WHITEWATER RAFTING

Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument

The scenery is a combination of Rocky Mountain trees and plants, then drifting down into the desert canyon country. Abundant wildlife includes deer, bighorn sheep, eagles, trout, and hawks around almost every bend. We purposely travel slowly, about 10-15 miles per day, giving us ample time to explore the canyons and take in the Green River and its surrounding wildlife.

Trip Details

Day 1: Whitewater Rafting
Meet at the Best Western Antlers Motel at 7:00am. You’ll be driven to the river launch site, meet the rest of the crew, have a talk about safety and “river time” and be off. Upstream is a flat, open valley, while downstream are huge stone gates, 1,000 feet high, that appear to have split the mountains in two – The Gates of Lodore. The trip begins with a gentle float, changing to small rapids above Winnie’s Grotto. You’ll stop there for a brief hike into the alcove. The rapids are more frequent after Winnie’s. Guides prepare a tasty buffet lunch along the riverbank. Stop and scout Disaster Falls before running it. Arrive at a shady camp early in the afternoon. While some of the guides prepare hors d’oeuvres and start dinner, you can find a spot to set up your tent.

Day 2:
Wake to the smell of coffee brewing. After a hearty breakfast, pack up the rafts and push off shore. The rapids are almost constant now, interspersed with fewer calm stretches. Guides will set out another great buffet lunch while you explore the canyon. The rapids increase in size and excitement as the river winds deeper into the Uintah Mountains. You’ll stop and scout Triplet Falls and Hell’s Half Mile before rafting through that churning whitewater. Pull off and set up camp early in the afternoon, so there’s time to hike around the area before dinner.

Day 3:
Eat a hearty breakfast (and pack a lunch) before heading down river. You’re still in the rapids until the canyon changes from a desert V shape to a radical U. At the confluence of the Yampa and the Green, the river is almost perfectly flat. Raft around Steamboat Rock and then around another bend into Whirlpool Canyon and the rapids begin again. Just below Jones Hole, stop and explore the area, hike a bit and try to catch a glimpse of one of the largest herds of bighorn sheep in the area. You’ll find a shady place for lunch and explore some more before heading back to the river. Raft another mile or so farther down river to camp, where there’s a nice sandy beach. Guides will prepare dinner, while you relax on the beach.

Day 4:
After breakfast, you’ll be rafting through some fun rapids. The canyon opens way up into the Island Park area. Hike to some petroglyphs, raft down through Rainbow Park and have lunch. The river opens up into a big basin area, before it slices through the mountains again. There is a dramatic cut through Split Mountain and the river gradient dramatically increases from 1 to 20 feet per mile. Run Moonshine and S.O.B., and a number of other fun rapids. In the late afternoon, pull off the river and return to Vernal.

*Note: This is an example itinerary and may change due to weather, water level, camp availability, etc.