Resources:
| Rank | Mile | Mile notes | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | Mile 0 | Instruction 3PM | |
| 1 | Mile 0.2 | Paria River Riffle (1) | |
| 2 | Mile 2.8 | Cathedral Wash (2) | |
| — | Mile 4.2 | Navajo Bridges | |
| 5 | Mile 8.0 | Badger Creek Rapid (5) – First significant rapid in Marble Canyon with a large pour over in the center right. | Miles 8.0 - Category (5-6) Drop 15' Badger Creek Rapid is the first major rapid you will encounter in Marble Canyon. Two side canyons face off here, with the river caught between them. Boulders washed into the river from both these side canyons have formed a small, natural dam over which the river tumbles. There is a substantial boulder right of center near the top of this rapid. You can scout Badger by pulling in on river left at the bend in the river just above the rapid. Look for a small path leading up 70 feet or so above the river to a viewpoint of the rapid. Please stay on the path. From here you can see the two camps at the foot of the rapid, Badger on the west (river right) and Jackass on the east (river left). |
| 5 | Mile 11.4 | Soap Creek Rapid (5) | Miles 11.4 - Category (5-6) Drop 16' Soap Creek Rapid was a fun "run down the tongue" rapid formed by boulders washed down Soap Creek until a 2015 flash flood parked a new rock in the middle of the fun, so a bit right of center is best. We suggest you scout this one, especially if you are rowing a dory. |
| 2 | Mile 12.1 | Brown's Riffle (2) | |
| 2 | Mile 14.5 | Sheer Wall Rapid (2) | Miles 14.5 - Category (2-3) Drop 9' Sheer Wall Rapid is an easy run down the middle. Watch out for a large boulder mid-channel just below the last of the Sheer Wall tail waves. |
| 7 | Mile 17.1 | House Rock Rapid (7) – The first major rapid in Marble Canyon. | Miles 17.1 - Category (7-8) Drop 9' House Rock Rapid has some large hydraulic holes at the bottom, on the river's left, where all the current goes. You will need to move to the right through the rapid to avoid these holes, but will not be able to go too far right due to boulders from the debris fan from Rider Canyon. You can scout this rapid on either the right or left. If you scout left, you will have the advantage of moving your boats to the right as you leave the shore, setting you up nicely to make your run. |
| 3 | Mile 17.7 | Redneck Rapid (3) | |
| 5 | Mile 20.7 | North Canyon Rapid (5) (beginning of the "Roaring 20's") | |
| 5 | Mile 21.4 | 21 Mile Rapid (5) | |
| 4 | Mile 23.2 | 23 Mile Rapid (4) A sharp lateral on the right has flipped many a raft here. | Miles 23.2- Category (4-5) Drop 5' Twentythree Mile Rapid is a sharp drop with a sharp lateral that has flipped many an unsuspecting raft on the river's right side of the rapid (see photo at left). Mind the wall at the bottom on the river right. |
| 4 | Mile 23.5 | 23.5 Mile Rapid (4) | Miles 23.5- Category (4-5) Drop 6' Twenty-three and One-Half Mile Rapid is a short, read-and-run rapid with a pour-over to be avoided on the center left. |
| 6 | Mile 24.4 | 24 Mile (Georgie) Rapid (6) | |
| 6 | Mile 24.7 | 24.5 Mile Rapid (6) | |
| 6 | Mile 25.1 | 25 Mile (Hansbrough-Richards) Rapid (6) | |
| 5 | Mile 25.7 | Cave Springs Rapid (5) | |
| 5 | Mile 26.8 | 27 Mile (Tiger Wash) Rapid (5) | |
| 2 | Mile 29.4 | 29 Mile Rapid (2), Silver Grotto, and Shinumo Wash Camp | |
| 3 | Mile 30.4 | Fence Fault Rapid (3) | |
| — | Mile 31.8 | Nash's Riffle | |
| — | Mile 32.0 | Stanton's Cave | |
| — | Mile 32.2 | Vasey's Paradise | |
| — | Mile 33.2 | No rapid – site of the proposed Redwall Dam | |
| — | Mile 33.3 | Redwall Cavern – A very large alcove in the Redwall Sandstone at river level. Very popular stop for river trips.Redwall Cavern (Mile 33.3) | |
| — | Mile 35.0 | Nautiloid Canyon | |
| — | Mile 36.0 | The Bridge of Sighs; this is one of the few Grand Canyon arches visible from the river. | |
| 4 | Mile 36.3 | 36 Mile Rapid (4) | |
| — | Mile 39.7 | No rapid – site of the proposed Marble Canyon Damsite. | |
| — | Mile 43.3 | Anasazi Bridge | |
| 4 | Mile 44.0 | President Harding Rapid (4) – The river splits around a large rock in the middle of the river. | Miles 44- Category (4) Drop 4' President Harding Rapid has a very large boulder in the middle of the river, splitting the current into a right and left channel. The right channel was obstructed in late 1999 by rockfall from the cliff above. Go left of the center boulder for a read-and-run ride. |
| 3 | Mile 52.4 | Nankoweap Rapid (3 | |
| 5 | Mile 56.3 | Kwagunt Rapid (5) | Miles 56.3 - Category (5) Drop 12' Kwagunt Rapid has a large pour-over in the center of the top of the rapid, along with a sleeper boulder near the left shore at the lower end of the rapid. The typical run is a left entrance, moving to the right once past the pour-over. |
