Is Your Child Ready for Rafting the Grand Canyon? 

Three children and teenagers accompanied our group on a recent week-long rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. The youngest is nine years old, and the others are fourteen and seventeen. Having children and teenagers on the trip made me think about when it might be appropriate to take my daughter on a Grand Canyon rafting trip, so I started to put together a list of considerations in my head.   

Does Your Child Follow Instructions? 

Safety is (or should be) the guides’ highest priority on a Grand Canyon rafting trip. There is an ever-present emphasis on keeping guests safe and healthy.   

The current of the Colorado River is strong enough to sweep people away from a campsite, falling accidents are a serious risk, and outbreaks of Norovirus are not uncommon. The least serious of these threats, communicable illness, has the potential to make your trip super unpleasant. 

It is extremely important that guests follow the guides’ instructions. As a parent traveling with a kiddo, you likely will be reminding your child about the rules multiple times throughout the trip. If your child is unlikely to listen to instructions from you or the trip leaders, my advice is not to take your child on a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. 

Is Your Child Physically Capable of Helping Set Up and Take Down Camp? 

Almost all rafting trips down the Grand Canyon involve camping on beaches. We had to work with the other guests on the trip and the trip leaders every day to load and unload the boats. Every passenger had a dry bag for their personal belongings, a dry bag for their bedding, and an ammo can for storing small items that needed to be accessed during the day. Additionally, the trip leaders needed assistance loading and unloading cots, kitchen gear, community bags, and camper chairs. A smaller child would not be expected to help unload bags but might be asked to handle something else less physically taxing, such as opening camper chairs.   

Once the boats were unloaded in the afternoon, each passenger had to set up a personal campsite. This involved putting down a tarp, setting up a cot, and unpacking the dry bag used for bedding. 

If your child is able to set up his or her personal campsite in the evening and pack it up in the morning, your experience rafting the Grand Canyon will be more relaxing.   

Is Your Child Emotionally Resilient or Super Sensitive? 

Adults on our trip (including guests who were not the children’s parents) regularly corrected the children’s manners or otherwise spoke to them in a stern manner. In a couple of cases, the guides yelled at the children (see above regarding safety and taking down camp). This type of interaction between your child and someone you barely know might bother you. It might also hurt your child’s feelings to be “bossed around” or corrected by the other adults on the trip. If your child is quick to recover from this type of interaction with adults, you and your family are more likely to enjoy the Grand Canyon rafting experience.   

Will It Bother You if Your Child Hears Curse Words or Adult Conversation? 

The people in our group were not very careful to limit their conversations to topics that are generally considered kid appropriate. The group was divided between two rafts, and the three children had to ride in fairly close quarters with adults who were not family members. The teenagers and nine-year-old almost certainly overheard conversations that their parents wish they hadn’t.   

It was also very common for people to curse (usually loudly) in front of the younger members of the group. Think – “That wave was ****ing huge!” or “Oh, **it!” (as a wall of water crashes into the front of your boat).  

If you don’t book a completely private expedition, you will be spending several days with a group of complete strangers. If you are not with a similar group of individuals who you have the luxury of vetting, expect your child to be exposed to curse words on a Grand Canyon rafting trip and to possibly ask you questions about conversations they overhear between adults.   

Making the Final Decision 

Perhaps it is most important to you to have your whole family, including children, on a once-in-a-lifetime Grand Canyon rafting trip. Getting everyone together in a spectacular location without access to a wireless network can be a great opportunity to reconnect. On the other hand, adults might enjoy themselves more and might be able to do more hiking if they do not need to worry about the safety and endurance of their little ones.  

In Conclusion 

When making the decision about whether to take a Grand Canyon rafting trip with your children, I recommend not just considering your outfitter’s minimum age requirement. Children of the same age vary widely in maturity and physical fitness. Our outfitter, Grand Canyon Expeditions, is one of the only ones that will take young children on rafting trips. Every guest booking for a child under the age of eight receives a follow-up phone call to discuss potential challenges and specific circumstances. This vetting process is necessary and appropriate. You know your child better than anyone. Be honest with yourself about your children’s abilities before taking them on an overnight expedition into the beautiful but extreme environment of the Grand Canyon.