Grand Canyon — From the River - bill miller photography

While there are millions of visitors to the canyon rims (vast majority to the South Rim), a relative few see the canyon while rafting on the river. The National Park Service estimates there are 11,000 to 13,350 annual rafters based on private and commercial trip data. We have had the good fortune to raft twice: the first time less than a week after 9/11 for a 4½ day trip, and in 2015, a 10 day trip covering 226 miles. Although there are a variety of river crafts to choose from, in both cases we chose a motorized raft trip. Both have also been in September, when the extreme summer heat has waned. Each night, we camped comfortably on a sandbar (camping pad and sleeping bag provided; tent if necessary or desired). The food was wonderful, and you can help in the “kitchen” if you want (but no pressure to do so). The scenery, day after day, is stunning, and each day, we stopped at least once for a hike up a side canyon. There are plenty of rapids, from a ripple to “hold on tight!” thrilling. At no time did we feel in the slightest danger. Interested? We booked each trip a year in advance as they are quite popular. These rafting expeditions have been the best (above water) trips we have ever taken.

The following is a particularly large gallery with photos from each day. In a sense, it tells a story from day 1 to day 10.>Return to Arizona

The Trip on the Colorado River Begins
Day 1 (9409)

Dark Comes Early
Day 1, Mile 23½. Asleep early then awoke after midnight to "blindling" starlight. (9671)

Milky Way from the Canyon
The Grand Canyon National Park received its Dark Sky Park designation from the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) in 2019, but it was just as dark in 2015. Day 1, Mile 23½ (9663)

Early Start
The cliffs are still short and the river is not very wide. Day 2

Redwall Canyon
Good reflections in calm water. Day 2, Mile 33 (9681)

Another Group Lands at Redwall Cavern
Using "guide power" for paddling down the river. Day 2, Mile 33. (9700)

Our Motor Raft — No Paddling
Eleven passengers and three crew members fit very comfortably in the raft with all our supplies. No paddling! Day 2, Mile 33 (9705)

Another Bend — So Many of Them
Day 2. (9715)

A Cavern Under Construction
Day 2 (9717)

Nankoweap Granaries
Very vertical hike, 600 feet above the river from our camping spot. The wall and the openings are reconstructions. Day 2, Mile 52. (9744)

The Colorado River from Nankoweap
For scale, find the motor raft and dory boats. Day 2, Mile 52 (9751)

A Trip of Dory Boats
Western river dories have extensive built-in buoyancy/storage areas with water-resistant hatches to shed water and keep the boat afloat, strong rowlocks, long oars, and long blade oars to operate in rapids. Day 3. (9758)

The Little Colorado River — looking muddy!
Day 3. Mile 62 (9770)

Confluence: Little Colorado River Flowing into the Colorado River
From this point on and for the remainder of the trip, and at this time of year, the Colorado River appeared muddy. But it's not. The coloration is due to the red rock grit in the water. Day 3, Mile 62 (9773)

Desert View Watchtower on South Rim
See the tower in the "From the Rim" gallery. Day 3, Mile ~65 (9790)

Stopping to Hike to the Unkar Mesa
Day 3, Mile 72. (9805)

Unkar Ruin at the Top of the Mesa
We are 400 feet above the river. Day 3, Mile 72½. (9830)

Overlooking Unkar Rapid & Delta
Atop Unkar Mesa with the Unkar Delta across the River. Day 3, Mile 72½ (9815)

Rafters Below Unkar Mesa
Day 3, Mile 71½. (9824)

Colorado River "S" Curve
Day 3, Mile 73+. (9828)

Clear Creek Hike — Up and Over For Access
Like most side canyon creeks, there are rapids at the mouth due to large boulders being deposited from torrential rain and flooding. In this location, there is not a good place for the raft to land, so we tied up before the rapids. This required a climb up a rock wall, and then over to access Clear Creek. Day 4, Mile 84½ (9839)

Need a Way Down to the Creek!
Day 4, Mile 84½. (9840)

Two Hikers Far into the Canyon
It was an easy walk in/out of the creek. Day 4, Mile 84½. (9841)

Clear Creek Canyon
In a narrow canyon, imagine the force of all of a storm's rainwater flowing down the canyon walls into a small area where the creek sits. Day 4, Mile 84½. (9865)

Clear Creek Canyon Waterfall
Day 4, Mile 84½. (9853)

First Shower in Four Days.
Refreshing! Day 4, Mile 84½. (9855)

Granite Rapids at Monument Canyon
Camping area at the end of Day 4, Mile 94. There was a dry area where I could capture the rapids as they appear to come straight at me. (9877)

Granite Rapids
Looking across the river. This is the action we would see the next morning. Day 4, Mile 94. (9890)

Getting Started in the Morning
Day 5, Mile 105. (9897)

Schist "Fluting"
Schist is a metamorphic rock that is easily split into flakes or slabs less than a half inch thick. Unusual erosion patterns can be observed in this area, so was a brief stop to explore. Day 5, Mile 114 (9942)

Elves Chasm Waterfall
Short, uphill, boulder-hopping hike. Day 5, Mile 117. (9974)

Elves Chasm Waterfall Play
Awkward? Day 5, Mile 117. Photo by Carl Galie

Elves Chasm Waterfall Play
Day 5, Mile 117. Photo by Carl Galie

Explorer's Monument
Day 5, Mile 117-118. (9975)

Looking Out from Our Campsite
Early evening, Day 5, Mile 121. (0002)

Star Trails in the Canyon
From ~10pm -2:15am, I set my camera to automatically take as many exposures as possible until the battery died. The result was 66 exposures; 4 min each @ f/4.0, ISO 400, 17mm focal length. All the images were stacked and combined in Photoshop. Love the variety of star colors. Day 5, Mile 121.

