A beautiful place that is a must visit in the Uintah Basin is the one and only Flaming Gorge. This beautiful natural environment gives you so many different and unique opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. There are activities for every personality to enjoy, from the most outdoorsy person to the home body. Narrowing down all that the hardest part of visiting the Flaming Gorge Recreation Area. Here are the top rated adventures of Flaming Gorge.
Boating on Flaming Gorge Reservoir
There are many boating sports activities that can be done on the reservoir. These activities include water skiing, paddle boarding, jet skiing, kayaking and many more. The lake itself is a great place for family gatherings or solo adventures.
Visiting Red Canyon Lodge
Red Canyon Lodge is a very popular place for many tourists as well as the locals. It is a great place for a day away from the city or a camping trip. The lodge hosts many activities such as horseback riding, private lake for trout fishing and riding the rental paddle boats. There are also cabins for rent perfect for large or small groups. The Alpine Cabins are open to rent through the Spring and Fall seasons and the Ponderosa Cabins are available for rent any night of the year.
River Rafting
Another top pick for visiting Flaming Gorge is a one day guided rafting trip down the Green River. Dinosaur River Expeditions provides a single day scenic rafting trip perfect for people looking for a life changing experience. It is an astounding scenic trip with a few super fun class II rapids thrown in this trip is one of Utah’s top single day rafting tours. Dinosaur River also offers 2 or 3 day rafting trips in the Flaming Gorge area for groups of 6 or more. This section of the Green River also provides world renowned fly fishing for trout. There are several excellent fly fishing guide services in the area, it is highly recommended to hire a guide these trout can be tricky to catch.
Learning about the history of Flaming Gorge Dam is very simple thanks to the tour the visitor center provides. This tour is open daily from April 15 to October 15 and the cost is free. During this tour, a movie, a 3-D display, and a walk through are provided for free. The walking tour starts at the dam’s visitor center and takes you down through the internal workings of this massive concrete structure to the base of the dam where the Green River pours out of its inner plumbing. Many great views and excellent information are provided by the Flaming Gorge Dam Tour.
Hiking
Countless hikes surround the area of Flaming Gorge. The trails all provide a different experience with the widely diverse trail routes and abundance of wildlife. There is a trail for every one of all levels of experience and age. Some of the more popular hikes are the Little Hole Trail, Moonshine Arch, and Bear Canyon. If you don’t want to hike, there are options for biking as well. In the wintertime, many people also use the trails for cross country skiing as well as snow shoeing. For information on hiking the Ashley National Forest can provide you with directions, maps and information to get you to the trail head.
Flaming Gorge is an amazing place full of opportunities to appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. It is a place for anyone and everyone to enjoy and discover through adventure. Either if it is through hiking, river rafting or any of the other activities, the visit to Flaming Gorge will be worth it.
They say there’s more than one way to skin a cat, which is to say there are many ways to accomplish a task. In my first year guiding I heard the same phrase, if only a little differently. It’s your cat, you skin it; which is to say do it however you see fit. Of course, when it came time to actually do the thing I usually did it wrong. So much for the many ways. But a first year of doing anything is a steep learning curve. Eventually you learn that while there are many ways to do something, some ways are easier and more efficient. So here’s a story about learning the best way to skin a cat.
I grew up running rivers with my family. When the time and opportunity arose I applied for a job at Dinosaur River Expeditions. Wouldn’t you know it they hired me. That first year I was nervous, but expected that I knew quite a bit more than someone off the street. Pride comes before the fall. I was a lousy boatman. All that time on the water with my family, I’d never spent any time rowing the raft. I was always in a hardshell kayak. The kayak is a one man craft, made of hard plastic, relatively light and maneuverable. A raft on the other hand is rigid rubber, and depending on the size can fit six to eight people. As a novice I wouldn’t have called them maneuverable boats. So there I am on the day section of Flaming Gorge. A kayak mind in a raft body. Let me be clear, the day stretch is class II whitewater at most. It’s mainly a scenic float. The lines are straight forward: take the tongue, avoid the rocks. I guess that’s not how I wanted to skin my cat. Just about everyday that first summer I’d high side the boat on a rock, or high center the damn thing and be parked in the center of the river for a minute or two. And, just as inevitably, I’d send a couple of my passengers into the water. A coworker quickly nicknamed me danger. “That’s the danger boat, if you’re looking for an exciting ride,” he’d say, and I’d see the uneasiness creep into the smiles of my passengers faces and see the hint of doubt in their eyes, and I’d hope like hell I ran a better line.
