Quick Details
Join Destination Sports for our intensive whitewater river guide training program in Henefer, Utah. Spend six days on the Weber River learning from skilled professional river guides and get practice running reaches from Echo to Morgan.
Successful completion of this course will give you everything you need to safely guide a paddle raft down the Weber River, meet the requirements of the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation to carry passengers for hire on the Weber River, a class II whitewater river, and get your foot in the door for a job to start working as a professional whitewater river guide this summer!
6-day courses for people who want to river guide professionally this summer or who want to learn for fun, and will be at least age 18 before the end of summer:
4-day course for teens who are not yet old enough to work as a river guide, but want to develop river navigation skills, want to join our weekly teen river kayaking club, or want to work towards gaining skills and being ready to guide when they are old enough:
If I complete this course will you give me a job?
Although there is no guarantee, we do hire new guides from this class. Your level of enthusiasm and your physical ability are some of the key factors in being offered a job at the end of the course.
Do I need to have prior river experience?
No. That’s what this class is for.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. Just ask.
Do I need to have any special gear?
Appropriate cold-weather paddling gear is best, but not required. You will need to be able to keep yourself warm while we are on the river, rain or shine (and sometimes it’s really cold). A wet suit or dry suit is ideal (especially for training sessions in May), or at least be prepared with a rain jacket and rain pants as well as quick-dry clothes and a change of clothes.
*We will provide a PFD, paddle, raft, and instruction during the class.
*After the course, in order to work as a licensed river guide, you will need to obtain some of your own gear, including PFD, throw bag, dry bag, knife, whistle, tie-down strap, and first aid kit. We will set you up with a professional guide account from a major gear supplier, so you can order these items at the pro-discounted rates.
I want to learn to guide, but I’m not sure if I will like to guide professionally. Should I still take this course?
This program is the perfect place to gain knowledge and experience in safely navigating a raft down the Weber River. Some people want to learn for personal reasons, so they can take their family and friends rafting, with no intention of working as a professional guide. That’s ok. However, be warned, that many people who have taken our course just for fun and personal development, ended up loving it so much that they came to work with us after all! We are a river family!
How old do you have to be to river guide?
You must be at least 18 years of age to work as a professional river guide and carry passengers for hire on rivers in Utah. If you are 17 years of age and will be turning 18 during the summer, then you may take the adult course. If you are younger, then consider our Jr. River Guide Training Course for Teens, and/or get your parents to join you in the training! Also, take a look at our weekly rafting and kayak club for teens to work on building skills and making new friendships.
How old is too old to river guide?
There is no specific age, but the physical ability is key. River guiding is a physically demanding job and uses different muscle groups than many other types of activities.
Guided paddle raft trips on the mild flat water stretches that are ideal for viewing nature and starting water fights, to the splashy and fun little class II+ rapids, the Weber River has it all!
June 12-15, 2023. Four days of awesome fun summer day camp in our top-rated “Life on the Weber River” youth program. Rafting every day, with hiking, fishing, lake kayaking, history, geology, and ecology.
Weekly paddle raft and kayak trips on the Weber River for beginners up to experienced kids and teens ages 8 – 18.