Guide to Rafting the Ruby-Horsethief Canyons on the Colorado River
flat water desert float with Grand Canyon-ish views
June 26th, 2023
Ruby-Horsethief is a great float for rafts, but still has enough features for kayakers to play! Photo by Josette Deschambeault.
Want easy-going rafting in a Grand Canyon-esque aesthetic? Add red rock arches and big sandy beaches and you’ve got the float of your life. Welcome to the Ruby-Horsethief section of the Colorado River.
Location: Loma, Colorado to Westwater, Utah
Distance: 25.3 miles
Days: 2-3 days
Average gradient: 3.8 ft/mile
Best season: May-October (But year-round!)
Permits/Fees: Only for campsites
Difficulty: Class I/II
Recommended Max Flow: 30,000 CFS
Recommended Min Flow: 2,500 CFS
First-time overnight rafting? Family float with the youngsters? Booze cruise with not-so-confident swimmers? Relaxing and romantic float for two? Learning to row?
Any of these is reason enough to pack your gear and head to the Colorado-Utah border for a beautiful flatwater desert float. The oranges and reds of Vishnu Schist — the same rock that graces the walls of the Grand Canyon — ebbs and flows on its way to Moab-worthy arches and incredible side hikes while desert waterfalls, rippling cottonwoods, and sandy beaches await around the campsites. The Ruby-Horsethief Canyons float on the Colorado River is a year-round, laid-back adventure for anyone to enjoy.
Quick Facts
This section of the Colorado River flows through traditional Ute territory.
Petroglyphs can be found 18.1 river miles up a short hike to a beautiful canyon.
Vishnu Schist, which comprises the Ruby-Horsethief canyon walls, is the type of rock found in the Grand Canyon. This rock is a combination of hornblende and quartz, and was part of a deep ocean trench around 1.8 billion years ago.
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Chad Culler paddling towards a Black Rocks camp — and a hearty dinner. Photo by Matt McDonald.
Highlights
Big, sandy beaches
Awesome, moderate-difficulty side hikes
Petroglyphs
Desert waterfalls
Stone arches
Wildlife viewing potential for desert bighorn sheep
Low-consequence river that’s great for beginners
Challenges
Mosquitos
Large group campsites not too far from each other
Small, steep boat ramp at put-in (Loma, CO)
Popular boat ramp at take-out (Westwater, UT)
This is a great float for everyone—whether it’s your first raft trip, or your first raft trip post-shoulder surgery! Photo by Matt McDonald.
Best Season
Summer-Fall (Year-Round Ability)
The author floated this section in the height of July and loved every second of it. Other raft friends have floated this section in October, and have planned trips down again in March. While it’s possible to float year-round thanks to the big beach campsites and constant water flows, you should take into consideration the weather and water levels you prefer before launching.
Want a hot-weather float that will feel nice and cool when you jump in? Aim for mid-summer. Want a cooler-weather fishing trip and afloat through changing leaves? Go for September or October. Want to get away from everyone and still use your boat mid-winter? A February rafting trip could be right up your alley... with proper clothing, of course.
Difficulty and Skills
Rapids: Class I/II
This stretch of river is great for rafts, kayaks, inflatable kayaks, dories, stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), or canoes. It’s calm, for the most part, but can be powerful enough to need a paddle or oar to move way from rocks or strong eddylines. Inflatable inner-tubes are not allowed on this stretch of river, so don’t plan on floating down in those! Unless you plan to SUP through rocky sections or whitewater kayak and roll, you won’t need a helmet. However, everyone needs a Coast Guard-approved PFD. We still suggest that you take a Swiftwater Rescue Course prior to participating in any water-related sport, even if it’s a lower-consequence stretch of river.
CFS: 2,500-30,000
To check the CFS, you can go to American Whitewater’s gauge page, or directly to the SnoFlo’s page. Look for the Most Recent Instantaneous Value section of the Daily Discharge table.
The author rafted this section at around 25,000 CFS and had an absolute blast. Every part of the river was Class I except for one section just past the Black Rocks campsites, where converging eddylines made a small whirlpool and could suck down the stern of a kayak or tube suck a raft, and had a few pour-over rocks to avoid right after the right-hand bend. While this was pretty strong compared to the rest of the river, this section was still Class II at most.
