Cataract Canyon

Approximately 70 to 80 million years ago, a series of mountain-building events called the Laramide orogeny uplifted the entire region.

The oldest rock layer visible in Cataract Canyon is the Paradox Formation, which was deposited approximately 320 million years ago.

[1] Indigenous peoples, most likely of the Fremont culture, inhabited the Canyonlands area long before European settlers arrived.

The first recorded European to reach Cataract Canyon was a fur trapper named Denis Julien in 1836.

Julien carved his name into a rock wall in the lower section of Cataract Canyon, though this inscription is now covered by Lake Powell.

The Kolb brothers eventually established a studio on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, where they featured videos of their exploits running the rapids of the Colorado River.

River runners found the rubber rafts easier to maneuver and much more forgiving than their wooden counterparts.

These rapids contain many large hydraulic features, including "Little Niagara", "Satan's Gut", and "The Claw".

[7] During times of high runoff, the National Park Service sometimes establishes a camp below the big drops and uses a jetboat to facilitate rescues of capsized rafts and their passengers.

In addition to the flatwater at the beginning of the trip, all groups must traverse Lake Powell before reaching the take-out at the Dirty Devil River or Hite Marina.

Private groups must obtain a permit from the National Park Service before embarking on a Cataract Canyon trip.