Duration

4 Days

Put-In

Gates of Lodore

Rapids

Class III–IV

Min. Age

6+*

2026 Gates of Lodore departures are limited — National Park Service permits cap the number of launch dates, and remaining trips fill fast.

Trip Highlights

🌊 Disaster Falls & Hell’s Half Mile

Run the legendary Class III–IV rapids named by the Powell expedition in 1869.

🌲 Three Canyons in One Trip

Lodore, Whirlpool, and Split Mountain — plus the Yampa confluence at Echo Park.

🐉 Wildlife & Petroglyphs

Spot bighorn sheep and mule deer; hike to ancient rock art and hidden waterfalls.

☀️ Reliable All-Summer Flows

Dam-fed releases keep the Green running strong from June into September.

👪 Family Friendly

A great first multi-day river trip for families and first-time rafters alike.

🍽️ All Meals Included

Fresh Dutch-oven camp meals prepared by your guides every day on the river.

4-Day Trip — Gates of Lodore to Split Mountain

Depart 7:00 AM · Return ~3:30 PM

Reserve Your Gates of Lodore Trip

Select your 2026 departure date and number of guests below — secure booking via FareHarbor.

About the Trip

The Gates of Lodore is where the Green River leaves the wide-open sagebrush of Browns Park — once a hideout for Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch — and slices straight into the red sandstone heart of Dinosaur National Monument. A couple of easy miles let you settle into the rhythm of the river before the canyon walls close in and the whitewater begins.

This 44-mile, four-day journey runs some of the most storied rapids in the West. In 1869, John Wesley Powell’s expedition named Disaster Falls here after losing a boat and much of their food and gear to it. You’ll run that same drop, along with Winnie’s Rapid, Triplet Falls, and Hell’s Half Mile — a stretch Powell’s crew named for the grueling portage they faced after their wreck. It’s genuine Class III–IV water, scouted carefully by your guides, with dozens of smaller wave trains in between that are a blast to paddle in an inflatable kayak.

Roughly 19 miles in, the Green meets the free-flowing Yampa River at Echo Park, beneath the towering monolith of Steamboat Rock. From there the river carries more volume as it drops into Whirlpool Canyon, drifts through the peaceful meadows of Island Park, and finally threads Split Mountain Canyon — eight miles of lively rapids to finish the trip — before reaching the takeout at the Split Mountain boat ramp.

Between the whitewater, this is a canyon made for exploring. Your guides lead side hikes to hidden spots like Rippling Brook waterfall, ancient petroglyphs, and quiet swimming holes. Watch the banks for bighorn sheep, mule deer, river otters, and soaring raptors. Each night you’ll camp on a sandy beach beneath the canyon walls, with fresh Dutch-oven meals cooked on the river by your crew.

Because the Gates of Lodore is fed by dam-controlled releases from Flaming Gorge upstream, it runs reliably all summer — from June well into September — making it one of the most dependable multi-day trips in the region. The canyon is managed under a strict National Park Service permit system, so dates are limited and fill months in advance. Reserve your 2026 spot now to guarantee your preferred dates.

Questions? Call 1.800.345.7238 or visit
dinosaurriverexpeditions.com