Matt McDonald takes the oars on a sunny stretch. Photo by Josette Deschambeault.
Permits
Do I need permits for a Ruby Horsethief Rafting Trip?
Campsite Permits are required for those who do it as an overnight trip or multi-day trip
No river permit is required for single-day use (but if you want to row 25 miles in a day, good on you!)
Where to get permits for ruby horsethief
Permits are available year-round from Recreation.gov. There is a fee for the overnight camping permit and reservation from April-October. 16 years old and under camp for free. There is a maximum of 25 individuals per group, including adults, children, and dogs. (Yes, dogs are considered part of your permit's group total, just like adult participants. Fees are charged for dogs just as they are for adults over 16. There is a strict two-dog rule per party. Do not test the river cops on this.)
Note: November-March, an overnight camping permit is required, however, only the reservation fee ($6) is charged. Recreation fees for camping are not charged November-March. So your winter/early spring trip is a total of $6. You’re welcome.
what is the cost for a Camping Permit and Recreation Fee by Group Size?
1-5 people — $20/night
6-14 people — $50/night
15-25 people — $100/night
Permit information (and reservations) can be found here.
Make sure that your permit is printed out and somewhat-easily accessible at all times. Take it from the author’s friend, a former River Ranger on the Colorado and the Salmon; there’s nothing “river cops” love more than making you unpack your whole dry bag to find your permit!
There is a non-refundable $6 reservation fee for every party.
Full trip requirements can be found here.
Gorgeous colors and calm water are perfect for relaxing floats. Photo by Josette Deschambeault.
Route Summary
The Ruby-Horsethief section of the Colorado River is almost like a little Grand Canyon float—minus the extreme walls, isolation, expense, and huge rapids. This is the amusement park version of that wild desert float. The red-hue rock gives way to desert scrub every few miles, while thick cottonwood trees crowd the water at times to gulp up their dozens of gallons of drink every day.
The desert sun offers little respite, which is great if you’re looking to stay warm, work on your tan, or it’s a winter trip—but bring a hat, umbrella, or lots of sunscreen if you’re out there in the summer. Stone arches dazzle on the dozens of side-hikes you can take from almost every campsite, and the howl of coyotes or the lull of chirping birds (even at night) will help you drift to sleep along the sandy beaches.
The FarOut App for Ruby Horsethief Canyon shows your location on the route relative to campsites, hikes, and other features. It’s available for iOS and Android.
Maps
FarOut guides has an app for Rafting the Ruby Horsethief canyons as part of their Whitewater app series. It includes campsites, side hikes, and swimming holes. It’s available for iOS and Android.
The BLM has a downloadable map of the campsites and topography.
A user on MountainBuzz made this Google Maps outline with all of the campsites marked.
Exploring the side canyons along the river. Photo by Matt McDonald.
Put-In and Take-Out
Put In
Loma Boat Ramp (39.1737982, -108.809892)
Nearest town: Loma, CO (Fruita, CO is bigger and not too far away)
Fruita is a mountain biking haven with a small rafting problem. It’s got rental companies, grocery stores, restaurants, and hotels to help you start your float trip off right. You’ll exit right off of I-70 and travel backward a bit down a dirt road. On busy days, the parking lot at the top of the hill is double-parked, but there is a small turn-around for your car and trailer just above the steep boat ramp hill-just come with confidence in your backing abilities and pray no one’s been mean and parked their trailer up there.
Take Out
Westwater Ranger Station (39.1734417, -109.0878853)
Nearest town: Agate, UT
Agate is technically the closest town to Westwater, but since Fruita in western Colorado (about 1.5 hours from Glenwood Springs) is pretty close by, count on that instead. Shuttling your vehicle down the washboard dirt road to the Westwater boat ramp ahead of your trip can seem like it’s taking forever, but just settle back and enjoy the desert ramble (more on shuttling below). There’s ample parking for cars and trailers at a parking lot before the Ranger Station, and a great place to turn around trailers and back in just past the Ranger Station. (Plan to pack your trash out, as there aren’t public trash cans here.)
Rentals & Shuttle Services
Rimrock Adventures should be your go-to for both rentals and shuttle services. They can provide full raft setups or just the essentials that you’ll need to pass the river cop inspection-fire pan, groover (and they’ll dump it for you!), spare oars and paddles, and more.
