A float trip on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument takes you down one of the last undammed rivers in the West/O.A.R.S, Justin Bailie

Editor's note: The following is advertiser-supported content from Traveler's Essential Park Guide, Spring 2017.

Those “atmospheric rivers” that built staggering snowpacks in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains soon will fill actual rivers as the snow melts, leading river runners to anxiously anticipate one of the best seasons in many years.

Through mid-February, the snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin was nearly 155 percent of normal, while that in the Sierra Nevada was closing in on 200 percent of normal. When that snow turns to runoff, it could produce a rafting season for the record books.

Through Cataract Canyon deep in Canyonlands National Park in Utah the Colorado River could present “possibly the biggest conditions we’ve seen in decades,” says Steve Markle, VP of sales and marketing for O.A.R.S., an authorized outfitter in Canyonlands as well as in Grand Canyon, Grand Teton and in Dinosaur National Monument.

To put a number to the potential, the rapids in the canyon—the Big Drops trio, Satan’s Gut, and Little Niagara—could be pushed out of category by flows approaching, or possibly surpassing, 100,000 cubic feet per second. How big is that? During an average runoff year the Colorado River peaks around 52,000 cubic feet per second through that stretch of the park.

Across the West, rivers should be ripping, and that means float trips will offer experiences unlike any in recent years. From the Yampa, Green, and Colorado rivers in Utah, to the Snake in Wyoming, the Flathead in Montana, and the Tuolumne and Merced in California, the watery ride of a lifetime seems to be in the offing. And it could prove to be a longer than normal season, which gives you more calendar options for planning your trip.

For companies such as O.A.R.S., the prospect of high water this year is prompting more high water training trips for their guides, the hiring of more guides, and raising the minimum age requirements for some trips. For instance, says Markle, if you want to take children in the 7- to 11-year-old range rafting this year, you might want to “plan for a trip a little later in the season,” he says.

Conversely, for active adults and families with teenagers capable of running big, big water and looking for thrills, May and June will be best for rivers such as the Yampa and Green in Dinosaur National Monument, the Colorado through Canyonlands, or the Tuolumne and Merced just outside Yosemite National Park in California.

There’s plenty of excitement, and lots of soaking, during a raft trip down the Merced River/O.A.R.S, Gary Pearl

Which trip is right for you? Here are some of the possibilities:

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

The Colorado River is responsible for the maze-like landscape cut into this section of the Colorado Plateau. From its headwaters on the western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, the river steadily gains power with the contributions from its tributaries. Deep in Canyonlands the river at first flows placidly, with dramatic views of the park’s stark and mesmerizing backcountry. In 46-mile-long Cataract Canyon, the river drops 16 feet per mile, and crashes through a 14-mile-long rock garden of boulders.

Dinosaur National Monument, Utah/Colorado

Green River

One of the West’s iconic rivers, one some argue counts the Colorado River as a tributary, not vice versa, the Green cuts a deep path through the Uinta Mountains. On the run through the Gates of Lodore and Lodore Canyon you retrace the watery footprints of Major John Wesley Powell, who named some of the rapids, including Disaster Falls, on his 1869 and 1871-72 trips through here and downstream through the Grand Canyon. At Echo Park the Green’s volume gains from the joining flow of the Yampa River.

Yampa River

Carving through a landscape of sandstone cliffs, the Yampa is one of the few free-flowing rivers left in the West. Though not as raucous with rapids as the Green, the Yampa is serene in some places, rambunctious in others. Warm Springs Rapid is considered one of the West’s classics. As with the Green through Lodore Canyon, you’re likely to come upon bighorn sheep during your float.

Near Yosemite National Park, California

Tuolumne River

O.A.R.S. runs an 18-mile stretch of this California classic in three options: One-, two-, and three-day bites. This river, with its headwaters in Yosemite National Park, offers a steady diet of Class IV rapids for those looking to push themselves. Opt for the two- or three-day trip and you’ll float at a more leisurely pace, with time set aside for hikes and just relaxing ashore. Part of the Wild and Scenic River system, the Tuolumne gets you away from the crowds and deep into nature within the Stanislaus National Forest. Due to the long stretches of Class IV rapids, the minimum age at normal flows is 12, which rises to 16 during high-water years.

Merced River

Also flowing out of the Stanislaus National Forest, Merced River trips start just below El Portal, making it easy to pair this one-day whitewater experience with a Yosemite National Park vacation. Featuring a mix of Class III-IV whitewater with placid sections, the river carries you through thick, pine forests dappled here and there with wildflowers along the riverbanks. With cold water temperatures and the possibility of flips, kids must be at least 9 years old; at high flows that minimum age can creep up to 16.

Though choosing the perfect trip likely will come down to your vacation schedule and age range of your party, you likely won’t go wrong with any of these options this year, but it’s always a good idea to talk to an outfitter before making a final decision.