The Moab Daily section of the Colorado River is a favorite of families, dogs, and paddlers of all skill levels looking for an interesting, lively day trip or overnight river trip near Moab, UT. This 13-mile run winds through towering red rock formations, with rollicking rapids (Class I–III, depending on water levels), perfect for rafts, kayaks, SUPs, and packrafts.
No private-trip permit required, convenient access from Highway 128, and varied camping options make the Moab Daily an easy choice for Utah river adventures. This guide covers everything you need to plan your trip, including rapids, put-ins and take-outs, camping options, river conditions, shuttles, and required gear.
Table of Contents
Moab Daily River Trip at a Glance
| RIVER Colorado River in Utah | LOCATION Near Moab, UT |
| DISTANCE 13 miles | DIFFICULTY Class II-III, depending on flow |
| TYPICAL TRIP LENGTH Day trip or overnighter | PERMITTING Permit not required |
| PUT-IN Hittle Bottom | TAKE-OUT Take-Out Beach |
| CAMPING Designated river-right campsites and developed river-left campgrounds | ACCESS Utah Highway 128 |
Moab Daily rapids and river difficulty
This section has six named read-and-run Class II rapids at average flows. The BLM warns that in high water, some rapids can be considered Class III.
- Onion Creek Rapid: Straightforward, down-the-middle rapid. Watch for the campsites coming up on river right, as this is the largest cluster of designated campsites in this section.
- Professor Creek Rapid: Also a straight-ahead rapid. In low water, the better channel is on the right.
- Rocky Rapid: A boulder garden at low levels, with the best line generally in the middle.
- Whites Rapid: The most complex of the Moab Daily run, this rapid is along a left-turning bend. Stick to the middle channel to avoid large boulders on right and smaller rocks on the left.
- Salt Wash Rapid: This rapid is situated at an island. Run right of the island at higher water, left at lower water.
Check water flows on the Moab Daily
Water flows change the difficulty of the Moab Daily. For this section, check the Cisco gauge at USGS and reference recommended runnable levels at American Whitewater’s river info site. For more details about studying river flows, check out Researching Flows for Your River Trip.
Best time to raft the Moab Daily
The Moab Daily section of the Colorado River runs through the stunning Canyonlands area near Arches National Park. Its dramatic red rock formations include the Fisher Towers, which you can view from various angles in the upper section.
Typical of a high desert run, the Moab Daily can be hot in the summer, chilly at night in the shoulder seasons, and prone to high afternoon wind gusts as well as significant rain events during monsoon season. All in all, it’s a low-key float in generally good weather with legendary scenery and starry nights.
You have plenty of opportunities to extend your trip on the Colorado above and below the Moab Daily section. For example, if you’re running Westwater Canyon, you can float past the Cisco Landing takeout on through the Moab Daily. Although the Colorado is fairly sleepy through this section, you can choose from several put-in and take-out options, including Fish Ford Landing. (For details on camping and launch sites along this stretch, check out the RiverMaps Guide to Colorado and Green Rivers in the Canyonlands.)Â
Even at low water, the Colorado River moves along at a decent pace through this section, although strong canyon winds are always a potential hindrance, especially in the afternoon. Watch for monsoon rains that can cause dangerous flash flooding in camping areas.
Camping along the Moab Daily
Two camping experiences are available along the Moab Daily section. On river right, regular primitive campsites are designated and available on a first-come, first-served basis. On the left are developed campgrounds at the various launch sites accessible from Highway 128, which runs along the river throughout this section.
The campgrounds on river-left include group sites that can be reserved on Recreation.gov and individual campsites that are first-come, first-served and cost $20 per night (you can register for these on site). Most of these campgrounds include vault toilets, picnic tables, fire grates, and shade shelters.
River-left developed campgrounds and launch sites with access from Highway 128
| Location | Camping | River access |
| Hittle Bottom | 15 individual campsites and reservable group sites | Most common Moab Daily put-in, with easy trailer access |
| Onion Creek | 21 individual campsites and reservable group sites at Upper Onion and Lower Onion | Boat ramp, 3 miles downstream of Hittle Bottom |
| Rocky Rapid | No camping, no bathrooms | Boat ramp, 9 miles downstream of Hittle Bottom |
| Sandy Beach | No camping, but vault toilet is available | With no concrete boat ramp, this access point is better for small crafts |
Designated, primitive camps on river-right
River-right camps are designated and first-come, first-served. Most are clustered just below Onion Creek Rapid. You can also camp on sandbars.
