April 4, 2021

Arizona – Preparing for a Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure

If you’re going on a multi-day rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, it’s likely going to be sunny, warm, with a chance of fridged 50-degree river water splashes. In this post, I want to discuss the absolute most essential things to pack and other ways to prepare for a Grand Canyon Rafting adventure. This post is not meant to be an exhaustive list of things to bring, but instead a discussion of the critical items and what I would do differently next I head back into the depths of the great unknown.

For an extensive list of things to pack, read through your tour operator’s provided information or ask your tour operator. Before you head out, be sure to review what your tour includes, so you do not bring duplicates. For example, Grand Canyon Whitewater provides a mug/cup for hot coffee. The following information is based on a 5-day Hiker’s Special Rafting Trip that I completed in April 2021 with Grand Canyon Whitewater.

Don’t forget to check out my other blog posts about Grand Canyon River Rafting:

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Packing and Preparing for Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure – 5 Essentials

1. Sunscreen SPF 50+

Despite the high canyon walls, the Grand Canyon is still in the desert, and you’ll need sun protection. Also, get SPF 50 for your face.

2. Rain Gear

After the very first splash, you will understand why raingear is an absolute necessity. And although the raingear doesn’t prevent the water from getting in entirely, it will help you stay warm. I wore my rain jacket every day and wore my rainpants on one day. The rest of the days, I either sat near the back or relied on my legs to dry quickly.

Patagonia Torrent Shell Jacket
Columbia Arcadia™ II Rain Jacket
Columbia Storm Surge Rain Pant is a reasonable price

3. Quick Dry Clothing

Yes, you will need to wear clothes in the canyon and preferably ones that dry quickly. Having quick-dry clothing made a difference to how fast I re-warmed up. I ended up wearing the same quick-dry pair of hiking shorts for the entire trip (except for the hike out) and one shirt per day. If you’re making the whole trip, you could pack half the number of tops and wash them halfway through. Each time I got to camp, I changed into comfy leggings.

Button-Up Long Sleeve Tops:

NRS Button-down from Grand Canyon Whitewater
NRS Button-down at REI or Backcountry
(For 2022, I’m trying the Columbia Silver-Ridge Lite Long Sleeve)

Long-Sleeve Sun Shirts:

Grand Canyon Whitewater Ouray Long Sleeve
(For 2022, I’m trying the REI Sahara Shade Hoodie)

Hiking/River Shorts: The shorts you see in all my pics (because I wore them everyday), are from Backcountry and is the North Face brand. I cannot find anything similar on Backcountry. But want to share some other options:

Old Navy has a surprising amount of great athletic shorts. Check these thicker, water-repellant ones or these thinner ones.
Patagonia Baggies are always a classic option.
(I’m trying new options out in 2022, will link as soon as I can!)

4. Hat(s) and Sunglasses

Although the canyon walls are high, there was still plenty of time that we were in direct sun. I wore baseball caps but also liked the idea of the broad brim hats that you could tighten under your chin.

Grand Canyon Whitewater Red Hat (I ended up wearing this one more and still wear it often!)
If you get a hat with a brim, make sure it has a chin strap, so you can buckle down the hatches when encountering the rapids. Something like the Columbia Bora Bora hat.

5. Comfortable water sandals

I LIVED in my Teva sandals for the majority of the trip. We changed into hiking boots for the “Hiker’s Special” hikes that I engaged in, but I was in my water sandals all day, every day. I used a basic Teva sandal, but you may want more support – check out other options at Teva or Chaco.

Teva Sandals at Backcountry
I’m trying out the Chaco Cloud in 2022! Use my personal link to get $20 off your purchase.
Chaco Sandals at Backcountry

More Things that Came in Handy

Without getting into a complete list of personal items, here are some things I know I couldn’t live without or that we shared on the trip.

1. Water Bottle

It’s incredible how much water you can drink while in the Grand Canyon. Bring a one-liter water bottle with a carabiner to hook onto the boat and have easy access throughout the trip.

Nalgene Water Bottle from REI
Or you could get one from the Grand Canyon Whitewater Store
Or simply on Amazon

2. Bandana and/or Sarong

Both are great for sun protection and to dunk in the water if you’re feeling warm. Grand Canyon Whitewater has a well-priced option that is locally sourced (it’s the one I’m wearing in the photos)

Shop the Grand Canyon Whitewater Store

3. Warm Sleeping System

If you’re going early or late season and tend to be a cold sleeper, bring extra things to keep you warm at night. This includes a sleeping fleece, warm socks, beanie, and any other layers that might make a difference.

For bottoms, I sleep in these REI Midweight Base Layer Tights
And since I sleep cold, I brought a lightweight yet comfortable fleece, like this one
Beanie without a pom pom! Here’s one at REI or another example at Backcountry
If you’re a cold sleeper, consider bringing a sleeping bag liner
Warm/Cozy Socks

4. Camera Setup to capture the adventure

think through what camera you will use on the trip and ensure you can protect it. Most of the newer iPhones are water-resistant, but how will you hold onto them? Look into waterproof cases for whatever camera you plan to use. Also, take a look at your storage capacities before you go!

5. Lip balm and lotion

Surprisingly, it’s dry in the desert. Your lips and hands will crack without proper moisture. Here are some lip balm options:

Get a single Sunbum at REI or here’s a 3-pack Sunbum on Amazon
This Aquaphor lip balm seems like it would be good in particularly dry or hot destinations as it won’t melt
Or perhaps this O’Keeffe’s lip balm. It doesn’t look to be as natural, but gets good reviews.

