ED Ventures:

Adult and Family Trips

Rafting, Hiking and Tours for Adults, Families, Schools

CFI's ED Ventures are the "best of" from our 20 years of designing and leading eco-backcountry trips in canyon country....

Raft, hike or explore by vehicle tour from a lovely lodge... with our Naturalist-Guides who know and love this country intimately and delight in sharing it with you.

We offer trips for adults only (singles and couples) and several trips designed just for families of many generations.

SCROLL DOWN TO A 2007 trip and click on the hot link title to find out more detail and to access our reservation forms. Please note that are trips are small in size to insure your best experience, thus deposit payments are non-refundable. See our payment/cancellations: ED Venture Program Policies

Any of the trips below can become a "Custom" trip: you pick the dates and group of your choice. Details here.

Become a CFI member: help provide support for environmental education on the Colorado Plateau as well as receive discounts on trips and special invites.

Dolores River Rafting - A beautiful "little" river... YES the river will run for 2008 - best to plan for late May through early June, call to set up a custom trip/dates for your adult or school group.

Overnight Weekend Trip, May 17-18, 2008 Adult and Youth 16 17

Dove Creek to Slickrock, Colorado Class I-IV water, includes Snaggletooth Rapid

$320/person or $300 CFI member

Launch in lovely Ponderosa Pine Forest and descend into stunning red rock canyon; enjoy active whitewater, natural history, geology and short side hikes. Small group, starts/ends Moab, UT.

Custom trip planning also available for these stretches with 30 days notice.

Bradfield to Slickrock: May, class III-IV 2-3 nights
Slickrock to Bedrock: May, class ll-III 4-5 nights
Gateway to Dewey: June, class l-lV - 2-3 nights

Get on our Dolores River Alert List. Send Email to CFI with "Dolores River Alert" in the subject, and we will inform you when water levels will be high enough to run this fabulous river. Include your Name, Address, and Phone #.

Range Creek Archeology - Weekend Overnight CampTours - Adult and Youth 16-17
June 7-8, 2008 • August 23-24, 2008 • September 13-14, 2008 • October 11-12, 2008 (Fall colors!)

$320/person or $300 CFI member. Youth fee same as adult. Deposit $100

Rare opportunity to see these prehistoric Fremont rock art and sites in-depth with plenty of time. Two days with vehicle tour and hikes, evening program, all meals. Located in the Book Cliffs between Green River and Price, Utah, Range Creek canyon has been recently opened to research and restricted public vehicle access after careful protection by local ranching family for many years. Small group, comfortable vehicle supported camp, longer trip allows quality time for exploring, hiking, discussion. Moderate hiking, up to 4 miles round trip. Start/end Green River.

Special Trip: Range Creek/Tavaputs Ranch Weekend
Day Tour, Lodge Stay and Scenic Flight with Rebecca Martin, Cultural Anthropologist
and Wilcox-Jensen family

July 4-6, 2008

Tavaputs Ranch Info

Fee: $1100.00 (or $1080 CFI member) Deposit: $350

Wild by Nature: Women's River Trip & Retreat- Adults and young women 16-17 years.
May 26 (eve) - May 31, 2008 5 nights, 5 days

$850/adult or $830 CFI members; $$600/16 or 17 years old, $580/members
$250/person deposit

Planning now for Dolores River (Slickrock Canyon Stretch) or Colorado River as alternate if not enough water (Loma to Professor Valley)

With CFI Founder-Director Karla VanderZanden, come on your own or bring a friend or mom/daughter. Stretch of river, dates, fees TBA. Learn paddling skills, enjoy short nature/culture side hikes, river readings, and fun! Rafts and inflatable kayaks on milder stretches.
Starts/ends Grand Junction, CO. First night motel stay and orientation included. Ends afternoon of last day.

Friends of CFI Westwater Canyon Overnight River Trip
June 20-21, 2008 1night, 2 days Begin, end Moab, UT
$250/person or $225 if CFI member, payment in full for deposit.

Includes BLM special use fees. For adults and youth 12 and older. Space limited.

This special trip features Founding Director/ Naturalist Karla VanderZanden and guest faculty and is for CFI members and guests (new members welcome!).

ADDITIONAL SPECIAL TRIPS WITH Karla are planned for the HENRY MOUNTAINS WEEKEND TOUR and BOOK CLIFFS DAY TOUR in fall. Check here or email for details

Writers Workshop - Adults
CFI has hosted nationally acclaimed workshop since 1985 cosponsored with Utah Arts Council. Planning for October 2008 in collaboration with area literary groups for new enhanced Moab Literary Festival -entitled "CONFLUENCE- A Gathering of Writers and Readers in Moab" - will include 3 day workshop and public forum, events.

To get on our Writer's hot list as details unfold, please contact Confluence director, Laurie Collins admin@moabconfluence.org

DISCUSS SETTING UP YOUR OWN PRIVATE EDVENTURE for your family or special group. For multi day trips, we recommend at least 3-6 months lead time - see the CUSTOM section of our web site.

See our Day and 1/2 Day Moab Nature Tours
for National Park/Forest one or half day hikes, tours - April through October except July - only 48 hours notice needed for these!

It is not necessary to be a member of CFI to take these trips though we welcome your support which helps to underwrite our youth work. CFI general members receive $20 off trip fees; Plateau Society members 10% off trip fees (see Contribute to join us now with an online membership.)

You'll enjoy a balance of moderate physical exercise, optional nature hikes from camp, time to read from our rich trip library, and interesting campfire conversations. We work with local personalities, guest experts, and quality, locally-owned services. Most of our trips are designed as adult-only trips, with special family/multigenerational trips marked below in red. On adult trips, we welcome youth 16 years and older that are accompanied by a family member; the same per person fee applies.

These trips sound fantastic, what else do I need to know - FAQs

Get a taste; view slides of ED Venture trips.

Fine Print for payment/cancellation policies: ED Venture Program Policies

Email CFI or call: 800.860.5262 or 435.259.7750