OARS has been offering Colorado River rafting trips since 1969 and was selected as the first exclusively oar-powered rafting outfitter authorized to run trips on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon in 1972. Since then, OARS has earned a reputation for maintaining the gold standard for river trips.

Our family-owned and operated company is as passionate as ever about introducing people to our cherished rivers and wild places and showing our guests the best outdoor experience of their lives. OARS employs the most experienced oar-powered guides in the Canyon, many of whom have been with the company for more than 30 years. Our full-time Grand Canyon rafting and dory guides are legends in their own time and know the Colorado River’s best-kept secrets. Their enthusiasm, knowledge, and years of experience are unmatched in the industry.

Our Grand Canyon expeditions on the Colorado River use two different types of oar-powered boats: inflatable self-bailing rafts or hard-hulled dories. Both vessels hold four passengers plus a guide who pilots the boat with a long pair of oars. 

Because rafts are inflatable, they ride on top of the water and have a certain amount of “give.” In big whitewater, they tend to flex a little and plow through the tops of waves. They are self-bailing boats, meaning all the water that splashes in drains out through holes between the inflatable floor and the side tubes. 

The dories are sleek, elegant boats made of fiberglass, wood, and foam. Being a hard-hulled boat, a dory has no “give.” When a large wave hits, it is lifted, providing a more pronounced, up-and-down ride through the rapids. As a passenger in a dory, you will assist in bailing the water out of the boat using a handheld bucket. You need to be agile enough to quickly shift your weight to the “high side” of the boat when called upon by the guide, to help keep the boat from tipping over.

No two river trips are ever the same, but with OARS, you can count on a high standard of customer service, top-notch equipment, delicious meals, and some of the best Grand Canyon guides in the industry providing you with a trip of a lifetime. Find out more about the OARS multi-day river trip experience, including what to expect on the river, camp life, food, and more.

For many, the chance to explore remote areas of Grand Canyon National Park and its geological wonders is the biggest appeal of a Grand Canyon raft or dory trip. In general, longer trips tend to offer more time to explore trails and side canyons, but even shorter trips through the Whitmore Wash to Pearce Ferry corridor offer opportunities to step off the boats, stretch your legs, and hike to hidden petroglyph panels, shady alcoves and spring-fed waterfalls.

The weather at the bottom of the canyon along the river is typically 20-30 degrees hotter than the temperature at the rim. For Grand Canyon river trips from Whitmore Wash to Pearce Ferry, which typically run May through early-September, temperatures and weather can fluctuate greatly throughout the day regardless of the month. 

May is one of the most popular months to raft in Grand Canyon. In May, the average temperatures are typically pleasant, ranging from 63-92°F, and weather patterns are more consistent. By early June, the days are hot and nights are cool. Moving into July, it’s not uncommon for the temperature at river level to rise above 110-degrees. At the same time, temperatures can suddenly plummet and bring rain storms and even late summer monsoons, especially in August. Rafters should be prepared for extreme conditions in Grand Canyon for any trip, during any season.

*Average temps based on 30 years of data collected at Phantom Ranch, courtesy of WeatherBase.com.

Bar 10 Ranch couples the seclusion and serenity of a remote wilderness area with the convenience of a beautiful lodging facility. Lodging accommodations include western-style bunks (four to a room) and two-person covered wagons. There’s also a Trading Post that carries snacks, sodas, film, curios, t-shirts, caps, souvenirs, and river supplies. All meals, including a buffet-style chuck wagon lunch and hearty Dutch-oven supper, are provided.

While staying at the ranch, guests can explore scenic trails, play horseshoes, ride horses, skeet shoot, join a sunset ATV tour (additional cost), or simply relax.