one day river rafting trips – Page 2 – Dinosaur River Expeditions

Unplugging, What to Expect

Posted on October 22, 2017 at 6:05 pm.

Unplugging, What to Expect

One of the greatest perks of going on a river rafting trip is the lack of cell phone service and internet connection. Today the average American spends over 10 hours looking at a screen every day and the rise of social media is linked with a rise in mental health disorders among teens. Being unplugged is many guests favorite part of the trip, but it can also be nerve wrecking. Not to worry, you aren’t alone in your fears, and we promise it will all be worth it.

The Anticipation:

Like a college freshman walking into their dorm room for the first time you are filled with questions, nervous, but also excited. What will it be like? It’s the first time my whole family has been unplugged. Maybe I will have service…? Will the internet miss me?

I hate to burst your bubble, but the internet will not miss you. The world of social media will go on to fight another day without you. We recommend you leave your phones in the car (it will make your withdrawals end sooner). Prepare by digging out your old IPod classic and speaker, find a good camera, a deck of cards, and that book you have been wanting to read. If you must bring your phone download a few extra Spotify playlists and delete a few games to make sure there is plenty of room for photos.

But what if something happens while I’m gone!? Not to worry, your guides carry a satellite deivice called an “In-Reach” for emergencies. This means that if something happens in the real world and you NEED to know about immediately, you will. But please keep in mind this is for emergencies only, not to check the score of the Pat’s game.

The Withdrawals:

You are on your way. Your family is lounging in the summer sun, half listening to your guide chatter about the history of Dinosaur National Monument and how old the rocks are, gazing at the beautiful canyon before you. You’re finally breathing easy when your oldest child pulls out his phone to take a snapchat. He realizes that there’s a snap unloaded on his phone. Panic sets in. They weren’t lying, there is no service. Your kids ask at every bend, “Is there service here?” staring at a screen missing the most spectacular views you have ever seen. You’re telling your children to relax and just enjoy the movement and secretly you are wishing you could check Twitter.

The Awakening:

Finally, at camp the first night you’re sitting in mesh chair arranged in a circle on the sandy beaches of the gorgeous Green River next to you. You pretend to read your book, really thinking about the day spent listening to your kids ask all the questions you wanted to…

The chairs around you start to fill and you put down your book to chat. The what do you dos and where are you froms eventually lead to someone asking “Which state has the largest concentration of dairy farms?” Un-googleable, it sparks a lively debate and leads to stories about your childhood summers spent on a dairy farm in Nebraska.

Enjoying the Moment:

All the chairs are full and you watch your children laugh uncontrollably at one another in the firelight. Everything seems to be at peace, a million stars you’ve never seen twinkle above you and silently, you realize that no one has mentioned their phones in hours. You are unplugged. The next three days are full of towering canyon walls, thrilling whitewater, storytelling, and debating which collection of stars is Cassiopeia. You stay up late, loving this time spent with family and new friends, pre-trip worries entirely dissolved.

An Overwhelming Reintroduction:

You float up to the Split Mountain boat ramp at the end of your trip so glad you have unplugged, but just a little curious about what happened while you were gone. You hold your breath to hug your guides goodbye, tearing up a bit, equal parts sad to go and overwhelmed by the smell. Thrilled with the whole experience, you pile into the van back to the hotel. You pull out your phone and it starts to buzz. Bzzzz, bzzzz, bzzz. My God, it won’t stop! 150 group messages from the ladies in your gym class complaining about how sore they are, 30 emails from J-Crew alerting you to another 20% sale, and New York Times notifications roll in one after another! Completely overwhelmed, you realize you told everyone you wouldn’t have service until the next day and you turn off your phone, to enjoy the last few minutes of your unplugged paradise.

Flaming Gorge Green River Rafting One Day Trips

Posted on June 24, 2017 at 4:49 pm.

Written by Dinosaur River Expeditions

Flaming Gorge One Day River Rafting On Utah’s Green River

Looking for an adventure that has great scenery, fun rapids and you are only out for a day? Try a guided float trip on Utah’s Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam. This is the most popular stretch of the Green River with people rafting and floating it on a daily basis from April through October. Our one day raft trip begins in Vernal, Utah meeting at our warehouse at 8:30 a.m. We depart for the river by 9:00 a.m., the shuttle drive is approximately 50 minutes to the put in point at the base of the Flaming Gorge Dam. At the put in point the guide staff will assist you with life jackets, safety orientation and how to ride in the rafts for the day. Once on the river you will experience an incredible 7 mile float trip with spectacular scenery, peaceful stretches of calm water interspersed with fun class 2 white water.

