Day 1:
Begin the day with a scenic two-hour drive from Vernal to the put-in at Deerlodge Park, where your boats and the rest of your O.A.R.S. crew meet you. After a thorough safety talk, the journey begins. Today, the Yampa meanders through wide-open desert scenery, quite distinctive from the deep canyons that adorn most of the river corridor. Blooming cactus is among the eye-catching desert flora that you’ll enjoy today as you peacefully float down the river, soaking in the sights, sounds and sensations of your wilderness surroundings.
The first day on the Yampa generally sets the pace for the remainder the river trip. Typically, you spend a few hours on the water in the morning, sometimes stopping for a great hike, a visit to a waterfall or Indian petroglyphs, or a refreshing swim. Come lunchtime, pull over to a sandy beach and enjoy a delicious picnic. After feasting and relaxing on the beach (and perhaps a game of Frisbee or horseshoes), get back into the boats and watch the desert panoramas slowly develop as you continue down the river. Today’s whitewater is relatively mild, but over the course of the next few days, the rapids become bigger and more frequent – perfect for trying out the paddleboat and inflatable kayak! Mid- to late-afternoon, stop and make camp; you grab your bags and set up your tent while O.A.R.S. takes care of the kitchen and “living room” – camp chairs and the site for tonight’s campfire (if permitted). This is the perfect time for you to lounge on the beach with that book you want to finish forever.
Before long you will be savoring pleasing hors d’oeuvres and the beverage of your choice – delicious as these refreshments are, they always taste better after a day on the river! Nap, take an exploratory hike, or just sit back and laugh with friends and family as O.A.R.S. prepares dinner. After another satisfying feast, the evening is yours to spend however you wish. Maybe music, stories or jokes will bring you together tonight; maybe the popping of the fire, the whisper of the river and the clarity of the big, star-filled sky will encourage silent reflection on the amazing wilderness that is, for now, your home. Day 2:
Your day begins with the morning light reflecting the colors of sunrise in the river. Fresh coffee and tea are waiting for you when you get up; grab a cup, sit back and take in the glory of the awakening wilderness. Soon breakfast is served – omelets made to order, blueberry pancakes, sizzling bacon, fresh fruit, toast, and juice are among the treats you’ll indulge in each morning. Once you’ve eaten your fill, you’ll pack up your things as the guides break down camp, then the new day’s adventure begins.
As you enter the Yampa River canyon, leave the flatter desert behind, entering a stunning world where rock walls loom above, rising to heights of 1000 feet. The whitewater also intensifies as the canyon begins; today you challenge three major rapids, not to mention some small but fun riffles.
Guides might lead a hike to Stubs Cabin, an old cattle rustler homestead dating back to the early 1900s. One hundred years ago, this isolated canyon was used as a hideout by stealthy old-western outlaws, and several abandoned cabins along the river remind one of this shadier side of the Yampa’s cowboy history. Other sites you may visit today or tomorrow include Fremont Indian granaries at Mantle Cave, side canyons bejeweled with tumbling streams and waterfalls, and yawning sandstone caves, some of which once housed Pat Lynch, an old hermit who lived out his days along the Yampa River. Day 3:
For two days, you’ve watched the magnificent canyon walls and striking sandstone formations rise up around you, becoming bigger and bolder around every river bend. Today the fascinating geology of this canyon reaches its apex as you float past some of the most astounding rock marvels of all: Grand Overhang, Cleopatra’s Couch, and Tiger Wall. The latter is perhaps the most renowned feature of the Yampa River – a sheer cliff wall of pale sandstone, dramatically streaked with jet-black stripes of manganese oxide, or “desert varnish”.
Not to be outdone by the scenery, the whitewater is also at its best today as you run the gigantic Warm Springs Rapid. A relatively new rapid, Warm Spring was formed in 1965 when heavy side canyon floods strew boulders across the river, creating the Yampa’s biggest whitewater.
Tonight, much like the past two evenings, make camp on a big, sandy beach that likely allows access to a great hiking trial. If guides don’t arrange a hike, you may want to enjoy a self-guided walk, or perhaps you’d rather just relax and wait for dinner – always a trip highlight, as the day’s adventures stir up a hearty appetite. Perhaps this evening you’ll enjoy grilled salmon with orange zest, wild rice, and a fresh green salad. Or maybe a lean, juicy steak with mushrooms and mixed vegetables will be the main attraction as you watch the twilight turn to dusk above the canyon walls. A savory dessert usually follows dinner – maybe peach cobbler, strawberry shortcake, or something rich and chocolatey. After the meal is over, the group dynamic of the trip is at its best as you gather around the campfire for nighttime conversation and laughter. Days 4-5:
Reaching the confluence with the Green River, bid farewell to the Yampa, but not to the beauty and whitewater excitement it offered – both flourish as you continue down the mighty Green. In fact, with the convergence of the two rivers, the whitewater intensifies and presents you with even more consistently exciting rapids than before.
Past the confluence, round Steamboat Rock and continue into Echo Park. Here you may stop to visit the intriguing Fremont rock art near the side of the river. Or perhaps you’ll hike to Whispering Cave, passing magnificent sandstone formations along the way. In Whirlpool Canyon, you might take the longest hike of the trip, following beautiful Jones Hole Creek to amazingly well preserved panels of pictographs and petroglyphs.
After a bit of flat water, pick up speed as you enter Split Mountain Canyon, the river’s gradient becoming considerably steeper. Four or five major rapids deliver plenty of whitewater excitement during the last day on the river. Reaching the take-out point at Split Mountain, take a short ride back to Vernal, returning to the Dinosaur Inn between 4:00pm and 6:00pm. |
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