| 4 | Mile 60.1 | 60 Mile Rapid (4) | Miles 60.1 - Category (4) Drop 3' Sixtymile Rapid is a go center-left, read- and-run rapid. There is a large pour-over on the right side of this rapid near the top. |
| — | Mile 61.7 | Little Colorado River Confluence. | |
| — | Mile 65.1 | Carbon Creek | |
| 4 | Mile 65.9 | Lava Canyon (Chuar) Rapid (4) | Miles 65.9 - Category (4) Drop 7' Lava Canyon Rapid is straightforward. Just read and run |
| 6 | Mile 69.0 | Tanner Rapid (6), terminus of the Tanner Trail and the Tanner Graben | Miles 69 - Category (6) Drop 12' Mile 69.0 - Tanner Rapid has some large boulders and pour-overs on the river right. The run is left of center, but then a rock bar in the tail waves requires a move back to the river's right. |
| — | — | Outfall of Tanner Creek, then the (black) Tanner Graben, then Basalt Creek with Basalt Rapid (Mile 69.9) | |
| 6 | Mile 69.9 | Basalt Rapid (6) This rapid has a sharp pour-over on the left at low water. | Miles 69.9 - Category (6) Drop? Basalt Rapid has a sharp and nasty hole on the left side at low flows. At high flows, the hydraulics here are powerful. Either way, sit up, keep right, and pay attention to this sleeper. |
| 6 | Mile 72.9 | Unkar Rapid (6)The Colorado River near Unkar Rapid (Mile 72.9) | |
| 4 | Mile 73.6 | 73.6 Mile Riffle (4) This rapid has some exposed boulders on the left. | |
| 4 | Mile 75.3 | Escalante Creek Rapid (4) | |
| 4 | Mile 75.8 | 75 Mile (Nevills) Rapid (4) | Miles 75.8 - Category (6) Drop 16' Nevills Rapid has a number of boulder pour-overs throughout that make for a fun, challenging read-and-run. You might want to consider a left entrance moving back to the right a bit and keep a sharp eye peeled for the sleepers, especially towards the bottom of this rapid. |
| 8 | Mile 77.1 | Hance Rapid (8) – Multiple large rocks constrict the channel and form powerful hydraulics; terminus of the Hance Trail. | Miles 77.2 - Category (8) Drop 30' Hance Rapid can be scouted from either the right or left banks. A severe debris flow from Red Canyon in August 2012 heavily remodeled the left side of this rapid and closed off the common left run. A left run is reportedly still possible at medium to high water levels. A right-to-left run is also an option. A right-to-right run is also a viable run but requires threading your way between some very sharp pour-overs. The two right runs are best scouted from the river right. Son-of-Hance, just a quarter-mile downstream, has some large waves that can be passed on the right or left, otherwise, hit 'em straight! While scouting, note the black basalt dike intrusion into the reddish brown Hakatai shale on the river right. |
| 7 | Mile 79.1 | Sockdolager Rapid (7) – (Sockdolager is an archaic slang word for knockout blow.) | Miles 79.1 - Category (7) Drop 19' Sockdolager Rapid has a large hole and lateral wave at the top right of the rapid. This can be avoided by going to the left at the top of the rapid. There are several pour-overs and haystack hydraulics in this fun rapid. Hang on and hit them straight! |
| 7 | Mile 82.1 | Grapevine Rapid (7) | Miles 82.1 - Category (7) Drop 18' Grapevine Rapid has a center-right rock pile at the top of the rapid and a sharp lateral hole in the left tongue. Entering just left of the right side rock pile will line you up to miss holes on the left and right in the lower end of the rapid, especially in low water. Staying towards the center of the rapid after you make your entrance is advised. Be sure to scout this one at low water levels since there are some shallow rocks at the top of the rapid that have damaged more than one boat. |
| 4 | Mile 84.1 | 83 Mile Rapid (4) | Miles 84.1- Category (4) Drop 7' Eighty-three Mile Rapid is a short, sharp drop, with a steep pour-over on the river left. Just above the rapid is a large eddy on the river's right, so this rapid is approached on the left side of the river. You'll need to move toward the river right and then enter right of center to miss the pour-overs. Sharp hydraulic haystacks are in the waves below the right side tongue at lower water. |
| 5 | Mile 85.3 | Zoroaster Rapid (5) | Miles 85.3 - Category (5) Drop 7' Zoroaster Rapid is a read-and-run rapid with sharp, hydraulic waves. Mind the current, which moves close to the right wall in the second half of this rapid. |
| 3 | Mile 85.8 | 85 Mile Rapid (3) | Miles 85.8 - Category (3) Drop? Eighty-five Mile Rapid is formed by rockfall from the cliffs above and has two offset holes. These can easily be skirted on the right or left. Remember to hit them straight if you decide to go right down the middle. |
| — | Mile 88.1 | Black Suspension Bridge (Kaibab Bridge) and Phantom Ranch boat beach, where the South Kaibab Trail crosses the river | |
| — | — | 91 pipe creenk |