The guides will provide you with interpretation about the region, pointing out geology, fauna, plant life and human history. This corner of Utah has some unbelievable rock formations, the Uinta Mountain Group is the predominant geological formation along the river. This rock is approximately 700 to 800 millions year old. The river itself is one of the top cold water trout fisheries. There is an estimated 8,000 brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout per mile along this section of the Green River. With the crystal clear waters you can see the fish swimming beneath the rafts as you float past. A highlight for young kids. Mule deer, big horn sheep are another common site along the way. Along with a large variety of bird life.

Rapids on this section of the Green River are rated at Class 2 on a scale of 1 to 6. Class 6 rapids being unrunnable and class 1 water being very calm and peaceful. The class 2 rapids are perfect for beginners, young children fun but not scary. A couple of our favorite rapids are Bridge Rapid, Mother In Law and Dripping Springs. Splashy, great waves and lots of fun for everyone.

A deli sandwich buffet lunch served with all of the fixings will be served up mid way on the trip. The lunch spread has a little of something for everyone. Fresh fruits and vegetables, variety of lunch meats and deli sliced cheeses. Treats such as licorice and cookies, lemonade and ice water. Lunch is always a hit after paddling 3 or 4 miles along the river.

The one day raft trip from Flaming Gorge Dam to Little Hole is very popular and fills up quickly. It is highly recommended that you reserve your space in advance to secure a date that works best for your travel plans. Calling our office at 1-800-345-7238 is the best way to find out what dates have space available on them. We do need to have 6 or more people reserved to take a day trip out on the river.

If you are looking for a rafting trip longer than a one day trip we offer 2 and 3 day trips from Flaming Gorge Dam to Browns Park. We also offer 4 and 5 day rafting trips through Dinosaur National Monument on the Green River through Gates of Lodore Canyon and the Yampa River through the Yampa Canyon. All of our trips are all inclusive with the necessary river gear, transportation, guides and food. Not included would be state sales tax and guide gratuity (each trip varies a little on what you need on the trip sleep kit rentals are available for multi day adventures).

If you are looking for a one day river rafting trip in Utah give us a call. Offering incredible river rafting trips in Utah and Colorado since 1979 we are Vernal, Utah’s only locally owned and operated river rafting outfitter.

Gates of Lodore White Water Rafting on the Green River

Posted on May 13, 2017 at 1:49 pm.

Written by Dinosaur River Expeditions

White Water River Rafting the Green River Gates of Lodore Dinosaur National Monument

Beginning in Brown’s Park, Colorado the Green River Gates of Lodore river rafting adventure takes its travelers on a 44 mile journey through the center of Dinosaur National Monument. This white water river rafting trip is a favorite among veteran river rafters and novices alike. The Green River has a consistent water flow year around, great rapids, beautiful camps a little bit of something for everyone along its way.

Flaming Gorge Dam located up river from the put in point to the Gates of Lodore trip provides a constant water source for this desert river. Because of this constant water supply the Green River is a great rafting trip all summer long. Whether you choose to take this trip in June or August it will be fabulous. The Green River Gates of Lodore has a sister river in Dinosaur National Monument the Yampa River. The Yampa River is one of the last free flowing rivers in the Colorado river system. With its free flowing nature the Yampa River has a limited time frame where it is navigable. The Yampa River has its best rafting Mid May through Mid June during the time of the snow melt from the Colorado Rockies.

Gorgeous riverside campsite on the Green River through Gates of Lodore canyon in Dinosaur National Monument Colorado

Our Green River Gates of Lodore trip begins in Vernal, Utah. We have a pre trip orientation the evening before your trips departure. This orientation gives your group a chance to meet the guides, get your dry bags for the trip and answer any last minute questions. The following morning the bags are loaded and we drive you from Vernal to Brown’s Park where you will meet the guides and begin the river adventure.

At the put in point the crew will direct you on how to most safely travel on a white water rafting trip. Fit you with a PFD or personal flotation device. Help guide each guest on the different white water craft that will be on the trip and give you a short overview of some of the back country travel concepts you will follow on this journey. This orientation takes about 30 to 40 minutes in length depending on your groups size. Once you are loaded on the rafts the journey truly begins. You are free of cell phones, traffic and work getting to relax enjoying some of the most incredible scenery in the state of Colorado and Utah.

As you enter the canyon of Lodore you will experience your first rapid Winnie’s a fun class two rapid with a little excitement to it. The rapids on the Gates of Lodore trip range from Class two to occasionally class four (depending on water levels). On this section of river the rapid classification is based on Class one being calm water to class six being unrunable white water. The most famous rapid on this trip is Hell’s Half Mile a class 3 or class 4 rapid which has been ranked as one of the 10 most famous rapids in North America. Do not let the classification scare you the guides on our trips are very experienced and take every precaution to navigate the white water rapids as safely as possible. The river is a wild place and things can happen that are out of anyone’s control.

