Canyoneering
Windgate Adventures, the one you can join
Almost every canyoneering company in Moab runs private trips by default. This one runs scheduled departures you can book a place on, which makes it the cheapest route into a canyon for a solo traveller or a couple.
The short answer
Best for: solo travellers and couples, who pay the most under the private pricing model everyone else in town uses.
Scheduled departures you join, with a private charter surcharge of about 25 percent if you want the trip to yourselves. Minimum age eight across the programme.
The model
Scheduled first, private as the upgrade
Moab canyoneering is almost entirely private. Desert Highlights, Clapper Adventures and Deep Desert Expeditions all run private trips as the standard product at no extra charge, and Moab Cliffs and Canyons caps at six per guide. That is excellent if you are four people and expensive if you are one.
- Standard product
- Scheduled departurejoin an existing trip
- Private charter
- About 25% morethe inverse of the rest of town
- Minimum age
- 8across the programme
- Booking
- Through their systemrates shown at checkout
Because the guide's day is split across a group that fills up, a single seat costs a fraction of what a private trip does. That is the whole advantage, and for a solo traveller it is a large one.
Under private pricing, a solo canyoneering booking runs $340 to $550 per person with the operators who publish rates. A scheduled seat removes that penalty entirely. If you are travelling alone and want to go down a rope, start here.
The comparison
What it saves a solo traveller or a couple
| Party size | Desert Highlights, Medieval Chamber | Desert Highlights, Granary | Scheduled seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| One person | $340 | $550 | One seat price |
| Two people | $180each | $300each | Two seat prices |
| Four people | $140each | $230each | Four seat prices, or charter |
Private rates are another operator's published figures, shown to illustrate the pricing model rather than to compare identical routes. Windgate seat prices are shown in their booking system.
Read the first row. A solo canyoneer under the private model pays between $340 and $550 for a day. That is not an operator being greedy, it is the cost of a guide and a full rack of gear landing on one head. A scheduled departure spreads it.
By four people the private model has caught up and passed it, which is why the charter surcharge exists and why a group of four should price both.
Fit
Who this suits
Solo travellers
The clearest case in town
Every other canyoneering operator will quote you a full group rate. This one sells you a seat. For anyone travelling alone it is the difference between going and not going.
Couples
Second clearest
Two seats beat a private two person rate at most operators. If you do not mind sharing the canyon with a few strangers, this is the value option.
Families with children eight and up
A stated minimum
Eight across the programme is a clear, published line. Ring if your child is close to it.
Groups of four or more
Price both ways
At four the private model is usually cheaper per head elsewhere, and the charter surcharge here is about 25 percent. Worth a comparison rather than an assumption.
Before you book
What to ask when you ring
- What is the rate at our group size, and what changes if somebody drops out.
- What is included. Transport, gear, park entry, meals, tax and gratuity all vary.
- How much walking is there on our date, in miles rather than in adjectives.
- How many guests are already booked, if the trip is shared.
- What is the cancellation window, and is a deposit required.
One extra that matters on a shared canyon trip: ask how many are booked and what the maximum is. Group size on a rope changes the day more than it does on a trail, because everybody descends one at a time and the waiting is the trip.
Ask about the weather policy too. A reputable canyoneering operator cancels on a flash flood forecast, and you want to hear that answer before you pay rather than on the morning.
We do not run trips, own gear or employ guides, and no operator pays to appear here or to appear higher. Details below are from each company's own published material, checked September 2026. Full disclosure.
Common questions
Questions
Can you join a canyoneering trip in Moab as a solo traveller?
Yes, with Windgate Adventures, who run scheduled departures you book a place on. Most Moab canyoneering operators run private trips by default, which means a solo booking carries the whole group rate, typically $340 to $550 per person with the operators who publish figures.
How much does a private trip cost with Windgate Adventures?
The operator applies a private charter surcharge of about 25 percent on top of the scheduled trip. That is the inverse of how most Moab canyoneering companies work, where private is the standard product at no extra charge.
What is the minimum age for Windgate Adventures?
Eight across the programme, as published by the operator. Ring if your child is close to that line, since several Moab operators will discuss a specific case.
Is a shared canyoneering trip worse than a private one?
It is different rather than worse. On a rope everybody descends one at a time, so a larger group means more waiting. Against that, a shared seat costs a fraction of a private trip for one or two people. At four or more, private usually wins on both price and pace.
What happens if the weather turns?
A reputable canyoneering operator cancels on a flash flood forecast. Ask about the weather and cancellation policy before you pay rather than on the morning, whichever company you book with.
Next step
Compare the alternatives
Booking model, surcharge and minimum age from the operator's own published material, checked September 2026. Comparison rates are other operators' published figures.