Raft and Kayak Rentals in Moab
Renting is the middle path between booking a guided trip and owning a trailer full of gear. You run your own boat, on your own schedule, without the capital outlay. What rental does not do is make you a permit holder or a competent boater, and that catches people out.
- What you can rent
- Rental is not a permit
- Which section suits a rental
- What comes with it
- Questions to ask
- Questions
Rafts, inflatable kayaks, canoes and paddleboards are all available in Moab. The rental company supplies the boat and usually the safety gear. You are responsible for the permit, the shuttle, and every decision on the water. For a first rental, the Moab Daily is the obvious section.
What You Can Rent
| Craft | Suits | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Oar raft | Groups, gear-heavy trips, multi-day | Needs a frame and someone who can row. The most capable option and the least forgiving to learn on. |
| Paddle raft | Groups who all want to work | Everyone paddles, someone captains. Requires coordination that a first-time group often lacks. |
| Inflatable kayak (ducky) | One or two people, day trips | Forgiving, stable, easy to swim out of. The usual first rental. Slower than a raft in flatwater. |
| Canoe | Flatwater, multi-day, gear hauling | Excellent on Labyrinth and Stillwater. Hard work in wind, and unsuited to high flows. |
| Paddleboard | Calm stretches, short outings | Fine on flat water in low flow. Not a whitewater craft. |
Renting a Boat Is Not Getting a Permit
A guided trip runs under the outfitter's commercial permit. A rental does not. The moment you take a boat out yourself you are a private trip, and every permit rule on the section applies to you. Sort the permit before you book the boat, because on some sections you cannot get one at short notice.
What that means in practice:
- Moab Daily. No day-use permit required, which is why it is the standard rental run.
- Ruby-Horsethief. No permit for day use. Overnight camping permits open 60 days ahead.
- Labyrinth Canyon. Free self-issue permit, emailed to BLM. Easy, but still required.
- Westwater. Required year-round, and capped at five private permits per day in summer. Not a spontaneous rental trip.
- Desolation and Gray. Lottery, applications in December. You cannot decide this in July.
- Cataract, Stillwater and Meander. Canyonlands permit, no lottery, but overnight reservations close two days before launch.
Full detail on all seven systems is in the river permits guide.
ChoosingWhich Section Suits a Rental
Moab Daily
Class II to III, no day-use permit, short shuttle along Highway 128, and a take-out close to town. The reason most rentals go here.
Ruby-Horsethief
Class I to II over 25 miles. Good first private overnight, though camps are reserved with the permit so your itinerary is fixed before launch.
Labyrinth Canyon
No rapids at all, free permit, and excellent canoe country. Wind is the difficulty, not water.
Westwater and Cataract
Class III to V, tightly permitted, and remote. These need experience and equipment beyond what a casual rental provides.
What Usually Comes With It
Packages vary considerably between companies, which is the main thing to pin down before comparing prices.
- Usually included: the boat, paddles or oars, a pump, and Coast Guard approved life jackets.
- Often included or offered: dry bags, coolers, a frame for oar rafts, straps, and a repair kit.
- Sometimes extra: helmets, wetsuits, camp gear, portable toilet systems and fire pans for overnight trips.
- Rarely included: shuttle. See river shuttles, and sort it early.
- Never included: your permit, and your judgment on the water.
A portable toilet is required on these rivers and human waste is packed out. A fire pan is a permit stipulation on Labyrinth. If you are renting for a multi-day trip, confirm the company supplies both, or arrange them separately. See river camping.
Questions Worth Asking
- What exactly is in the package? Two quotes that look different are often identical once you list the contents.
- Do you deliver to the put-in, or do I collect? This changes your logistics considerably.
- What is the damage policy? Rivers are hard on boats. Know what a torn tube costs before it happens.
- What repair kit comes with it, and is the adhesive right for the fabric? See gear repair.
- Do you rent portable toilets and fire pans? Essential for overnight trips.
- What flow do you recommend this craft at? Rental staff run this water constantly and will tell you if a canoe is a bad idea this week.
BLM publishes unusually specific guidance for Ruby-Horsethief: canoes are not recommended at all above 20,000 CFS, and only highly experienced canoeists should attempt 10,000 to 20,000. Below 5,000 CFS is best for family raft trips. Check current flows before committing to a boat type.
On a guided trip the outfitter carries the training, the equipment and the judgment. On a rental you carry all three. Whitewater is dangerous, cold water in spring is more dangerous than the rapids, and nobody is watching to see whether you made a good decision. Read river safety before your first rental, and pick a section well within your ability.
Moab Raft Rental FAQ
Can I rent a raft in Moab?
Yes. Rafts, inflatable kayaks, canoes and paddleboards are all available from rental operations in town. Ask about package contents rather than comparing headline prices.
Do I need a permit if I rent a boat?
Yes, wherever the section requires one. Renting does not put you under anyone else's commercial permit. The Moab Daily needs no day-use permit, which is why most rentals run there.
Where can I take a rental raft?
The Moab Daily is the standard. Ruby-Horsethief and Labyrinth Canyon work well for easy overnights. Westwater and Cataract are not casual rental sections.
Do rentals include a shuttle?
Usually not. Shuttle is normally separate and needs arranging in advance, particularly on longer sections. See river shuttles.
What is the easiest boat for a first rental?
An inflatable kayak. Stable, forgiving, easy to get back into, and no coordination required with anyone else.
Can I rent camping gear too?
Often yes, including the portable toilet and fire pan that overnight river trips require. Confirm before you launch, because they are not optional.
Sources
Last reviewed: July 30, 2026. Rental packages, permit rules and flows change. Confirm details with the rental company and the managing agency before your trip, and if something here is wrong, tell us.