River Rafting in Moab, Utah with Kids
Moab may be a mecca for mountain bikers but it is also a magnet for river rafters. And the rapids aren't the only attraction! Here, the Colorado and Green rivers cut an arresting path through sandstone forming dramatic canyons red, gold and black. Towering spires, broad sand beaches and vertical walls round out the scenery. But that's not all! This rugged and remote corner of Utah harbors tales of times gone by. Rock Art, more than 700 years old, adorns boulders and stone. Native American Indian ruins tell of a life long ago. Hideouts, such as Outlaw Cave, speak to Butch Cassidy and the Wild W... Read Moreest. Abandoned homesteads impart the harsh reality of frontier life. In Moab, rafting with kids is as much an adventure as just plain fun.
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Maps
Online maps are a great family travel planning resource and a great way to get the kids involved in a family trip. Use online maps to plot your route to Moab as well as the Green and Colorado rivers. Map Westwater Canyon and Cataract Canyon. Get detailed river maps and river guides complete with campsites and hiking trails for do-it-yourself float or rafting trips in southeastern Utah. Geocaching - GPS treasure hunts - is popular with kids and may provide the incentive needed to get them paddling. And if you are traveling with primary school aged children teach them how to read a map and use a compass before you depart on a backcountry adventure whether you are embarking on an unassisted or fully guided river journey. Maps are a great way to turn a trip with mom and dad into a different kind of family adventure.
Moab Map
discovermaob.com Westwater Canyon Map Friends of Westwater Cataract Canyon Map National Park Service Utah River Maps & River Guides kids can travel recommends 
Geocaching WikiHow Finding your Way with a Map & Compass U.S. Geological Survey Books
Books are a great way to introduce younger children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. Our age-appropriate reading lists - bestsellers, classics and non-fiction - are designed to spark the interest of kids and go beyond a romantic view of Utah and the wilderness.
Utah Reading List for Kids
kids can travel recommends
Rafting Related Books for Kids kids can travel recommends Music & Sound
Explore nature through sound. Learn about natural sounds and the effects of noise. Discover 'soundscapes' and human sources of sound.
News
Newspapers are yet another family vacation planning resource. Discover tips and tidbits about rafting and find out what's happening on the water before you depart. Dig a little bit deeper and learn more about the Colorado River's struggle to meet growing water demands in the Southwest.
Kids' Stuff
Online resources make learning about the Green and Colorado rivers fun. Map the Colorado River from its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park to the Gulf of Mexico. Learn about John Wesley Powell and the first expedition of the Grand Canyon by boat. (The Grand Canyon may be Arizona but the adventure began at Green River City, Utah.) Read about the Colorado River Compact signed in1922 and discover how it has defined politics and policy in the Southwest. Find out about the controversy surrounding the construction of Glen Canyon Dam and why environmentalists believe it has affected the ecology of the Colorado River.
Colorado River
Grand Canyon Explorer Lost in the Grand Canyon PBS Sharing Colorado River Water Water Resources Research Center Glen Canyon Dam Wikipedia Organizations
Associations and non-profit organizations can be a valuable resource as well as a means to get involved. Find out more about a few of the organizations involved in enhancing the appreciation of public lands in Utah and safeguarding the interests of all who use the Colorado River.
Science & Education
Canyonlands Natural History Association Water Usage Colorado River Water Users Association |
Recommended Reads for Family Rafting Holiday