The white water is one of the trips highlights but not the only thing that makes it special. The camping and hiking is also phenomenal. Each camp has great swimming, beautiful tent sites and the scenery never stops taking your breath away. At each evenings camp the guides will set up the main camp equipment while you take care of your tent and sleeping gear. Early evening the guides will astound you with a dutch oven dinner and all the extra’s. A typical dinner would begin with appetizers followed by an amazing meal prepared by your guide staff. You will even be surprised by their baking skills when they serve up the evenings desert cooked in a dutch oven under the coals. In the morning the smell of freshly brewed coffee will fill the air. A hearty breakfast will begin your day followed by breaking down camp and preparing the rafts for that days river adventure.

Rippling Brook hike Green River Gates of Lodore Dinosaur National Monument

We have talked about camp and rapids but what about hiking? Dinosaur National Monument has some of the most incredible hiking opportunities of any of the National Parks. Your guides based on group interests, weather and assigned camps will lead you on some incredible hikes throughout the trip. A couple of the hikes that are most popular are Jones Hole Creek. This hike can be a 5 mile round trip hike where you will see some fantastic Native American rock art, waterfalls and wildlife. All the while you will be following Jones Creek a beautiful spring fed creek, crystal clear and teaming with trout. In Echo Park your guides will lead you to Whispering Cave (do not forget your headlamp) and to another fine rock art site. Winnie’s Grotto is a short hike with spectacular scenery, this hike is typically a first day lunch stop.

No matter what your interests in the outdoors are a Green River Gates of Lodore trip with Dinosaur River Expeditions will be a trip of a lifetime. This trip fills up quickly and space can be limited so call or email today we will be happy to help you with any of your needs.

Utah One Day River Rafting

Posted on May 7, 2017 at 7:01 pm.

Written by Dinosaur River Expeditions

One Day White Water River Rafting Trips On The Green River.

Vernal, Utah has some excellent white water river rafting opportunities from one day river rafting trips to five day expeditions in Dinosaur National Monument and the Flaming Gorge Recreation area. In our opinion the best river rafting Utah has to offer is based out of Vernal with the Green River Gates of Lodore and Yampa River in our backyard. These rivers are the places modern river running began in the early 1900’s when Vernal’s local adventurer’s would build their own wooden boats and go out on the river learning how to navigate the white water found along the way.

Many of these trips began near Green River, Wyoming floating through the canyons of Flaming Gorge through Brown’s Park, Colorado eventually ending near Jensen, Utah at the Split Mountain boat ramp in Dinosaur National Monument. As the popularity increased so did the options that the local river outfitters offered to folks seeking a river rafting trip. For people with a limited time frame or limited budget a one day river rafting trip is a great option. Our one day white water river rafting trip begins at the base of the Flaming Gorge Dam and takes a seven mile course down the Green River to our take out point Little Hole.

Construction of Flaming Gorge Dam, as part of the Colorado River Storage Project, began in June 1958 with the last bucket of concrete placed on November 15, 1962. The 502 foot-high thin-arch concrete dam is located on the Green River in northeastern Utah about 32 miles downstream from the Utah-Wyoming border. Flaming Gorge Dam is one of the four units of the CRSP, which provides vital water storage and hydropower generation as well as many recreation benefits.

On December 10, 1962, the waters of the Green River began filling the reservoir behind Flaming Gorge Dam and nearly a year later on September 27, 1963, President John F. Kennedy initiated the first power generation at Flaming Gorge power plant. The dam was dedicated on August 17, 1964, by former First Lady, Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson.

With the construction of this dam and the crystal clear water that flows out of it down the Green River, a prime recreation area has been developed. The dam provides a constant flow of water each summer for rafting and fishing bringing travelers from all over the world to see this incredible landscape.

This section of river has great class 2 rapids, incredible scenery, crystal clear water and abundant wildlife. We are the only locally owned and operated outfitter in Vernal, Utah offering trips since 1979. The other outfitters are based in areas far away from the region. Why go rafting with the big corporations when you can go with the local expert? I know who I choose when traveling, the local expert. The Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam is most often called Section A or Red Canyon. It is a 7 mile float with beautiful scenery and interspersed with fun rapids throughout the day. The most popular rapids are Mother In Law, Bridge Rapid and Dripping Springs. The other rapids are just as fun and offer something for everyone. The river is world renowned for it’s blue ribbon trout fishing. There are approximately 1000 trout per mile. It is great for the kids, they can watch over the edge of the raft and see fish as you raft down the river. We offer a fantastic deli lunch mid day. Typically on a beautiful sandy beach where you can take a swim or do a little sun bathing. There are a lot of wildlife viewing options. Mule deer, bighorn sheep, occasionally moose or elk can be seen on the drive to the river and along the river banks. A lot of birds can be seen, osprey, bald eagles, and a wide variety of ducks.

If you are looking for a family, group or solo adventure give a single day river rafting trip on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam a try this summer. Dates fill up quickly so you will want to reserve your space in advance. Give us a call we will be happy to help you plan out the best one day raft trip in Utah.

Book your next adventure today!