Have you been wondering where to even start when it comes to planning a river trip? How do you know if you want a whitewater or scenic trip? Can you take a scenic whitewater trip? What are packrafts? Why would I use an inflatable kayak instead of a raft? What is an inflatable kayak anyway and how is it different than a packraft? How do I know what length trip to book, or what time of year is best to go rafting? Questions like these can be overwhelming, especially if you are the family planner and already have a million other logistics to juggle. This post is meant to be a guide to simplifying planning a river or rafting trip. It is not comprehensive, but hopefully gives you a good start.
Here’s how we’ll break this down:
Types of Rivers (basic classification and what it means in lay person terms, and natural flow vs. dam controlled)
Types of River Trips (1/2 day, multi-day, specialty, inclusive, backcountry, whitewater, scenic etc.)
Types of Boats (rafts, IK, packraft etc)
Seasons – When is best to get on the river?
Putting it all together – what does this mean to the vacation planner?
Types of Rivers - Basic river classification and layman's explanation
Rivers are around the globe are rated using the International Scale of River Difficulty, which utilizes six “classes” to rate both specific river features, as well as entire river sections. This system is not exact and rivers do not always fit easily into one class or category. Regional or individual interpretations may cause misunderstandings, which is why it is helpful to have a basic working knowledge of the system in order to better prepare yourself for questions and considerations that come up when looking to book a rafting trip. To read our full blog post on river ratings click here.
The most common ratings you will encounter when planning a rafting trip in Wyoming are below. We have included a brief description of what that might feel like in lay persons terms as well as a link to appropriate trips.
Class I and II – These are the lowest end of the rating system and generally indicate family friendly, a little mellower, appropriate for a wide array of individuals. Class I is fast moving water with riffles and small waves. Something that makes Class I different than a lake is that there is current, you can not stop it’s forward progress. Few obstructions, all obvious and easily missed with little training. Risk to swimmers (people who have jumped in or fallen in) is slight; self-rescue is easy. Class II, straightforward rapids with wide, clear channels which are evident without scouting (getting out of the boat to walk the shore line and assess hazards from land as well as look for a clear route and plan how to minimize risk when attempting that route in the boat). Think of class two has big splashy fun waves, an exciting rafting experience that will get you wet, but low likelihood of falling out of the boat. You will have to participate to stay in the boat though.
Trips that have exciting Class II
Class III – Complex maneuvers in fast current and good boat control in tight passages or around ledges are often required; large waves or strainers may be present but are easily avoided. Strong eddies and powerful current effects can be found, particularly on large-volume rivers. scouting is advisable for inexperienced parties. Think of class III as the intermediate rafting. It requires physical fitness and participation. Guests on class III sections will need to be able to paddle for up to an hour at a time, remain sitting upright without a backrest for up to an hour at a time. Class three are exciting like class II but with higher risk to swimmers. In Wyoming hazards include, prolonged cold water exposure, down trees in the waterway, rocks and wild animals in the river corridor. Long rapids in rivers holding snowmelt, mean you may be in the water for longer while the guide and remaining passengers continue navigating the boat down the course.
Exciting Class III and sometimes low IV
North Fork of the Shoshone Full Day Trip
Two Day Trip – inclusive stay at a ranch
Class IV – This is advanced territory. Rapids may require “must” moves above dangerous hazards. Scouting may be necessary the first time down. Risk of injury to swimmers is moderate to high, and water conditions may make self-rescue difficult. The North Fork of the shoshone in early Spring is sometimes low class IV or III+ because of the increased hazards to swimmers, fast pace of the water, and increased hazards caused by side canyons flooding. If you have folks in your party who are not terribly mobile or young kids, this is not the trip for you. We like to encourage folks to choose a trip that will be exciting but not pushing people so far out of their comfort zones they are scared. That is harder for guides and for clients.
North Fork of the Shoshone Full Day Trip
Other words used to describe rivers
Natural Flow Rivers
Natural flow rivers are rivers who’s flows are not impeded or changed by manmade objects in anyway. That means, if it starts as a spring in the mountains, it flows downhill at the natural gradient of the landscape and mountains all the way to it’s confluence with another river or the lake/ocean it is traveling toward. Some natural flow rivers are spring fed, others are fed by melting snow. The North Fork of the Shoshone River near Yellowstones east gate and Cody Wyoming is a natural flow river—fed by snowmelt primarily and some springs. It tends to be a cold river year round. Natural Flow rivers typically have a higher flow season when snow and ice are melting quickly, and a lower flow season. When springs are flowing slowly because of freezing temps and snow is not melting.
