked September 2026, unless the detail column gives a dory price. Confirm the boat type when you book.

The boat

What a dory is

A rigid boat a guide rows, built for a few guests and a lot of gear.

OARS, which runs dories in the Grand Canyon under the Grand Canyon Dories name, describes them as "small, traditional and charmingly elegant, rigid boats," 16 feet 9 inches long, with hardwood rails and trim. Each is "designed to carry four people and a tremendous amount of gear," and a guide rows it. See OARS Grand Canyon trips.

That makes a dory trip an oar trip: quiet, with no motor, and with only a few guests in each boat. Rafts carry the rest of the camp.

The Park Service lists dories alongside motor rafts, oar rafts and paddle rafts among the boats Grand Canyon outfitters use on 3 to 18 day trips. See Grand Canyon motor vs oar.

How to choose

How to choose a dory trip

Grand Canyon or somewhere shorter?

Grand Canyon dory trips run 5 to 18 days. Hells Canyon and the Lower Salmon run 4 or 5 days, and the Main Salmon and the Owyhee 6.

Grand Canyon rafting trips

Which part of the canyon?

OARS lists upper, lower and full canyon dory trips, with routes such as Lees Ferry to Pipe Creek and Whitmore Wash to Pearce Ferry. Prices rise with length.

Grand Canyon trip cost

How old are your kids?

Grand Canyon dory trips set 12. On the Salmon and in Hells Canyon, OARS lists 7, higher at high water.

Family rafting trips

Questions

Dory trip questions

What is a dory trip?

A river trip in rigid, rowed boats instead of inflatable rafts. OARS describes its Grand Canyon dories as 16 feet 9 inches long, built to carry four people and gear, and rowed by a guide.

Where can I take a dory trip?

On the rivers we compare, outfitters run dories in the Grand Canyon (Arizona Raft Adventures, Canyon Explorations, Grand Canyon Expeditions and OARS) and OARS runs them in Hells Canyon, on the Main and Lower Salmon and, when the water suits, on the Owyhee.

How much does a Grand Canyon dory trip cost?

OARS lists its Grand Canyon dory trips from $3,999 for 5 days, Whitmore Wash to Pearce Ferry, to $9,899 to $9,999 for 15 to 18 days from Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry. The page shows no year; checked October 2026.

How long is a Grand Canyon dory trip?

OARS lists 5 to 18 days, from short lower canyon trips to the full run from Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry.

Is a dory trip good for kids?

Check the age. Grand Canyon Expeditions sets 12 on its dory trips against 8 on motor trips, and OARS sets 12 on most Grand Canyon trips. OARS lists 7 on its Main Salmon, Lower Salmon and Hells Canyon trips (higher at high water).

Can I paddle a dory?

No. Guides row the dories. Several of these trips also carry inflatable kayaks or paddle boards for guests who want to paddle.

Do I need a permit?

No. The outfitter holds the permit. The Grand Canyon, Hells Canyon and the Main Salmon ration private trips by lottery, and a guided trip skips it. See the lottery calendar.

How do I make sure I get a dory?

Ask when you book. Arizona Raft Adventures says a dory may stand in for a raft on its classic trips, and OARS brings a dory on the Owyhee only when the water suits it.

Keep planning

Ready to book

Row the river in a dory

Pick a river, compare its outfitters, then check dates directly with the one you choose.

Compare dory tripsSee every dory outfitter

Written by a Moab river guide and Wilderness First Responder.Last checked