Whitewater Rafting, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

For breathtaking views and whitewater rafting along the Colorado River, head to the Grand Canyon. Located just a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Las Vegas, the canyon measures more than 275 miles long and a mile deep.

There are many options for rafting on the Colorado River. Single-day whitewater-rafting trips offered by the Hualapai tribe. Wilderness River Adventures offers a three-and-a-half-day, 88-mile trip in the Upper Grand Canyon, including transport, camping accommodations, and all meals. You can also raft the Colorado River without an outdoor outfitter, though that requires a permit, issued by the National Park Service at least one year in advance.

See the park another way by hoofing it along Bright Angel or Kaibab trails from the South Rim to find the only lodging facility below the rim, Phantom Ranch. Open year-round, the 91-year-old lodge can only be reached by mule, foot, or raft on the Colorado River.