Dam Controlled Rivers
Just as they sound, dam controlled rivers are just that. Rivers who have been plugged up at some point for the purpose of giving humans greater control over how much water to send downstream for human uses—such as power generation, agriculture, drinking and municipal uses. Dam controlled rivers also usually have a high and low flow season but it does not correspond as closely with the seasons as natural flow rivers. A dam controlled river will start from a reservoir or body of water acting as the storage tank for the region. As spring runoff brings more water into reservoirs from natrually flowing rivers filling it up, the outflow may increase, but not necessarily by the amount coming into the reservoir. The main goal of the reservoir is to fill up with water and stay at or near carrying capacity. If a reservoir was low, the hydrologist at the dam prioritize keeping water in the reservoir and only release the minimum required flow. However if a lot of water is coming into a reservoir and they need to release some to keep it at carrying capacity, more water will be released downstream.
In Cody Wyoming our dam controlled main shoshone section provides consistent and fairly predictable flows for the majority of the Summer.
Types of River Trips - Deciding what type and length river trip is right for you
Scenic
This generally means that a river trip is all Class I, flat water. There is current, but pretty much anyone can come along and the main goal is to float leisurely along admiring the landscape. While Wyoming River Trips does not currently offer this definition of a scenic trip (i.e. no class II fun rapids) we do offer several trips that have incredible scenery and long stretches of flat water. The rapids are usually quite welcome when they arrive and are short and sweet. 1/2 day and Lower Canyon
White Water
A white water trip is just that, there are rapids of some kind. It will generally have great scenery and slower sections too, but passengers can expect to get splashed and a little hootin’ and hollerin. This is a general term that includes Class II-V. Our 1/2 day adventure features mostly class II with a little Class III wave train that will leave you giggling like a little kid.
quick and easy
Quick and easy designations and 1 hour designations are between 1 hour and 1. 5 hours on the river. That river time does not include arrival at the office, check in, last minute waiver signing or changing or drive time back to the office. At Wyoming River trips, we have a private river access where we start our 1 hour and quick and easy trips. That makes our drive time to the put in, about 5 minutes and our drive time back between 10 and 15 minutes. We ask guests to arrive at our office 20 minutes before departure time. In total, quick and easy river adventures will use between 2 and 2.5 hours of your day. See our 1 hour raft or kayak if you are looking for the shortest trip.
1/2 day
At Wyoming River Trips a half day trip means it will use up about 1/2 your day. If you join us at 9am, expect to be on the water for between 2 and 2.5 hours and to dedicate between 3 and 3.5 hours of your day to your river trip. That has you off the water right around lunch time. If you join us in the afternoon, expect the same amount of time and you will be back in time for happy hour or an early dinner. Wyoming River trips 1/2 day rafting trip.
Full Day
Wyoming River Trips Full Day Trips leave at 8am and include lunch, snacks, beverages, on water activities like hiking and longer breaks to enjoy and learn about flora, fauna, fungi, geology and human history. If you are joining us on the North Fork, you will be on the water for about 4 hours with an 1.5 hours of drive time. If you are joining us in town, you will be on the water for about 4 hours with only about 30 minutes of drive time. Our North Fork trips usually arrive back in town right around 3pm. Believe us, it feels like a very full and satisfying day!
Multi-Day
Multi- day trips mean you are sleeping out next to the river at a river camp on have lodging that you stay at between multiple days in a row of rafting. Currently we are offering 2 day rafting trips with a stay at a historic ranch. It’s not because we don’t like camping (we love camping!), it’s because the river corridor is critical grizzly bear habitat and we are not allowed to camp on it’s banks. Schleping your river gear 1/4 mile away from the river to set up camp does not sound as appealing to us as parking it at a historic cabin and enjoying a professionally cheffed dinner while we watch the sunset. See our two day offerings here!
Backcountry
Backcountry river trips mean you spend multiple-days in a backcountry (no cell service, no internet, sometimes hiking and portaging) environment. There are different ways to travel in the back country. You can see some of our backcountry trips here.
Types of Boats Used to Navigate White Water and Rivers
There are many types of boats in this world and we could not possibly cover them all in this paragraph. We will outline the types of boats we use. And, a few of the rental options in the Cody area.
Rafts
Wyoming River trips primarily uses rafts to navigate our waterways. Rafts are the big boats that seat 6-10 people and can either be paddled or rowed (that is when you see oars on a rowing frame, like on a fishing boat). Rafts will have a place to tuck your feet for stability, tubes to sit on, and are self-bailing. Self bailing means they have holes in the floor that allow water to come in but also flow out. If a big wave crashes on a raft, guests are sitting higher in the water and will take on less water than some of the craft below. If you or someone in your group is nervous about white water river trips or it’s your first time, we do recommend trying a raft first. Rafts often feel a bit more secure, you are working as a team, and the guide can move nervous passengers to different positions that might work better for their nerves and or ability.
Inflatable Kayaks
Inflatable kayaks are like mini rafts that seat 1 or two passengers. They are still pretty heavy compared to other personal inflatables we will get into in a minute, which gives them a little more stability in the water. Our inflatable kayaks are self-bailing, which means they have tiny holes that let water in and out. If a big wave crashes on you, the water can leave. These holes in the floor also allow the boat to “hug” the river and stay in the current more easily as well as be more stable if guests have good body position. Inflatable kayaks are guided, but the guide will not be in your boat with you. Guests in IK’s will be paddling their own boat and following a guide- both their boat and their instructions. See our minimum requirements for who can ride in a kayak. IK’ers will be sitting much lower to the water, so Class II waves will feel much larger to you because instead of being 2 feet above the water, you are only about 8 inches above the water. IK’s are best for folks who are not afraid of getting wet, want a big water feel and can keep their wits about them should they find themselves swimming a rapid.