You can also shuttle a vehicle to the take out yourself if you have friends coming along—just crack a bubbly beverage at the put-in if you’re not a part of the shuttle, because the road conditions mean it may take a minute.
You can also self-shuttle if you have more than one vehicle and the desire to drive. Most people self-shuttle (or "run the shuttle," as you'll hear most boaters say) to save money. The idea is to be as efficient with rigging your boat as possible—if you have 5 people going on the trip, have 2 people with different vehicles run the shuttle while the remaining 3 people pack and rig your boat. If you can have the boat ready to go as soon as the shuttle returns, you've done a good job.
Why do you need two vehicles, you ask? Every trip needs some way to get from the take-out back to the put-in. You want to leave a car at the take-out since that's your finish line, but you still need to have all of your participants at the put-in to begin your trip. A lot depends on the variables (are you closer to the take-out than the put-in, does it make sense to have everyone rig at the put-in first, or just drop a car at the take-out and pile in a vehicle up to the put-in, etc.) that are best discussed with your group to ensure smooth communication. At the end of the day, you want to have a vehicle at the end of your trip, and you need a way to get to the starting point. The in-between is all up to you.
Post Trip Favorite Restaurant
The Hot Tomato is a kick-butt pizza joint in Fruita, but Fiesta Guadalajara also hits the spot with giant margs and incredible chimichangas. Grab your hot coffee from Aspen Street Coffee Co. and your cold brews from Copper Club Brewing Company; you won’t regret it.
Rules and regulations
Follow Leave No Trace Ethics.
For human waste: #1, the solution to pollution is dilution; since you can float it, the flow rate will be high enough to urinate directly into the river. For #2, each group is required to carry a groover that fits the size and length of your party’s trip. If you bring pets, remember to bag their waste separately - no dog poo allowed in the groover!
Each party must carry out all charcoal, fire ash, garbage (including dishwater waste), pet waste, and solid human waste out of the river area.
Campfires may only be had in firepans.
Cutting wood for campfires is forbidden.
Do not take any archaeological artifacts. Do not damage historical, cultural, or archaeological artifacts or areas.
Strain all kitchen wastewater. Pack out all trash, including kitchen scraps. Don’t pollute the river with extra food!
Carry a printed and signed version of your permit on your person at all times. Rangers will check for your permit and the required gear.
Only two dogs are allowed per party, and they count as two members of your group. (25 heartbeats total.)
Follow Leave No Trace ethics with regards to dogs and wildlife as you may see bighorn sheep and mule deer.
All overnight river users must have an assigned, reserved campsite.
No fireworks or recreational shooting.
Required gear:
First aid kit sufficient for treating serious injuries and adequate for the size of the group.
A repair kit with adequate materials to repair the types of boats used on the trip (rafts and kayaks use different repair kit materials).
Air pump to inflate boats (like rafts or inflatable kayaks).
A reusable toilet system or waste containment system (groover), which must be adequate for the size of group and length of trip.
A durable metal fire pan at least 12 inches in diameter with at least a 2-inch lip around its outer edge sufficient to contain the fire and remains. Fire pans must be carried on all trips even if stoves are being used for cooking, and all fires must be contained in the fire pan. Fire blankets for use under fire pans are recommended.
Correctly sized personal flotation devices (PFDs) for all participants. Children under 13 years old must wear PFDs at all times when on the water.
Each boat must have an extra oar, paddle, or motor capable of maneuvering the vessel in case of emergency. (Parties of only kayaks must have one spare paddle for every three vessels.) Packrafts count as an inflatable kayak, since they have a paddle. No tubes, because they're too delicate and ineffective at maneuvering.
Each boat must have a bail bucket or bilge pump (this doesn’t apply to self-bailing boats, kayaks, and inflatable kayaks).
Every raft (or boat 12+ feet long) must have a rescue rope and a whistle.
Campsite Planning
Recreation.gov permits allow you to plan out your campsites for the length of time that you are planning to be on the water. Make sure that your campsites go in order (upriver to downriver) each night, so that you don’t book a campground for night 1 at Mile 20 downriver and night 2 at Mile 3 downriver.
Water Planning
The river water is potable, but we’d definitely bring a filtration system along. You can also bring water jugs along with you, especially if you’re planning on bringing rafts. Strap a few into the bow for ballast, and you’re set to go at every camp.
