Colorado River Rafting Trips – Page 2 – Dinosaur River Expeditions

Colorado’s Yampa River Archaeology

Posted on March 29, 2018 at 8:50 am.

Yampa River and its Archaeology: Atlantis of the Desert

Travel back 1400 years when taking a Yampa River raft trip and seeing its amazing archaeology. Imagine that you are walking up and down a river bed gathering food, storing it in a shady cave along with sacred necklaces made from feathers of birds collected thousands of miles from where you are now. You carefully place your fortune of corn, beans and collected berries in a rock box knowing that you will return to this place, turn the corn into flour and retrieve the necklace.

This is a real place, as are its people the Fremont culture. It’s called Mantle cave and is located about a half mile from the banks of the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument. The cave is enormous, 25 yards deep and 300 yards long, shaded almost year-round making it the perfect place for food storage and escaping the weather extremes of Northwest Colorado’s summer heat, spring and fall’s cold. When archaeologist’s first excavated the cave, they found granaries (food storage boxes) full of corn, grinding stones, headdresses and necklaces made from bird feathers founds in South America, beaded shoes and much more.

Mantles Cave is a popular stop along the Yampa River, other stops will lead you to petroglyphs and pictographs, rock art left behind from the early cultures that inhabited the Yampa River Canyon. The Native American rock artwork is identified by it simple boxy shapes. Human figures drawn from tetrahedral bodies, swirls, etchings of big horns sheep, fishing nets, and many more representations of the prehistoric life in the canyon decorate the creamy sandstone walls, beautiful in its simplicity.

Though there is no certainty with the Fremont, theories exist regarding the artwork: that some works are more significant than others, that only elders were permitted to paint the canyon, the painting could have been some kind of ceremony asking for good fortune or advice from ancestors or gods. Or simply entertainment for children, though this last theory, seems unlikely. The panels throughout the canyon appear to be aimed towards purposes. Simple sketches of sheep and fish may indicate good food sources. Another, more intricate panel, nicknamed the wedding panel, is six human height figures holding hands which could have been used for a bonding ceremony. Another, appears to be 20 warriors preparing for battle created from tiny dots, archaeologist believe this panel was likely made by elders asking for blessings or help from gods.

Whatever the Fremont tribe intended with the art work and the way they lived, the mystery is captivating and beautiful. The tribe prospered in this seemingly harsh environment for almost 700 years and then suddenly gone. The remains of the desert Atlantis is worth seeing for yourself.

It’s natural to wonder what the drawings mean: Is the artwork religious, entertainment, markings to remember the way back? Why spend the time to create a paint that would last thousands of years? Why paint the figures they did? The answer: no idea.

Suddenly, 700 years ago, all evidence of the Fremont culture disappears. Many things could have wiped out the community: flood, famine, drought, or competition from another tribe, all theories that circulate among archaeologists today. However, the facts remain a mystery, as no currently living tribe claims the Fremont as their ancestors. Archaeologist’s infer certain things about the way their cultures lived based on the artifacts they left behind, that they were semi-nomadic farmers. Based on the presence of corn in the granaries, the tribe farmed and the tribe moved with the seasons, based on the spread of their artwork throughout the South West, and the feathers integrated into their clothing from South American birds.

The ability to visit these cultural sites along the Yampa River and Green River through Dinosaur National Monument is just one of the fabulous experiences you will have on a multi-day rafting trip when visiting this area of Utah and Colorado. These sites are very important and deserve the up most respect and protection. White water river rafting on the Yampa River may have been your initial reason for booking this adventure. When your trip ends the memories of the incredible archaeology, great times around the evenings campfire, the new friends you have made will forever be etched in your mind.

Yampa River Rafting Dinosaur National Monument

Posted on May 6, 2017 at 1:52 pm.

Written by Dinosaur River Expeditions

The Yampa River

The Yampa River through the heart of Dinosaur National Monument is one of the most prized stretches of river in the American West. The Yampa River received its name from the Snake Indians word for the Perideridia plant “Yampah”. The plant was found abundant in the watershed. The headwaters of the Yampa River are located in the Park Range of Colorado near the town of Steamboat Springs. From its starting point the Yampa River takes a westward course towards Dinosaur National Monument stretching an approximate 250 miles till it joins the Green River in Echo Park. The Yampa drains 7,660 square miles of area in northwestern Colorado and a small area in Wyoming. The river is mostly fed from snow melt and has a small window of time when it is a navigable river way for recreation. It is one of the last free flowing rivers that has only a few small diversions and dams along its course and tributaries. Because of its natural free flowing characteristic people boat many different sections of the Yampa but the most popular is through Dinosaur National Monument. The put in point is at Deer Lodge, Colorado to the take out point 72 miles downstream at Split Mountain, Utah. Taking 4 to 6 days in length to raft, camp, hike and explore this incredible section of wild river.

Yampa River Map Dinosaur National Monument

Through Dinosaur National Monument the river flows through a productive riparian zone supporting a variety of plant and animal life. The rivers natural state makes it an ideal habitat for many of the Colorado river systems native fish. Some of the fish are endangered and rely heavily on the Yampa River for spawning and habitat. The primary native fish that rely on the river is the Colorado Pike-minnow which uses the gravel bars for spawning in the late spring and early summer months.

The area has a rich human history archaeological studies conducted in the area reveal evidence of human habitation up to 7000 B.C. The Fremont culture inhabited the Yampa River area starting about 800 A.D. but disappeared for unknown reasons during the 1400’s. There are many cultural sites that can be visited along the river where you will see petroglyphs and other important archaeological evidence of the areas early human inhabitants.

Through erosion 23 unique rock layers have been exposed in Dinosaur National Monument. These geologic features create a landscape that is unbelievable in its scenic beauty. The Green River flowing through the Gates of Lodore and the Yampa River through steady down cutting have revealed rock formations that have been twisted, folded and formed during the past 2 billion years. These rock layers are the remnants of extinct ecosystems spanning 1.2 billion years from ancient seas, the time of the dinosaurs to a Sahara like desert. These rock layers make up one of the most complete stratigraphic columns exposed within a National Park.

The white water rapids on the Yampa River range from small splashy waves to one of the biggest rapids in the Colorado River system Warm Springs Rapid. The rapids are thrilling and fun for everyone on a raft trip, guides are highly skilled and well trained to navigate the many drops encountered along the way. The most noted rapid on the Yampa River is Warm Springs. Before 1965 it was nothing but a ripple, an unimportant spot that had little significance other than beautiful scenery. This all changed overnight on June 10th, 1965 when a major thunderstorm came through northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado. This storm caused major flash floods filling the river bed with boulders and debris that changed a once tepid riffle into one of the most talked about drops on the Colorado river system. Warm Springs rapid with all the lore and hype is a highlight on the Yampa River and a rapid that you will talk about for years after going through it on a raft.

Steamboat Rock Echo Park the confluence of the Yampa River and Green River.

Camping on the Yampa River is phenomenal with spectacular views and beautiful shorelines for relaxing. Camp is set up and taken care of by the expert guide staff who will prepare delicious meals and cater to most of your camping needs.

The Yampa River has a limited availability and trips fill up quickly. This adventure is great for families, groups or individuals and has something to suit everyone from exciting white water to stunning scenery. This is a vacation to add to your bucket list and see at least once in your lifetime. Choose Dinosaur River Expeditions Vernal, Utah’s only locally owned and operated river raft trip outfitter.

Book Your Trip Today!