Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Cataract Canyon Map: The Colorado River Through Canyonlands National Park
Cataract Canyon runs through the heart of Canyonlands National Park, on the Colorado River, beginning at the Confluence, where the Green River meets the Colorado, and the volume of the river doubles as the Colorado continues downstream. From there, the canyon holds roughly 30 named rapids rated Class III to V, including the Big Drops, three rapids stacked inside a single mile that make up the biggest whitewater on the Colorado in Utah.
The trip starts with a relaxing stretch of the Colorado River winding through Canyonlands National Park. The map below shows the full trip route on both the 2-Day Cataract Canyon trip and the 4-Day Cataract Canyon trip. These maps point out many of the places you may see along the river and the order of the major rapids as they appear on the Colorado River.
Quick Facts: Cataract Canyon
- Where: Canyonlands National Park, Utah, on the Colorado River
- Begins: Below the Confluence, where the Green and Colorado rivers meet
- Rapids: Roughly 30 named rapids, rated Class III to V
- Season: May through September
Cataract Canyon Map by Trip
Western River runs Cataract Canyon in two kinds of trips. They both share the same whitewater. What differs is how much of the Colorado River you have time to explore and how you return to Moab. The 4-day trip returns by scenic flight over Canyonlands National Park, and the 2-day trip returns with a ground transfer.
Cataract Canyon Classic: 4-Day Route
The Cataract Classic runs 95 river miles, from the put-in near Moab into calm waters winding through Canyonlands National Park, then to the Confluence, and through the full whitewater sequence to the Big Drops. Three nights camping on the riverbank, side-canyon hikes to ancient pictographs and ruins, and a scenic flight back over Canyonlands to Moab at the end.
At a glance:
95 river miles, roughly 30 rapids Class III to V, 4 days, scenic flight out.
Cataract Canyon Express: 2-Day Route
The Express also runs 95 miles through Cataract Canyon, but at a faster pace. Different raft, same Big Drops, the same Class III to V water, in two days instead of four. It runs May through July, when the river levels run higher and faster.
At a glance:
95 river miles, roughly 30 rapids Class III to V, 4 days, ground transfer, May to early July only.
Trips:
Cataract Express 2-Day
Explore CATARACT
Canyon in
360°
Cataract Canyon Rapids by Mile
Cataract's rapids use the
International Scale of River Difficulty, Class I to V, the standard system used on most American whitewater rivers. Because Cataract is free-flowing with no dam upstream, the class ratings move with the season. At the high water of May and June several rapids climb toward Class V, and the three Big Drops can merge into one continuous run. As flows drop through summer, the same rapids separate into more distinct, technical drops.
| RIVER MILE | RAPID | CLASS | WHAT IT IS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.7 BELOW CONFLUENCE | Brown Betty | III | The first real rapid below the long Stillwater float. The moment the trip changes character |
| 10.5 BELOW CONFLUENCE | Mile Long Rapids | III+ | A sustained run of whitewater rather than a single drop |
| 12 BELOW CONFLUENCE | Capsize Rapid | III+ | Named for exactly what you would guess |
| ~14 BELOW CONFLUENCE | Big Drop 1 | IV-V | The opening act of the Big Drops. A powerful wave train that sets up the two larger drops below |
| ~14 BELOW CONFLUENCE | Big Drop 2 (Little Niagara) | IV-V | Holds Little Niagara, a steep standing wave and hole near the center. One of the two most precise lines in the canyon |
| ~14 BELOW CONFLUENCE | Big Drop 3 (Satan's Gut) | IV-V | In low water flows this is hardly a problem, quite the opposite the higher water flows! |
Landmarks Along the Route
| RIVER MILE | PLACE | WHAT IT IS |
|---|---|---|
| MILE 0 | The Confluence | Where the Green River meets the Colorado and the two rivers double into one. The start of the whitewater |
| 47 MILES ABOVE CONFLUENCE | Stillwater Canyon | The 47-mile flatwater approach through red-rock calm before the first rapid |
| ALL OVER CANYONLANDS | Native American pictographs | Ancient rock art and ruins reachable on side-canyon hikes from the river |
How You Reach the River
Both Cataract trips begin in Moab. From there you transfer to the river and start downstream, drifting the flatwater of Stillwater Canyon through Canyonlands before the Confluence and the whitewater below it.
The Express Trip returns to Moab via ground shuttle, while the Cataract Classic 4-Day finishes with a scenic flight back over Canyonlands National Park to Moab. You'll see from the air the canyon you just spent four days inside: the Confluence,
the Big Drops, and the whole route laid out below you.
Get a Waterproof Cataract Canyon Map Guidebook
For a map you can take down the river, we recommend the waterproof Belknap Canyonlands River Guide, sold in the Western River store. It is the mile-by-mile guide river runners have carried through Cataract for decades, covering the Colorado through Canyonlands and the Green above the Confluence.
Adventure with confidence
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cataract Canyon located?
Cataract Canyon is in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, on the Colorado River. It begins at the Confluence, where the Green River meets the Colorado, and runs downstream through the whitewater to Lake Powell.
Western River's trips launch near Moab and journey through 47 beautiful miles of calm water before reaching the Confluence.
How difficult is Cataract Canyon, and what class are the rapids?
Roughly 30 named rapids, rated Class III to V on the International scale. Cataract is free-flowing, so the rapid ratings vary by season. Several rapids climb toward Class V during the May and June snowmelt.
How long does it take to float Cataract Canyon?
Western River runs it two ways. The Classic covers 95 river miles over four days and three nights. The Cataract Express runs the same 95 miles.
What are the Big Drops?
Three rapids named in order, Big Drop 1, 2, and 3, packed into less than a mile about 14 miles below the Confluence. Big Drop 2 features Little Niagara, and Big Drop 3 features Satan's Gut.
Which Western River trip covers which part of the map?
Both trips run the same 95 miles of Colorado River and whitewater rapids. The Cataract Canyon Classic is a 4-day, 95-mile trip through Canyonlands with three nights of camping and a scenic flight back to Moab. The Cataract Canyon Express covers the same stretch of river in just 2 days and runs May through July.
Does Cataract Canyon use the same rapid scale as the Grand Canyon?
No. Cataract uses the standard International Whitewater Rating Class I to VI scale. The Grand Canyon uses its own 1-to-10 whitewater classification system. A Class V in Cataract is like a "10" in the Grand Canyon.
Is there a printable or waterproof Cataract Canyon map?
We recommend the waterproof Belknap Canyonlands River Guide, which is the mile-by-mile guide river runners actually carry on the water.
Still curious to learn more? Contact us.
Plan Your Cataract Canyon Trip
Two ways to run the biggest whitewater on the Colorado in Utah.
Raft 95 miles of the Colorado River in two days. Run the legendary Big Drops and sleep beside the river in Canyonlands National Park before a shuttle back to Moab.
- Begins: Moab, Utah
- Best for: Quick Thrills
- Rapids: 30+ Class III-V
- Ages: 12+
Raft through Canyonlands National Park, run the legendary Big Drops, and camp beside the Colorado River beneath the stars. Return to Moab on a scenic flight.
- Begins: Moab, Utah
- Best for: Whitewater
- Rapids: 30+ Class III-V
- Ages: 12+ (10+ Jul–Sep)
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