6. Chums

Hold onto your sunnies while you’re holding onto the raft. I could have used a clip for my hats as I lost one hat on the first day!

7. Camp Sandals

This is optional, but I enjoyed having a pair of lightweight plastic sandals to wear at camp. Something that would repel water (and sand) and be comfy was great.

Physical Training Preparation

Even if you are rafting the entire river, I think everyone would benefit from training for this adventure! The company I went with, Grand Canyon Whitewater, had an 8-12 week Customized Training Plan for those hiking out at the Bright Angel Trail. See what your tour operator recommends for the trip that you are joining!

If you’re hiking in or out at the Bright Angel Trail, hiking will still be your best form of training. Start hiking every week and increase your mileage by one or two miles. I would aim to be able to hike 10 to 12 miles more-or-less comfortably before the trip. The tricky thing about preparing for the Bright Angel Trail is that it is entirely uphill or downhill, depending on which way you’re going. So my biggest recommendation is not to underestimate it! You can read about the experience on day 5 of my day-by-day breakdown of the trip.
Stretching! If you stretch and do a proper recovery after each hike, your body will thank you.
Strength Training! I wish I would have focused more on upper body and core workouts before the trip.
Oh, and when you’re hiking each week, it’s also a good idea to carry a backpack and slowly increase the weight.

Mindset Preparation

Here are a couple of mindset things to bring with you into the canyon:

Sense of Adventure: Heading into the depths of the Grand Canyon is an incredible adventure filled with rapids, hiking, and sights. Don’t be shy to show off your excitement for the experience – it’s contagious.

Curiosity: There is so much to learn while rafting through the Grand Canyon – geologic and human history, dam and environmental impact, and understanding the rapids. I recommend asking at least one question a day to stay engaged and curious.

Go with the Flow Gratitude: Every trip through the Grand Canyon will be a little different, from the group you’re with to the places you camp. Instead of trying to find out everything ahead of time, stay grounded with gratitude for the present moment. I guarantee this will make for a happier experience.

Sense of Humor: Silly or embarrassing things will happen when you’re outside of your comfort zone. Try to laugh instead of getting frustrated. Laugh at falling in the river or accidentally consuming sand because it’s probably going to happen.

Reading Materials

Want to further your Grand Canyon experience beyond the trip? I started all three books before the trip and finished them after the trip. It was great to get an initial surge of information about the Canyon, but seeing in person gives new depth to these books.

1. Belknap’s Waterproof Grand Canyon River Guide, Buzz Belknap

This is an engaging mini textbook of the river, including information on the history, geology, flora, fauna, and detailed river maps. If you take this book with you, you can follow along and mark where you stop or camp.

2. The Emerald Mile, Kevin Fedarko

This is a dense, but I will begrudgingly admit good book. At times this author is exhaustingly flowery, and it made me wonder if he was paid by the word. If you can suffer through the wording, the history is quite interesting. The author uses the fastest ride through the Grand Canyon as the anchor of the book and teases out the history of each element – the first run of the Colorado River, Glen Canyon Dam, wooden boats in the Grand Canyon, guiding river trips, personalities of people involved at each step, and finally the ride itself. The fastest run starts on page 280.

3. Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon, Michael P. Ghiglieri and Thomas M. Myer

Yes, this sounds morbid, but it is also very educational how humans completely underestimate the Grand Canyon. It can be a downer, so I haven’t read this one cover-to-cover. The sections I did read gave me a new level of appreciation for the expertise of the river guides and the care that going with a tour operator provides. I wouldn’t recommend this one to everyone – just those interested in true crime and can handle gruesome details.

What I Will Do Differently Next Time

Well, I learned some new things on my first ever multi-day rafting trip. Since I now need to go back and raft the bottom half of the canyon, here’s what I’ll do differently next time:

Upper Body Workouts. In my “8 Things I Didn’t Expect” blog post, I mentioned the physicality of the trip. It would have been beneficial if I did some upper body training in addition to the hiking training.
Wetsuit socks. I ordered some way too late from Amazon, so they inevitably did not arrive in time. Hearing from others, it sounds like it would have kept my feet warmer while at the front of the boat.
One two-piece swimsuit is all you need. I was worried one might not dry out in time, but apparently, I forgot that the Grand Canyon is practically negative humidity. Everything hung out will dry in a matter of hours.
Quick-drying undies. Gravity works like normal in the canyon so splashed water will pool on the seats and wet your shorts all over again. This was often the last area to try, and I feel like some quick-dry undies would have been a good investment. I recently discovered a company called Branwyn and think the moisture-wicking abilities of Merino wool would have been perfect for the trip. I’m trying them out soon and will let you know how it goes.
A bigger container of sunscreen. I didn’t run out, but I was somewhat worried I might. Just bring a full-size container and slather that on constantly!
Quick-dry everything. Because it wasn’t blistering hot out, I didn’t need my clothes to hold onto any additional water. I had a couple of partially cotton tops that I would want to switch out in the future.

Overall Thoughts: Packing for a Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure

Even though I just recommended a bunch of things, try not to over-pack for a Grand Canyon Rafting trip. It’s perfectly fine to wear the same thing every day. To re-iterate, I wore the same pair of shorts for 4 days of my 5-day rafting trip, and it’s easy to wash something and have it dry by the next morning. You also will not need much entertainment because the canyon, rapids, and fellow guests will be engaging. I did see people read a book or kindle, go fishing, or play an instrument, but overall it was nice to do less and simply appreciate the canyon.