The Grand River Ride

The first six people known to have successfully traveled the 446-km stretch of the Colorado River within the Grand Canyon were led in 1869 by a one-armed U.S. Civil War veteran named John Wesley Powell. Braving the huge waves and submerged rocks in little wooden boats, they barely survived. These days, most boats are made of sturdy rubber, the guides are experienced oarsmen, and tourists pay for the thrill. The river averages a chilly 5.6°C, and July's rainy season churns up sediment that turns the Colorado chocolate brown.

But the water's perils and the sun's searing heat are offset by the Canyon's peaceful aspects: from big-horned sheep scaling cliffs

to ancient Pueblan red-clay homes. Intrepid rafters are now making the season's final trips, which run May to October. Trips cost between $1,400 and $5,000, all-inclusive, and must be booked about 18 months in advance.

Arizona Raft Adventures, tel: (1-800) 786 7238; www.azraft.com, offers trips of up to 16 days, in which passengers can paddle, kayak, motorboat or be rowed by a guide.

And travelers looking for variety might like Western River Expeditions' six-day rafting trip that ends with a helicopter ride out of the Canyon and a flight to Las Vegas, tel: (1-801) 942 6669, www.westernriver.com. Not exactly Powell's idea of adventure, but still a true American West experience.