Bears and Food Storage
There are no bear canister requirements, but it is a good idea to keep all your food collected in coolers and drybags overnight. Designate a kitchen area away from your sleeping area.
Side hikes and scrambles bring variety to this trip. Photo by Matt McDonald.
Side Trips
Rattlesnake Canyon Arches
They rival the famous arches in Arches National Park. You can scramble to the top of the cliffs or gaze up from underneath these beautiful stone arches.
Mee Canyon Side Hike
Another great ramble to stretch your legs on land. Check out that beautiful red rock you’ve been drifting by up close.
Petroglyphs
There are several petroglyphs along the canyon walls throughout the entire float. Enjoy them, but please do not disturb them.
Getting There
Flying
If you’re coming from afar, fly into Grand Junction, CO (or Denver, where the airfare’s cheaper).
Car Rentals
You’ll need to rent a car to get to Fruita (easy to do from the Grand Junction airport or the Denver airport), but you can rent all of your gear from Rimrock Adventures. Accommodations in Fruita, CO, or Grand Junction, CO will make your trip staging even easier.
Driving Times
If you prefer to drive, here are common drive times and mileages to the put-in at Loma Boat Ramp, Colorado:
Denver - 4.25 hours, 260 miles
Salt Lake City - 4 hours, 270 miles
Boise - 9 hours, 600 miles
Bozeman - 10.5 hours, 675 miles
Seattle - 16.5 hours, 1095 miles
Road Conditions
The road into the Westwater boat ramp (take-out) can be washboarded and hole-riddled, so be prepared to take some additional time with that if your car or trailer doesn’t have the greatest suspension. We would leave the sedan at home for this one; bring out the 4WD for muddy times, and higher clearance vehicles for washboard roads, big dips, and rocks in some wash-out areas.
Kayaker floating beyond one of the many great side hikes along the Ruby-Horsethief stretch. Photo by Matt McDonald.
Gear List
TENT
While the weight and the size may be a bit excessive, this is river camping—excess room is welcome room so we used a car camping tent. We recommend a tent that sets up fast and has a wide stargazer mesh that is perfect for keeping out bugs and letting in the wilderness sky. See our Best Camping Tents story for our recommendations.
TARP
Pack a 10’x10’ tarp for shelter, but know that bigger tarps can be helpful for larger groups. Tarps can turn a rainy evening into one of the best group hangout nights, and give you a dry place to make that kick-butt masala you’ve been waiting to whip up.
BOAT
We recommend a raft between 9’ and 16’ long, depending on how many people you’ll have in the boat and how much gear you’re bringing. Groups can bring inflatable or hardshell kayaks, but rafts can carry more gear. (Just saying.) We also brought an inflatable SUP to play around with and had a great time.
This trip is possible solo with a packraft or small raft set up—just know you're going to be packed chock-full of required gear like a groover, fire pan, etc. I would advise going solo in a small raft set up or a canoe with more room. Another option if you’re flying in and don’t want to rent could be one of the burlier folding Oru kayaks. Or a big ol' packraft.
See our Best Inflatable Kayaks and Best Packrafts guide for more recommendations.
SLEEPING BAG
The Marmot Elite 20 was plenty warm enough on our mid-summer and colder desert nights in the fall. The extra insulation provided by Paco pads or sleeping pads helped with cold ground, too. However, one 60F summer night felt stifling hot and another 50 degree Fahrenheit night was more comfortable, so plan for variable temps even in summer! See our Best Camping Sleeping Bags guide. Or if you’re using a smaller boat like a packraft, consider a smaller volume backpacking sleeping bag.
SLEEPING PAD
We used Klymit and Thermarest sleeping pads, but Paco Pads are also great ideas. They provide cushion on the boat and insulation at night. See our Best Camping Mattresses guide for more recommendations. Or if you’ve got a smaller boat, see our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads guide for more recommendations on sleep systems.
COOKING SYSTEM
We used two 2-burner propane stoves with cast iron pans and added a soup pot for pasta. We set up our stoves within our fire pan on the beach or on a rock for extra fire precaution, as our summer trip was in the midst of moderate-high fire danger.
