Rocky Rapids is a rapid on the Colorado River in Grand County, Utah, about 11.3 miles northeast of Moab.
The falls
American Whitewater rates the 46.7-mile Cisco-to-Moab run that includes Rocky Rapids Class I to III, using the Colorado River near Cisco gauge. Utah's river management plan is more specific about the water right around the rapid: it rates the stretch from Onion Creek down to Rocky Rapid, and the stretch from Rocky Rapid down to Sandy Beach, Class II to III. An older river report rated the wider Moab Daily stretch Class I to II depending on water level.
Getting there
The put-in is Lower Onion Creek Landing, upstream; the Rocky Rapid Boat Ramp, on Utah 128 about 17 miles from US 191, is the immediate take-out, also called the Ida Gulch access. Sandy Beach and Take-Out Beach lie further downstream as alternative take-outs. A boating permit, ramp fee, accessibility and a formal portage route are not published.
When to go
The reach has run at about 1,630 cubic feet per second and been floated successfully at just over 1,500 cfs, in an April 23, 2026 trip; neither figure is a published minimum flow.
Nearby
New Rapids is about 1.1 miles away, Professor Creek Rapids about 2.4 miles, and Onion Creek Rapids about 3.8 miles. Salt Wash Rapids is about 5.2 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.