Photos: Top Ten U.S. Rivers for Rafting

Tackling the Granite Rapids on the Colorado River with a J-Rig through the Grand Canyon. Check out Grand Canyon Rafting: 6 to 7 days  

The Green River cuts a series of chasms through the Tavaputs Plateau and forms a gorge deeper than the Grand Canyon at Bright Angel Creek. There are petroglyphs, ruins, abandoned homesteads, and marvelous camping sites among verdant cottonwoods on soft sand beaches. Check out Green River Rafting through Desolation Canyon  

The Green River flows through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument. Check out Green River Rafting through the Gates of Lodore  

The Wild & Scenic Rogue River in southern Oregon is a favorite family rafting destination. Check out Rogue River Rafting - Lodge Trip  

Scenic views from a river bank on the Snake River through Hell's Canyon. Check out Family Rafting through Snake River Hell's Canyon  

The Class V Pine Creek section of the Arkansas River drops over 200 feet per mile. Check out The Numbers on the Arkansas River  

An enchanting family rafting trip on the Salmon River blends hot sun, warm water, fun rapids, and the most beautiful white-sand beaches of any river in the West. Check out Idaho Rafting: Middle Fork of the Salmon River  

Also known as the River of No Return, Idaho's Salmon River hosts 85 miles of unspoiled wilderness, world-class history, fun rapids, natural hot springs, and vast sandy beaches.  

The Tuolumne (pronounced Too-all-uhme) is a standard-setting river, to which all other California paddles are compared. Check out Tuolumne River Rafting  

Big whitewater in the Applesauce Rapid on the Gore Canyon section of the Colorado River. Check out Gore Canyon on the Colorado River