We kept a Nalgene of water close by in case of fires, as well as a small trowel to throw sand and dirt on any sparks that could fly out. If you’re using a smaller boat, consider a backpacking stove and cooking pot. See our guide to Best Backpacking Stoves and Best Backpacking Cook Pots for more recommendations.
WATER PURIFIER
We packed in plenty of water for the three-day trip, and brought a Steripen as backup (but didn’t use it). See our Best Water Purifiers and Filters guide for more on water treatment systems that we recommend, including the Steripen.
MEDICAL KIT
Having small med kits in easily-accessible places on each boat is a good idea. Band-aids, medical tape, and even chapstick can be all you need. However, depending on your group size and the length of your trip, you’ll need a larger medical kit to pass river cop inspection. We recommend items like gauze, Band-aids, medical tape, vet wrap, Benadryl, antibiotic cream, eye drops, butterfly strips, iodine wipes, nitrile gloves, a CPR mask, ibuprofen, upset stomach medication, and any medications your group takes regularly.
HYPOTHERMIA KIT
Cold water can shock your system-even if it’s 90 degrees out. Bring extra warm clothes like fleece leggings, wool base layers, thick jackets, and a warm hat for anyone who takes a swim. The bigger the emergency layers, the better they’ll accommodate everyone’s size and height.
REPAIR KIT
Make sure you have enough repair materials for both small and large tears in inflatable boats, and that they are the correct type of material (hypalon vs PVC, etc.). Even Aquaseal patches can come in big handy with hard-sided kayaks.
SHOES OR BOOTS
Chacos are classic river wear, but they may not be your favorite water shoes. Chacos are also a favorite in our Best Hiking Sandals guide and our Best Plus Size Outdoor Gear guide and our Best Wet Wading Shoes for Fly Fishing guide. Half of our group wore Chacos, and the other half wore Astral river shoes. The ones with Chacos mostly wished they had worn Astrals. Especially on side hikes. Just saying.
HEADLAMP
We carried the Black Diamond Revolt, which worked well for midnight bathroom excursions, was lightweight enough (and small enough) to throw in either a dry bag or a jacket pocket, and stood up well to sand on beaches. See our Best Headlamps guide for more recommendations.
FOOD
We’re going to say this only once-coolers, coolers, coolers. Food storage, food packing, and food planning all revolve around coolers. With more cooler space, you’ll have an abundance of room for fresh veggies, more fruits, and more contents, period. If you’re short on cooler space but have dry bags to spare, throw your dry goods into a dry bag. For this trip, we used the Yeti Tundra cooler and an older model of the Coleman Xtreme, which are the Overall Winner and Budget winner in our Best Camping Coolers guide.
Water levels and group preference will determine how intense you want to get with the meals you want to prepare, but since you’re floating and not carrying everything, you can go big, get creative, and bring out the gourmet goods. Plan for lunches on individual boats with easy-make items like wraps, jerky, fruit, veggies, pretzels, etc. Breakfasts can be as simple granola bars (but that’s no fun) or as delectable as blueberry pancakes with maple bourbon bacon. For three people, we packed one 45 liter cooler full of steaks, pancake mix, lunch meat, and more (and ate like royalty).
FOOD STORAGE
There are no food storage requirements, but we still recommend packing your food back into the hard-sided cooler each night.
PFD, RIVER KNIFE & WHISTLE
These are essential, and the river rangers won’t let you go without these items. Every person should have a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), and every PFD should have a rescue knife and a whistle for safety. Check out our story on Best Life Jackets and PFDs for the best options.
Side hiking in the red rock. Photo by Matt McDonald.
CLOTHINg to wear
Here are some of our favorite rafting clothing items. We recommend each person consider carrying each of these items, as they’ll make your trip safer and more comfortable.
1x rain jacket shell
A rain jacket is a great alternative to a paddle jacket, since it’s effective in camp and on the water. Trust us — one of our friends only brought a paddle jacket on a river trip and suffered the first night in camp until we pulled out the spare rain shell from our hypothermia kit. For more recommendations, see our Best Lightweight Rain Jacket guide.
1x pair of rain pants or splash pants
Not everyone loves getting drenched by water, especially on cold or rainy days. While there’s no real whitewater on this stretch, splash pants will keep most of the water off of you and keep you comfy for longer if it’s cold. This can also be helpful for kiddos, who may not handle splashes or weather changes well.
