Southwest Rafting & Backpacking
Among rugged peaks and red rock canyon walls, take time to unplug and connect with yourself, your group and the natural world.
Experience the vast diversity of landscapes in southeastern Utah. Feel the exhilaration of rushing waves as you paddle through whitewater rapids in steep, red rock canyons. Camp along sandy shores and search for shooting stars. Spot ancient dwellings and rock art tucked within the canyon walls. Then trade your river shoes for hiking boots to traverse over high passes in the southern region of the Rocky Mountains. Starry skies and alpine lakes will be your classroom as your Instructors teach you to load a backpack, cook on a camp stove, and navigate the backcountry. By the end of your expedition, you and your crewmates will be the expedition leaders and you’ll work together to attempt to summit a high mountain peak. At the end of it all, you’ll emerge a confident and resilient leader with the tools to be your best self in the backcountry and at home.
UPCOMING COURSES
Course # CUT4-2541
Age 16 - 18
Days 15
Cost $5,745
Dates 6/3/2025 - 6/17/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
Course # CUT4-2551
Age 16 - 18
Days 22
Cost $6,790
Dates 7/2/2025 - 7/23/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
Course # CUY4-2541
Age 14 - 16
Days 15
Cost $5,745
Dates 7/5/2025 - 7/19/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW – Almost Full
This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
JOIN WAITLIST
Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
CALL TO APPLY
This means a course is very close to its start date. Although it is unlikely to secure a spot this late, you can call the National Admissions office at 866-467-7651 to discuss your options.
COURSE IS FULL
When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
CLOSED
As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
On this course I have experienced challenge, hardship, fun and best of all, achievement. Because after all the paddling, rapids, mosquitoes, flies and heat, you are left with that sense of accomplishment, that you have gotten through it and you're still standing strong.
While rafting, each day is spent practicing paddle strokes and learning to read the water – all while taking in the beauty of the canyon. Crewmates will become a team, coordinating their paddling and taking turns as boat captains. Between rapids are flat water sections where students can swim, relax and enjoy the view. Time in a raft is ideal for getting to know each other, laughing and singing throughout the day. Afternoons can bring strong winds, leading to challenge and adventure as crews paddle hard to reach camping destinations. The canyon rims can rise hundreds of feet above the river, enclosing participants in a remote world of rushing water and delicate ecosystems. Most courses get the opportunity to take day hikes away from the river. These hikes provide stunning views and often the chance to see archaeological sites, petroglyphs, pictographs and remarkable geological formations.
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Backpackers carry everything they need - food, shelter, clothing and gear – allowing them to go deep into nature where few people go. Students feel a sense of freedom from the stresses of modern life and technology. The simplicity of hiking gives students the opportunity to focus internally on their own thoughts. They also grow to be more present, connecting deeply with nature and their crewmates as they talk, sing and spend time together without distraction.
The course begins with lessons in basic packing and hiking techniques. Along the way, students learn Leave No Trace techniques, map and compass navigation, and outdoor cooking. As students explore remote regions of the Rocky Mountains, they get to sleep under the stars, feel the sunshine on their face, and watch the sun set over rugged mountain peaks. By the end of course, most crews will have the chance to attempt to summit a high mountain peak.
Service is a pillar of the Outward Bound experience. On each course, Students learn to practice intentional service to themselves, to others and to the environment. This may look like practicing self-care or supporting a crewmate who is having a hard day. Participants also learn to Leave No Trace ethics, practicing service to the environment by preserving and respecting the fragile ecosystems they encounter. Students experience firsthand the social and emotional benefits of acts of service. They are encouraged to bring this ethic of care to their life back home.
La Sal Mountains
The La Sal Mountains rise dramatically out of the desert, towering 9,000 ft. above the surrounding canyonlands. These majestic mountains are known for their groves of aspen, rich amount of wildlife, high summits, and incredible views overlooking Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Hidden lakes and fields of wildflowers dot the landscape. Students may also spot wildlife like elk, mountain goats, marmots and eagles. Most courses will also get the opportunity to attempt to summit a mountain peak. Peaks in the La Sals range from ten thousand to just under thirteen thousand feet and include the highest mountains in Southern Utah. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Ute, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Sioux, Eastern Shoshone, Jicarilla Apache, and Pueblos Nations.
The Green River
The Green River is one of the largest and grandest rivers in the Southwest. It is famous for its world-renowned whitewater rapids and towering red rock canyon walls. Whitewater river sections may give students the opportunity to navigate Class 2 or 3 rapids while slow water sections provide time for swimming and relaxing. Throughout the canyon, there are spectacular cultural wonders including ancient dwellings and pictographs. As crews descend deeper into the canyons, they will get to observe a variety of unique geologic formations and layers of pink, red, and orange rock. Sagebrush, cottonwood, juniper, and willow trees pepper the shores. Beaches provide an opportunity to stop for lunch or set up camp along sandy shores. Many of our longer rafting courses will travel through Canyonlands National Park, reaching the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers. This section of the Green River is the ancestral land of the Ute Nation.
The Colorado River
The Colorado River is one of the largest and most significant rivers in the Southwest, and home to Cataract Canyon, a world-renown whitewater rafting destination that cuts through the heart of Canyonlands National Park. Archaeological sites and petroglyphs can be spotted along the water. The river boasts 31 iconic rapids that are comparable to those of the Grand Canyon in power, difficulty and beauty. Students may have the chance to encounter some of the most famous of these rapids including the Mile Long Rapids and “The Big Drops.” Slower sections of the river offer time for relaxing, bonding, and sometimes even swimming. Sandy shores offer perfect spots for camping. This section of the Colorado River is the ancestral lands of the Ute, Pueblos, and Navajo Nations.
Course Stories
On this course I have experienced challenge, hardship, fun and best of all, achievement. Because after all the paddling, rapids, mosquitoes, flies and heat, you are left with that sense of accomplishment, that you have gotten through it and you're still standing strong.
I have taken so much from this course. Being able to work and live as a group. The backpacking and the beautiful mountains we were on. I was challenged in so many ways that have improved my life and will continue to benefit me throughout my life. I have made so many memories that I will cherish and love forever and will be able to think about time and time again.
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Getting Started
If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Admissions Advisors (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.
To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.