Grand Canyon Smooth-Water Float Tour

Summer is here and that means Grand Canyon rafting is in full swing. Rafting tours come in several flavors. Most famous are the motorized and oars-only tours. Those last from several days to two weeks and cost big bucks. But what if you want a day trip? And something that skips the white-knuckle rapids? Enter Grand Canyon smooth-water float tours. These trips depart in the morning from the National Park and go to Page, AZ, home of the magnificent Glenn Canyon Dam. There you’ll board a 19-passenger, rubber-pontoon boat and float 15 miles down some of the most spectacular parts of the Colorado River before pulling out at historic Lee’s Ferry. The coach ride back to you hotel is no slouch, either: You get to see the Painted Desert and the Navajo Indian Reservation. The main trip options include a bus ride or an airplane flight to Glenn Canyon Dam. The bus is more economical. If you have the budget, I recommend taking the plane. The aerial views are incredible, and include Desert Watchtower and Zuni Corridor. The aircraft is a state-of-the-art Vistaliner. Its climate-controlled cabin is spacious and it features recliner-style seats and over-sized viewing windows. On the ground, you take a Jeep 4×4 mini-tour of stunning Antelope Valley before joining everyone at the Dam for the float. he Colorado River from Glenn Canyon to Lee’s Ferry has no rapids. This means kids four years of age and up can do this rafting tour. I get tons of emails from families asking for things to do and I can’t think of a better South Rim day trip than this one. The float down includes Horseshoe Bend and a mid-way pullout where you get to go face-to-face with real Indian petroglyphs! These tours are all-inclusive and come with drinks and lunch. I absolutely do suggest you bring the following: Hat Suntan lotion (SPF 50) Lightweight, long-sleeved shirt Sandals ChapStick The river guides are fabulous. They are trained in First-Aid and CPR and are very knowledgeable about the history and geography of the river and its attendant plant and animal life. I’m a compulsive question-asker. My guide was able to answer all my queries. Too often I’ve been in the field and the guide has no understanding of the terrain other than to “follow it.” Not so on these float trips! Take a moment to enjoy Lee’s Ferry. In it’s hey day, it was the only crossing for hundreds of miles for folks traveling between Utah and Arizona. The opening of Navajo Bridge in 1928 over Marble Canyon shut down the ferry. Today, the ferry is memorialized by the remnants of an old fort and trading post. It’s also where all the major white-water rafting expeditions put in (by the way, rapids are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, but in the canyon, they are ranked from 1 to 10). These Grand Canyon smooth-water float tours depart daily in the morning and run from April through November. Average tour time is 12.5 hours (includes transport to and from Glenn Canyon). Yes, it’s a full day. But it’s one of the most fulfilling ways for groups and families to enjoy the Canyon.