Rafting Since 1966
Dee Holladay took his first river trip in 1960, ran his first commercial trip two years later, and incorporated Holiday River Expeditions with his wife Sue in 1966. What began as a weekend operation became full-time summer expeditions by 1968, with headquarters established in Green River, Utah in 1973.
Six decades later, Holiday is still family-owned and still runs rivers the same way Dee did: oar-powered, motor-free, moving at the speed of the current. That choice shaped more than our trips. Dee’s outfitting practices and conservation policies were later adopted by the National Parks and Western land agencies as part of their Leave No Trace protocols.
From the Gates of Lodore and the Yampa to Cataract Canyon and the San Juan, we added mountain biking in 1991 and pioneered bike-raft combination trips in 1993. Dee was inducted into the River Runner’s Hall of Fame in 1998, and his legacy guides every trip we run.
The Holiday Way
The Holiday Way is how we describe the philosophy Dee and Sue built the company on: flow with nature, practice humility, and do the work right the first time. It means celebrating the rain alongside the sunshine, and treating wild places as something we borrow, not own.
Our rafts move downstream using only current and oar power. Our guides train every year in river safety, wilderness first aid, interpretation, and inclusivity: skilled professionals and passionate storytellers in equal measure. And Sue’s standard for hospitality, from camp kitchens to quality meals, has been part of every expedition since 1966.