Every river-runner, every rafter and just about anyone who’s ever peered over the edge of Arizona’s greatest natural wonder has probably dreamed of floating down the state’s mightiest river: the Colorado.
Unfortunately, voyaging down the Colorado River is an expensive and intimidating endeavor. But there’s another option for those of us willing to settle for a more approachable whitewater experience: northern Arizona’s Verde River, just a short drive south from Flagstaff.
Arizona Daily Sun reporter Sam McLaughlin paddles down the Verde River toward the TAPCO River Access Point during a mid-March day trip.
The author’s packraft sits on the bank of the Verde River in fading afternoon light during a mid-March trip.
Cami Ness, left, and Logan Foll look up at one of the gauging stations tracking the flow of the Verde River.
Logan Foll, left, and Candice Kalb paddle packrafts through low-hanging branches on the Verde River as daylight fades during a mid-March float.
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