- Onion Creek campsites 1 through 6 are located within a half-mile stretch just below Onion Creek Rapid, 3 miles from the Hittle Bottom launch area. A sandbar below Onion Creek 6 could be a potential campsite in low water.Â
- Peach Camp, about 5 miles downstream from Onion Creek 6 campsite, is a small camp available only a low to medium water.
- Whites Rapid camps 1 and 2 are two miles downstream of Peach. Whites Rapid 1 camp has some shade; Whites Rapid 2 is fairly large.Â
- Salt Wash Camp is the last river-right camp before you reach Arches National Park, where camping on river right is not allowed.Â
Tips for planning a Moab Daily trip on the Colorado River
- Study the guides: River resources we recommend for this stretch include
- Choose the best timing based on your group’s preferences: Summer trips can be hot, so consider a late spring or early fall run. This river is an ideal overnighter that gets busy during the summer, so also consider a midweek run to avoid crowds.
- Plan your campgrounds: Remember that the river-right campgrounds are few in number and first-come, first-served, so plan to get on the river early in the morning. As a backup plan, you can camp at one of the river-left designated campsites at one of the launch areas.
- Bring gear for all kinds of weather: Desert trips can run to extremes, with hot days, chilly nights, and potentially torrential rain. Check out our post on what to wear on the river in any weather conditions. For more specific gear recommendations, check out our tips for staying warm on cold-weather river trips and how to stay cool on hot-weather river trips.
- Plan your shuttle: Because the Moab Daily is just 13 miles and runs along Highway 128, you can easily run the shuttle yourself if your group has two vehicles. Or it’s an easy bike shuttle for a reasonably fit, enthusiastic bicyclist who doesn’t mind a few hills. If you prefer to book a commercial shuttle, check out the BLM’s list of permitted Moab Daily river shuttle providers.Â
- Plan ahead to comply with gear regulations for overnight trips:
- Firepan
- River toilet (check out our tips on choosing the best river groover for your group)
- Life jackets (PFDs) for every boater, which must be worn at all times on the river
- Adequate boat repair kits and pumps
- First aid kit appropriate to the group size and length of trip
For complete regulations, check the BLM’s Moab Daily guide for river runners. To ensure you have everything you’ll need, refer to Rafting Gear Checklist for Multi-Day River Trips.
Moab Daily: Family-friendly, easy family river trip
The Moab Daily is popular for good reasons: It’s easily accessible, requires no permit, and offers a pleasant string of Class II rapids among soaring red canyons walls. With multiple launch areas, it’s a go-to for families looking for a quick weekend rafting outing.
Frequently asked questions about the Moab Daily
The section of the Colorado River generally known as the Moab Daily is from the Hittle Bottom landing off Highway 128 to Take-Out Beach Landing, about a 13-mile run. Hittle Bottom is about 23 miles from the intersection of Highways 191 and 128 in Utah.
No permit is required to run this stretch. At 13 miles, it can be run as a day trip or an overnighter. If you plan to camp on the river, study the BLM’s regulations for on-river camping in the BLM’s Moab Daily guide for river runners.
Because Highway 128 runs along this stretch of the Colorado River, and the total river mileage is just 13 miles, you have 3 easy options: 1) Run the shuttle yourself with 2 vehicles, 2) bring a bicycle, drop a rig at the take-out, and bike back to Hittle Bottom, or 3) arrange a professional shuttle with one of the shuttle providers permitted by the BLM.
You have two options for camping along the Moab Daily run: 1) Developed campgrounds at the major river access points on river left, where individual campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis for $20 a night and group sites can be reserved at Recreation.gov. 2) Primitive camps on river right, most of which are just below Onion Creek rapid. Check out the camp section above for more details.
Yes, at average water flows, the Moab Daily section of the Colorado River is perfect for beginning rafters and kayakers. It has 6 rapids that are considered Class II at normal flows. Most are straightforward, read-and-run rapids. For rapid details, see the descriptions above.
Yes! To make sure your dog is comfortable and safe, check out our tips for bringing your dog on a river trip.
