RIVER RAFTING & CANYON ADVENTURE

Touch down in Grand Junction, the closest gateway to Moab and the Colorado River. GLA staff will greet you upon your arrival, and our group will drive together to the first Home Base for the “land portion” of your program. You’ll stay in lodge-style accommodations at a campground, allowing you to start getting closer to nature. Tonight we’ll get to know each other and prepare for the next week and a half!

The mission of the National Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. We will support the Forest Service in the pursuit of this mission by supporting projects that meet the needs of the Moab region at the time of our arrival. This may include supporting ongoing projects focused on trail maintenance, fixing erosion issues, wildfire management, native species propagation or invasive species removal to support the restoration of ecological communities around the Moab area.

For the first half of the day, we’ll wrap up our service projects and say farewell to our NFS partners as we reflect on the work we’ve completed thus far. Then later in the afternoon, we will embark on an incredible adventure — hiking and exploring in Arches National Park. We’ll explore some of the famous, and special off-the-beaten-path destinations in Arches, a world-renowned geological playground. We will enjoy a sunset picnic dinner hike in one of the nation’s most stunning national parks. Tonight, we’ll make sure we’re all prepared and ready for our river launch tomorrow.

Now for the part of the program you’ve been waiting for — we’ll kick off the 5-day river rafting expedition! We will launch on the Colorado River and float through canyon country for 5 days, participating in collaborative restoration and service projects, camping along the way. During the rafting expedition, you’ll be introduced to pieces of outdoor science, such as ecology, geology and archaeology. You’ll also learn about leadership, communication, self and group awareness as you work in a team to raft through a combination of flat water and whitewater rapids.

After packing up your campsite and having breakfast overlooking the river, continue on your rafting expedition. Learn about the natural history of the area you’re floating through and learn more about your rafting teammates. Today, you’ll take part in a river clean-up to give back to the river that is hosting you for your program. The Colorado River corridor close to Moab receives more than 55,000 visitors each year and although we know how to “leave no trace”, trash and plastic ends up in the river after so many visitors come through. Learn about hydrology as you clean up portions of the river on which you’re rafting in support of the Department of Natural Resources.

Say goodbye to your second campsite as we continue our river expedition, growing more confident in your rafting skills on the Colorado. One afternoon, we’ll help with a tamarisk removal project to protect native river species and support a healthier riparian ecosystem. Now halfway through the journey, take time to appreciate how far you’ve come and enjoy every moment while practicing sustainable recreation and conservation along the river.

After another gorgeous riverside breakfast, we’ll get back on the river to continue our journey through the canyonlands. As we work our way through flat and whitewater rapids, we’ll discuss more about the issues that pollution and human activity can cause on the river and what our role is as responsible citizens and visitors. We’ll do more river clean-up support in order to help preserve the beauty and health of this incredible natural water source.

Pack up camp one last time and say goodbye to the river after your final rafting stretch on the Colorado. Back on land, reflect on your tech-free connection to nature before celebrating your journey with hot showers, a hotel stay in Moab, and a special farewell activity with your raftmates and leaders.

Time to say farewell to your river crew and to the stunning wilderness you’ve called home for the past week and a half. After breakfast or lunch (depending on your flight time), we’ll depart for the Grand Junction airport together, and GLA staff will make sure that everyone is checked in for their flight and ready to embark on their journey home.