When I did get to run multi days (they were hard pressed for help that summer, and so gave me the opportunity to run a boat, god bless em) my lines were little better. And as bad a boatman as I was, I was an even worse kitchen hand. Especially if you ask a coworker, who shall remain nameless. It was as if I’d never lifted a knife and chopped a vegetable. Or greased a pan. To be fair to her I did have trouble distinguishing cabbage from iceberg lettuce in the vegetable cooler. I ran around that kitchen like a headless chicken, and she was on my tail like a hungry fox, making sure I knew every mistake I made and making sure I knew it damn well. Even still, I made brownies with olive oil and forgot to put them in the dutch oven (luckily someone was watching my work, and dessert came out on time, and as I recall no one noticed an odd aftertaste of olives). After doing dishes and cleaning the kitchen, there were nights I’d sit on my boat and think I wasn’t cut out for the job. But morning would inevitably come, and I’d do my damnedest to make sure the scrambled eggs weren’t burned, and people would hop on my boat for the exciting ride, only to be stuck on a rock for a while or sent for an unexpected swim.
Though I was an inept boatman, and a liability in the kitchen, for all that I was – in the writer’s humble opinion – an alright guide. Who knows, maybe it was like watching a train wreck. But people enjoyed being on my boat, risks included. I guess it’s not that surprising. These days your guide is as interesting as the place they’re guiding you through. If wealth was measured in stories in memories, your guides would be some of the wealthiest people on the planet. And believe you me, they’re eager to share that wealth. So, to all the passengers and guides that were there in my first season, thanks.
For one day or five whitewater rafting is one of the best ways to cool off in the summer heat for people of all ages and experience levels. That’s right, everyone! In the last 30 years, rafting has grown out of its wild and risky days into a family friendly activity. The invention of new safety gear and a better understanding of whitewater has helped the industry mitigate the risks of rafting. On a guided rafting trip the staff will orient you with a solid safety speech at the put in before launching on your one day or multi day river adventure. Whether it is a Utah one day raft trip on the Green River below Flaming Gorge or a 4 or 5 day white water adventure on the Green River or Yampa River through Dinosaur National Monument keep in mind you are potentially far from advanced help. Your guides are trained, certified and licensed but some injuries are beyond their medical training. Being mindful of your actions and thinking safe are key on a river rafting trip. Here are the basic measures you should take for every whitewater trip.
Wear a properly fitting PFD
PFD’s, or life jackets, are the most important piece of equipment in white water rafting. Yes, even more vital than the boat, paddles, or guide. It is a hard rule: do not go on river without a PFD. Unlike lakes or oceans, river water churns chaotically in rapids. Eddies form confusing whirlpools that suck straight down, diagonal waves kicking towards canyon walls, and holes circulate water on themselves creating stationary pockets of water within a system of movement. Fortunately, a snug PFD will remove your need to navigate through this chaos, bringing you thoughtlessly to the surface
The vest should be tight against your chest and shoulders with all the buckles clipped. It shouldn’t come above your ears when you tug on the lapels. The jacket will loosen up over time and when its wet, so be sure to tug on your straps throughout the day and have a guide check that its fitted correctly.
Be mindful
The majority of river trip injuries happen on shore not on the river. Be aware of your movements getting on and off the boats and at camp, hiking stops or lunch. It’s easy to twist an ankle, accidentally slice your hand on a dinner knife, or get a burn from boiling water. Slow yourself down, the river isn’t a race. It will save a lot of havoc if you take a breath before swirling around with a knife in your hand. Also, remember that drugs and alcohol decrease your body awareness and increase the potentially for a clumsy accident. The best way to combat shoreline injuries is simple, pay attention.
Dress to the day
Temperature injuries are some of the most common on the river. In the spring, cold air combined with cold water creates a very real hypothermia threat; and in the summer, the reflective water doubles your sun exposure, increasing the risk for heat stroke. Make sure you check the weather forecast for a general idea of what you should be prepared for going into your trip. If its spring, bring an extra fleece, rain jacket and pants to help fend off the splashing cold water. In the summer, bring a brimmed hat, sunglasses, and even lightweight long sleeve shirts and pants for sun protection. In both cases, make sure you are hydrated and well nourished, fulling your body properly helps give it the strength you need for thermoregulation.
Swim Properly
Similar to the proper use of a life jacket, swimming correctly in the river can help you conserve energy and avoid unnecessary risk. Use the defensive swimming position, floating on your back, looking downstream with your toes out of the water. Although it is an instinct to stop your motion by standing up, this is one of the more dangerous moves on the river. The water is stronger than you, and stopping your momentum is unlikely. It’s best to swim actively towards a raft or use the “noes and toes” defensive swimming position. Remember not to panic, the rapid won’t go on forever.
