Grand Junction Adventures Ruby Horsethief Canyon Float Trip is the perfect stretch of river to enjoy with your family.  Young children & kids will love the rambling relaxed nature of this float trip.  Let them play on a paddle board or ducky as we settle into river time and make our way through one of the great river canyons in the West!

Ruby Horsetheif 1 Day Colorado River Float Trip

Starting Location: Las Colonias Shop

Ruby Horsetheif 2 Day 1 Night Colorado River Float Trip

Starting Location: Las Colonias Shop

Ruby Horsetheif 3 Day 2 Night Colorado River Float Trip

Starting Location: Las Colonias Shop

There is no better time but the here and now for adventure!! Spend up to three amazing days connecting with family, friends and nature within the colorful canyons off the Colorado River.  Join Grand Junction Adventures for an unforgettable Colorado River Adventure. Do it in a Day or take three, expect beautiful paddles, colorful hikes alongside the towering canyons & the peaceful meandering of the Colorado River.

This section of the Colorado River is perfectly suited for families with children or folks who want to operate different craft (such as a Stand-up Paddle or inflatable kayak) it has no real rapids and is well suited for novice paddlers. The character of the river is calm, flat and slow moving. This is a great introduction to SUP expedition’s, and We recommend this trip for first time SUP river paddlers. Especially, those that are ready to cross over from paddling on the lake to rivers, we have a SUP specific version of each one of our Ruby Horsetheif raft float trips.

“Option to pick between rafting, paddle boarding or kayaking”

We spend our days floating the river, relaxing at camp and hiking colorful side canyons. You will be mesmerized by the ancient metamorphic black rocks, desert towers, rock art and wildlife.

Backcountry meals are amazingly delicious! Enjoy nutritious, locally sourced, whole food camp-cooked meals & beverages under the stars at our riverside camp. Vegetarian options are available. *A meal list with options will be sent out prior to trip.

You will camp nightly underneath the stars beside the Colorado river. Your eyes will be lit up with shooting stars.

What to Expect on a 1 day float trip:

Well start our day early (7:00 am) at the Las Colonias Shop where we will fit our life jackets and get our personal gear squared away into our small dry bags.  Before long we will be headed toward the Loma Boat Launch where after a safety talk, we will start our 26-mile journey down one of the great river canyons in the Western US.  Wildlife and beauty are all around us as we settle into “river time” for the day.  We will stop at one of the many available campsites for lunch where we will prepare a locally sourced meal and maybe do some swimming.  Once our relaxing lunch is finished, we will continue downriver.  If time allows, we can stop for a short side hike to some petroglyphs the Freemont people left 10,000 years ago.  Rolling into the Westwater ranger station around 4-5 where we will rig down the boats, load up and reminisce over the 45 minute drive back to town.

What to Expect on a 2-Day & 1-Night & 3 Day 2 Night 

Our Multi-day trips on Ruby Horsetheif start early on day 1, where we fit our life jackets, check out our overnight gear and transfer into our dry bags.   We’ll then drive to the Loma Boat launch where after a safety talk, and final rig, we’ll get on the water and begin our journey.  Settling into “river time” after the first few miles. We’ll stop for nutritious and locally sourced lunch then we will then get back on the water and float to our campsite.  The duration of water time and distance between our camps depends on number of nights you are going to stay with us on the river.

Once at camp as a team we’ll unload the boats and while our guests are setting up our tents, our guides will set up the kitchen, living room and Bathromm, we’ll prep some horderves where the shift to relaxation and hiking/exploring take over. Dinner under the evening sky and a campfire talk round out each night before we drift off into a deep sleep under the stars of canyon country.

Coffee at 7 as we put together another amazing breakfast in the morning light, we’ll break down camp load the boats and push down river. Only to do it all over again on our three-day trips.  On our final day we will stop for quick lunch at the petroglyphs of the Freemont people (10,000BC).  Once we are packed up again we’ll continue downriver to the Westwater Ranger station where we will rig down our rafts load them on the trailers and recount stories of our amazing river journey on the way back to the shop arriving around 5:00pm

• Early start on day 1 where we will arrive at the shop at 7:00 am
• Quality boats and equipment
• Expect to spend 4-6 hours on the river
• Locally sourced chef quality meals
• Several additional craft (2 per 6 people) included in the cost for folks who want to try something else.
• This is a perfect river stretch for SUP’s and Kayaks – SUP & kayakers of average fitness will have no problem keeping up with the group
• Guests who want to paddle board must be able to stand, sit, or kneel up to 5-6.5 hours each day
• Paddle boarding is an independent activity, no one can paddle your board but you.
• 2-3 full days on the river.
• Rafts will carry all camp and personal gear
• arriving back at the shop on the final day around 5pm

 

What’s Included:

• High-quality watercraft equipment & safety gear
• Professional, certified & licensed guides
•  Locally sourced, whole foods meals & beverages~ Vegetarian options
• All meals from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 3 & ice water prepared by your guides
• Full kitchen, all utensils
• 1 – 100 liter personal dry bag and 1 30 liter for daily items
• Camping chairs
• Camping equipment can be secured for a nominal cost 8.00 per person
• Portable toilet system
• Shuttle transportation

What to Bring

• Sleeping bag
• Sarong
• Tent or bivy
• Water Bottle (at least 1 liter) with locking carabiner
• Personal camping clothing & gear (*a list will be sent upon booking)
• Personal adult beverage of your choice.  Only on our multi-day excursions sorry no alcohol on our single day floats

*Listed  items are also available for rent