On our rowing trips, we decided we wanted our guests to run the river much like Major John Wesley Powell experienced it in 1869. Powell’s group used hard-hulled boats not designed for the rigors of the Colorado River’s white water. For the next seventy years, explorers that followed Powell tinkered with designs and techniques, refining to a science the art of rowing hard-hulled boats in white water.

The World War II-era produced the inflatable raft, which were inexpensive, tough, forgiving and easy to patch and transport. By the end of the 1960s, hardly anyone used the old hard-hulled boats, except for a few adventurous boatmen, including conservationist and writer Martin Litton. Litton introduced the Dory to the Grand Canyon after rowing similar boats on the Mackenzie River in Oregon. The Dory exhibits the grace and heritage of the old hard-hulled boat, providing an exhilarating, responsive ride that only a rigid boat can give. They demand full respect for the river, its currents, and obstacles, but in turn, passengers feel each nuance of the riffles and can rocket off the top of some of the greatest waves in the canyon.

If you yearn for the adventure of a lifetime, contact us today to book a Grand Canyon Expeditions Dory trips, rated among Peter Guttman’s “Top Ten Most Thrilling Adventures in North America.”

Grand Canyon Expeditions Dory Trips Rated in Peter Guttman’s List of Top Ten Most Thrilling Adventures in North America. See listing