Packrafts
Packrafts are often confused for IK’s but they are not the same. Packrafts were developed as a way of traveling long distances across country and using the waterways as trails when you no longer had an easy route by foot. They go hand in hand with backpacking Although, many trips can be done without hiking. The boat itself is a way to pack items around. All your camping equipment and food can be stored in the tubes. They are lightweight and require care to ensure they last a long while. At Wyoming River Trips, we often teach packrafting clinics which involve familiarizing folks with the equipment and how to plan a trip. To read more about packrafts go here.
Seasonality - What you can Expect Rivers To Be like in Cody during Spring, Summer and Fall
This is one of the last factors impacting your choice of river rafting trip. At Wyoming River Trips, one of our most common question is “What time of year is best to go rafting?” And, possibly our most commonly heard misconception the river is similar, “rafting is only fun on a hot day in Summer.”
The truth is, the river has different seasons just like sports of all other kinds. You don’t skip the football game because it’s not Summer. Likewise, rafting is fun in all seasons and for different reasons. You can dress accordingly and be quite comfortable on a cooler day. Often mid Summer is hotter than people realize and can be less enjoyable for some folks. Wyoming River Trips provides extra layers on cool days—splash tops and bottoms are included in all our pricing. If it is necessary to be comfortable that day, our guides will get you outfitted upon arrival. On extra cold days, we even provide wetsuits. Most days wetsuits are not required and simply dressing as indicated in your confirmation email will make the edition of splash gear enough.
In Wyoming Late Spring, Summer and Early Fall are the best times to go rafting if you are looking for a little whitewater. If you are looking for calm stretches or to bird hunt, late fall early Winter will be your best bet. Below are what you can expect from the North Fork of the Shoshone and the Main Shoshone rivers in Cody Wyoming during the different seasons.
Spring
North Fork – Expect Class II-III whitewater, cold water, part sun part clouds, air temp 50s-low 70s until second week of June. Peak flows
Main Shoshone – Expect Class II-III whitewater, cold water, part sun part clouds, air temp 60s-70s until early June. Peak flows
Summer
North Fork – Expect Class II-IV whitewater, cold water, part sun part clouds, air temp 70s until end of June, 75-80’s until mid July. Flows decreasing.
Main Shoshone – Expect Class II-III whitewater, cold water, mostly sun, air temp 70’s-0’s middle July. Peak flows continue.
Late Summer
North Fork – Class I- II, unrunnable rapids for bigger rafts, cold water, part sun part clouds, air temp 50s-low 70s until end of August. Low flows.
Main Shoshone – Expect Class II-III whitewater, cold water, mostly sun with afternoon rain showers, air temp 80’s-70’s until end of August, mid September. Flows begin decreasing.
Fall
North Fork – Expect this to be wading only, no rafting or small boats even. Great fishing and lots of wildlife like bears, moose etc. Low flows.
Main Shoshone – Expect Class II-III whitewater, cold water, part sun part clouds, air temp 80’s-60’s until early June. Flows remain low but fun until the harvest season is over (end of Sept). Once agricultural needs decrease, we are in low flows.
Putting It All Together - What this means to the Vacation Planner
OK so what does all this info mean for the vacation planner? It means you can think a little more objectively about what kind of weather, season, class rapids are available and would be exciting to you and your family as you plan your river trip. This information is a great foundation for which to stat formulating better questions about what type of adventure you all are really looking for and how your time constraints might limit your options.
Don’t forget, anytime is the best time for a river trip. Seriously. We often float mid winter just for the sheer beauty of it and contrasting colors. Here is what we suggest you do with that information:
Step one: Be honest about who is in your group and what they will be excited about—length of trip, level of adventure/excitement, and their ability level (i.e. do they have experience hiking and camping without facilities for multiple days, or would they need some lessons?)
Step two: Check what river trips are offered the time of year you will be in Cody, Wyoming or near Yellowstone National Park. Not all river sections will be open year round. You can use our “seasonality” section to see what the North Fork of the Shoshone and Main Shoshone would be like during that time of year. Remember, you may be here during cooler weather, but that might be the best (meaning biggest) whitewater flows. Early on the North Fork = peak flows.
Step three: Given the time of year you will be here, decide how many of your group want to be in a raft (sitting higher out of the water, and often drier) and how many want to be in inflatable kayaks (sitting lower in the water, more adventurous and definitely wetter.) If you want more adventure or dont see the trip you want during the time of year you want, call us! 307-587-6661 Wyoming River Trips is more than happy to help you choose the river adventure that is right for you and your group.
Step four: Book your trip!