Early Morning Photoshoot
Good photo vantage point across the river from our campsite. The captain gave us about an hour to shoot before we rafted away. Day 6, Mile 121. (0010)

Just Before the Sun Rose Over the Bluffs
Day 6, Mile 121. (0015)

Just After Sunrise
Day 6, Mile 121. (0034)

Our Captain at the Helm
Packed and ready to go. Relaxin' while the photographers did their thing. Day 6, Mile 121. (0062)

Bighorn Sheep
Day 6, Unknown mile. (00740

Rafters — Above Deubendorff Rapid
Day 6, about Mile 131½. (0081)

Overtaking the Rafters.
Sean Flaherty's private group. We will see this group again . . . shortly. Day 6, about Mile 131½ (0083)

Deubendorff Rapid — We Made It
Now waiting at our lunch spot for Sean and his rafters to navigate the rapids. They staged their rafts behind the point. Day 6, Mile 132. (0089)

Here They Come
This was the only opportunity on this trip to photograph a group in the rapids. Day 6, Mile 132

The Look of Pleasure and Terror
Well done, Sean and team! They ended up stopping where we had lunch, so I got to meet Sean. He requested copies of my pix, and I accommodated him. Day 6, Mile 132

Camping Across the River from Deer Creek
Day 6, Mile 137

Deer Creek Waterfall
A popular stop to see the 180' waterfall (which is partially hidden in the rocks above it). Day 7, Mile 137 (0176)

Climbing High Above Deer Creek Waterfall
We spent almost a half day here, photographing the falls and hiking up to "The Patio". Day 7, Mile 137 (0189)

Park Service Checking Up on Us?
Day 7, Mile 137. (0196)

Slot Canyon Above Deer Creek
We followed Deer Creek above the waterfall, sometimes on a narrow shelf in a steep wall below and above.. Day 7, Mile 137 (0207)

Slot Canyon Above Deer Creek
Day 7, Mile 137 (0209)

Slot Canyon Above Deer Creek
Day 7, Mile 137 (0218)

Slot Canyon Above Deer Creek
Day 7, Mile 137 (0261)

Slot Canyon Above Deer Creek
Day 7, Mile 137 (0264)

Slot Canyon Above Deer Creek
Day 7, Mile 137 (0265)

Destination: "The Patio"
At the end of the slot canyon. A good place to relax and snooze in the shade for awhile. Day 7, Mile 137 (0250)

Sandbar Campsite — Always Different, Always Sand
Sleeping pad and bag, personal items & clothing, and camera gear. As our tour company told us in a briefing the night before we drove to Lee's Ferry, "Embrace the sand!" Day 7, Mile 146 (0294)

The Camp Kitchen — Wonderful Food
Day 7, Mile 146 (0291)

This is Livin'
A living room with a view! Day 6, Mile 146. (0293)

Havasu Canyon & Creek
To gain access, the captain had to land after the rapids at the mouth of the creek, requiring us to scramble up the rocks and take the high road. Day 8, Mile 157 (0339)

Worked Our Way Down to Havasu Creek
The high canyon trail soon descended to the creek. Day 8, Mile 157 (0298)

Havasu Canyon and Creek
Day 8, Mile 157 (0299)

Havasu Canyon and Creek
Day 8, Mile 157 (0301)

Havasu Water Slide 1
Day 8, Mile 157 (0319)

Havasu Water Slide 2
Day 8, Mile 157 (0321)

Havasu Water Slide 3
Day 8, Mile 157 (0324)

Havasu Water Slide 4
Day 8, Mile 157 (0323)

Crossing Havasu Creek
Day 8, Mile 157 (0334)

Entrance to National Canyon
Day 8, Mile 167

Following the Afternoon Light
National Canyon, Day 8, Mile 167

Dark Skies Milky Way
Day 8, Mile 168½ (0396)

Lava Falls — Calm Before the Storm
Day 9, Mile 179½ (from our 2001 trip).

Entering Lava Falls
Lava Falls is a powerful and challenging rapid, known for its turbulent waters and steep drop of about 30 feet. Day 9, Mile 179½ (from our 2001 trip).

Diamond Creek Take-out
Day 10, Mile 226, about noon. It was a seriously bumpy bus ride out of the canyon. Sometimes the route is impassible.

2015 Group Picture
Our group of eleven + the captain and two crew members. Diamond Creek, Day 10, Mile 226.

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