Whitewater Raft/Kayak Westwater Canyon, Utah

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Westwater Canyon is the first whitewater stretch on the Colorado River in Utah. The canyon is seventeen (17) miles long and includes Class IV rapids. This section is challenging at all water levels and is only recommended for experienced boaters. As with any remote river section, Westwater can be a very humbling and dangerous place if not treated with proper respect and ability. Due to heavy recreational demand and to protect the primitive nature of Westwater Canyon, permits are required year-round for private and commercial use. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees a permitting system for whitewater travelers for this section of the Colorado River, and boaters must follow special rules and regulations. Many boaters pack camping equipment in on rafts and make the 17-mile (27 km) trip from Westwater ranger station to Cisco landing over 1–2 days. The inner gorge of the canyon is made up of black Precambrian rock and contains class III and IV rapids which are sought after by whitewater enthusiasts. The most notable rapid, called"Skull", is the most significant. The geology of Westwater Canyon is very similar to nearby National Parks and Monuments such as Canyonlands National Park, Colorado National Monument, and Arches National Park. The uppermost rocks in the canyon date from the Triassic-Jurassic periods and are composed of the reddish, cliff-forming Wingate Sandstone atop the green to purple, slope-forming Chinle Formation. Within the inner gorge of Westwater, a large unconformity separates the Chinle Formation from the Precambrian basement rocks composed of metamorphic Vishnu Schist (black) and Zoroaster Granite (pink). Westwater Canyon and Ruby Canyon are the only places on the Colorado River outside of the Grand Canyon where Precambrian rocks are exposed.

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