1x pair Neoprene and/or fleece leggings
For colder days, or those who just don’t love cold water, these leggings are going to be your best friend. There are several thickness options—and what thickness you’ll need will depend on when and where you want to use them—but the thicker, the warmer. If you’re planning to make rafting a part of your life, we recommend splurging on Neoprene: it’s designed to keep you warm in every water condition and is pretty quick-drying. If you’re trying out rafting for the first time, fleece’ll do just fine.
1x Neoprene and/or fleece top
Your top half needs to be warm, too. These are great layering pieces that come in pull-over or full-zip options. Neoprene is a better option if you plan to be submerged or splashed by water more often. Kayakers and SUP’ers would fall into this category. However, if you plan to stay relatively dry with just the off-chance of getting wet, fleece is generally cheaper and warmer when you’re out of the water. See our guide to Best Fleece Jackets for more recommendations.
1x insulating jacket
Gotta be warm at camp! Even in the desert, temps can fall far and fast at night. Bringing a down or synthetic insulated jacket can keep you out long enough to get some solid stargazing in, even if it’s cold out. Check out our story on the Best Down Jackets for some great options. Better yet—consider a Synthetic Insulated Jacket, which stays warm when wet.
1x sun hoodie
A light, long-sleeved layer that’s also UV-protective. This will keep you cool and comfortable on the water and prevent sunburns galore. (Plus, you’ll need less greasy sunscreen.) This is KEY on a desert river trip. We’re working on a new story on sun shirts. We used the NRS H2Core Silkweight sun hoodie. See our guide to The Best Sun Hoodies for more recommendations.
Paddling along the Colorado River. Photo by Matt McDonald.
1-2x pairs shorts
For the boat, a pair of board shorts, athletic shorts, or rafting-specific shorts will function great and dry quickly. Bring a second pair to wear around camp, if you want! See our guide to Best Women’s Running Shorts or Best Men’s Running Shorts for recommenations.
1-2x quick-dry shirts
Cotton isn’t great for water trips other than super-hot-mid-summer trips, where you want to be cooled down by water most of the time. Since cotton absorbs water quickly and holds onto it for a long time, we recommend quick-dry shirts so you don’t catch a chill with every breeze. Make sure you have two shirts to choose from, especially if one is still wet from the day before. See our Best Men’s Running Shirts and Best Women’s Running Shirts guide for ideas for quick drying shirts.
1x long-sleeve shirt
Something comfy and cozy that you can wear around the campfire! An extra hoodie works well for this, too. See our Best Baselayers guide for tops that we like.
1x pair underwear
For camp only. While you’re on the water, wear a bathing suit, swim trunks, or quick-dry underwear so you don’t stay damp and uncomfy.
1x pair socks
For camp only. For the boat, Neoprene socks will keep your feet warmer in the water, but traditional socks will only get soaking wet. However, since your feet most likely will have the most contact with the water, you might want to warm them back up in camp. See our guide to Best Hiking Socks. If you like something thinner, we have more ideas in our Best Running Socks guide.
1x pair Neoprene socks
Get yourself Neoprene socks for wearing in the boat. Your feet will thank you when they’re in 40 degree water all day on a fall or winter trip!
1x pair sweatpants
For camp only. If you’re into saving weight, you can use your warm boat layers... but this is rafting, and we say bring it all! Plan like your river layers will always be wet at the end of the day, and pack extra dry clothes. You’ll thank us at dinner.
1x warm hat
For use in camp (or on the river if it’s rainy or winter season). Your head is one of the top ways you lose heat, so adding an insulating layer will help keep you feeling nice and comfortable.
1x sun hat
This is one piece of clothing you don’t want to forget! With the sun beating down on you for hours on end, you can easily get exhausted. A sunhat will give you extra stamina to help you enjoy your trip. See our guide to the best sun hats for more recommendations.
1x bathing suit
Wear this under your river clothes (or as your river clothes!) so you’re ready to jump in.
Map
You can print out and laminate the section of the river you plan to raft or fold up a few copies into Ziploc bags for a cheaper way to keep them handy.
Sun Protection
Bring sunscreen. Apply it. Period. Sunglasses will also be incredibly helpful on the sun-reflecting river. See our guides to the Best Body Sunscreen and Best Face Sunscreen for more recommendations.