Speak Up
Much of rafting safety is in your control. Guides are doing everything they can to keep you safe, but a large portion is in your hands. If you are uncomfortable with going on a certain section of a hike or don’t want to take an inflatable kayak down a rapid, that’s okay! Just let a guide know that they will help you. The guides are there to keep you safe. Even if you are cold, hot, thirsty or have a minor cut, let someone know. It’s much easier to combat many small problems than one big one.
Rafting safely is all about small actions that prevent large catastrophes. Don’t skimp on the easy stuff and have fun!
The Ultimate Kids Trip: 4th graders and their families get in to the Monument for FREE.
I have the reputation as the “kids” guide at Dinosaur River Expeditions. Every time there’s a trip with someone under the age of 13, they are inevitably my favorite guest (sorry adults). I can talk for hours with a 10 year old about their favorite candy, or listen to stories about the time they rode sleeping bags down the stairs, completely captivated. This fact is the reason that when Dinosaur booked their first trip with more children than guardians, I found myself rowing the kids’ boat down the Green River.
It was a late August Gates of Lodore trip, and we had made it through all the big rapids like Hell’s Half Mile. I volunteered to take the kids’ boat the night before, assuming not all of them would want to come with me. The next thing I knew, I was rowing through Whirlpool Canyon with, no joke, a raft overrun with twelve animated children. We listened to the three Twenty One Pilot songs I happened to have downloaded on my iPod, on repeat, repeatedly. The kids’ faces were caked with seven colors of zinc sunscreen: a creative dad brought them to trick the kids into protecting their young skin from the sun. “War Paint!” They yelled every morning, excited to be decorate themselves; no one questioned what they were at war with…
They stood on the frame, and along the tubes of the boat, with the impressive balance of someone who doesn’t know they should be falling over. They danced (some with terrible kid moves you couldn’t help but love and some who should seriously consider dance as profession) with abandon. “Rapid!” I would yell, pausing the music, and 12 little bodies would suddenly sit down and hang onto “something strappy” on my command. As soon as the rapid ended, they flew back into the frenzied floating dance party.
We floated through the canyon, experiencing our own versions of perfection.
We arrive at camp and the kids scatter, digging in the sand, catching lizards, playing a kind of tag they invented.
A few minutes, later the US Fish and Wildlife Biologists stopped at our camp. They had seen our trip of kids and stopped to treat us with a few cool tidbits about the fish in Dinosaur National Monument. The kids piled onto the boat, the biologists pulled out ten fish from a cooler, and showed them each one before tossing it back into the water. The kids squealed with glee as each fish splashed into the river and swam away.
Doesn’t this sound like a kids’ paradise to you? The billion-year-old rocks aren’t fragile, they can touch everything in sight (except the petroglyphs). The kids won’t care if there is sand in every crevice of their body, about the geology, or the history of the place, but they feel its enchantment. Your family can dance, make s’mores, bury each other in the sand and make new friends. Some friendships will be a fleeting reminder of the freedom you felt on the river: like when you see a lizard you remember the one you caught named Gary. Other friendships might be the kind that last a lifetime. What can I say, the kids and I get each other. I never grew out of my kid phase: I want to touch the water, the sand, the river, breath in the hot air, and believe in magic.
National Parks Foundation seems to understand the kids too, as they started the “Every kid in a Park” initiative. Every4th grader and their families can get into any National Park or Monument in the country for free. The magic in the National Parks is greater than Disneyland and this program allows every kid and their families to experience it.
It was another in a long series of preposterous ideas pursued by Dory Moon Expeditions. The Canyon of Lodore–the steepest, rockiest stretch of the Green and Colorado–in wooden dories full of gear and people. A stretch of water usually so desiccated by Flaming Gorge Dam’s paltry releases that it is all but impassable to hard-hulled boats. We tried it once in 1991, gambling on the annual Memorial Day (-ish) fishery releases, but lost the bet and had to switch to rafts and rumble through on under 1,000 cfs. We tried again in 1995 and won, rowing dories through on a falling release of about 3,500 cfs with only minor damage. But we hadn’t had the nerve to try it again in over two decades.
With several of our core dory crew now in our sixties (we like to call ourselves sexagenarians), we figured there’s not much time to left to do goofy things. So after last year’s wacky Rogue River dory trip’s success (we only crashed three or four boats), we held our breath and gambled on another Memorial Day release, hoping for at least 2,500 cfs to bash our way through.
