UTAH RIVER TOURS: JET BOAT EXCURSIONS in Canyonlands National Park

Imagine yourself floating down the legendary Colorado River. A shade canopy and breeze keeps you cool in spite of desert heat. You are surrounded by red sandstone cliffs on either side of the river. Occasionally, a blue heron rises in slow motion from the water, searching for today’s catch. You don’t have a care in the world other than enjoying the beautiful world around you because you are in the company of our guides traveling in a sturdy river boat, the Colorado Explorer. These boats are designed for people who want to tour the river on calm water, not get wet, remain comfortable, but see all there is to see of Canyonlands National Park from the perspective of a voyage down the river. We promise a safe, dry, comfortable, cool, scenic ride on one of America’s great rivers.

Jet boats – The Colorado Explorer Series. We have dubbed our 34-feet scenic jet boats the Colorado Explorer I and II. These boats were specifically designed for sightseeing cruises on the Colorado River. Each boat is made of aluminum and powered by twin marine engines. The boats seat 28 passengers. With large windshields and shade awnings, they are one of the most comfortable ways to see the backcountry via the river. These boats travel about 25 miles per hour. During a typical jet boat expedition, the guides stop and drift while they tell stories or interpret the geology. They are also able to pull the boat to shore to go for short walks. These boats are quite diverse being both the cruise boat and workhorse of the river. They are used to pick up canoeists and mountain bikers returning from self-guided trips.

ITINARY: Your cruise begins in Moab where you board vehicles for the short drive to the launch site. The driving route is a Utah Scenic Byway along the Colorado River where we stop to see one of the area’s largest concentrations of prehistoric American Indian writings and dinosaur tracks left in an ancient sand bank.

At the boat ramp, we begin our excursion on the Colorado River. Towering red sandstone cliffs hug the river. Watchful eyes spot eagles, mule deer, bighorn sheep or the occasional lone coyote. You’ll see prehistoric Indian ruins and, if river level permits, we’ll take a short walk to a petrified forest. Near Dead Horse Point, canyon walls rise 1,500 feet into blue desert skies. This is a relaxing journey and gives you an opportunity to drift with the rhythm of the river, enjoy the magnificent scenery, and the silence of the wilderness. You’ll return happy and refreshed to Moab at the end of your cruise.