Imagine our surprise and delight to see the Upper Green River Basin fill to over 250% of normal snowpack over the winter, and find the river running at nearly maximum release throughout the spring. Jackpot.
I headed north, picked up Coop and his dory in Dolores, and headed for Dinosaur. Coming over Douglass Pass we were astonished to see an enormous cinnamon-colored bear tumble into the road, regain his composure, and scramble up the embankment back into the forest. A good omen no doubt. As we neared our goal and the evening light grew richer, we stopped to soak in the glory.
Blue Mountain and whitewater dory boats.
We found Andy and Kate and two more dories doing the same. RJ and Bruce, coming in from other directions, soon joined the sunset party.
The next day at Dinosaur River Expeditions we sidled the top boats over for loading.
Whitewater dory boats at the Dinosaur River Expeditions boat yard.
And the following morning drove to Flaming Gorge Dam, bursting with the water we had so been looking forward to getting. The gage held steady through our trip at over 7,000 cfs. Woohoo!
Flaming Gorge Dam
And away we go. Eighteen innocent clients (well, kind of innocent), six dories, and three rafts full of extraneous gear.
Down through Red Canyon.
A side hike up to Shorty Burton’s old cabin. A log has fallen on hole #2 of his double outhouse.
And the main cabin could use a bit of maintenance.
Camp at Red Creek–such a spectacular place. A wind storm and rain welcome us to the wilds.
Overnight Red Creek went into flood upstream, giving us a two-tone river. The good news is that Bruce, unlike the last two times we camped here, did not have a malarial attack. I think it was because of the large quantities of preventative quinine water and juniper juice we drank that evening.
Red Creek campsite on the Green River
At Taylor Flat, the old low bridge was finally blown away by the high water of 1983. So what did they do? Replaced it with another low bridge–too low to get the dories under at this high flow. Out come the roller tubes.
After careful measuring, we lined the rafts beneath the bridge with four inches to spare. As a reward, the bridge grew us a tasty morel for an appetizer.
We were back afloat in under two hours, but with a headwind and a long haul across Brown’s Park ahead of us. Here is the old Swinging Bridge. It was always a thrill to drive across as it swung and rippled. You always wondered if it would hold. (Like Amil Quayle’s poem, Stairways–“It feels risky and nice. I’m sure it’ll collapse someday. Somebody might get hurt. I always wonder if this will be the time.”) Well, a few years ago a tractor got the booby prize, and the bridge was formally closed to vehicles. The remains tell the story.
A beautiful evening at Crook Camp.
Best cook crew ever.
Lodore School–a remnant of more populous times.
And the Gates of Lodore open to accept us–one of the more amazing views on any river trip. We’re going in there?
Scouting Disaster Falls, where Major Powell lost the No Name. It goes on and on.
Go that way. But watch out for that.
The mid-section of Disaster was completely huge, but we all bounced through. Camp at Pot Creek.
Leah finds a friend.
Morning story time. We each tell the intertwined sagas of our dories’ lives.
Harp Falls rocks and rolls.
Triplet Falls. More scouting as ice balls fall from the sky.
Melissa shows us the way, pausing to blow us a kiss half way through.
And finally, the crux move. Hell’s Half Mile. So well named. Routinely portaged at great labor until 1922 when Bert Loper said “to hell with it!” and ran it. Fast, powerful, studded with boulders and logs, and endless. A long, busy, difficult run.
The raftsmen show us the way, and Bruce tries to convince us it works for a dory. Wowzers.
White water dory in Hells Half Mile rapid Green River Gates of Lodore Dinosaur National Monument
And we make it through with only one minor flesh wound. A late but exuberant lunch at Rippling Brook and a walk to the falls.
Evening festivities at Wild Mountain.
A morning hike to a vista above Alcove Brook.
Limestone hike overlook, Green River Gates of Lodore
And Lodore comes to a dramatic end as we hit the Mitten Park Fault and enter Echo Park.
Mitten Park Fault Dinosaur National Monument
A visit to one of Pat Lynch’s monogrammed caves.
Cooling off in Whispering Cave.
Kate’s sore knee hitchhiking back to the boats.
Steamboat Rock. It would have been a wee island in a large reservoir but for David Brower and Martin Litton’s leadership in defeating Echo Park Dam. Thanks again, guys.
Lunch on the backside of the Mitten Park Fault.
Geology class.
What is RJ looking at?
The Denis Julien inscription. A trapper who plied the Green back in the 1830s.
Evening light at Stateline Camp. We are cautiously optimistic about this voyage. Okay, not that cautious.
Inventing our own parking lot at Jone’s Hole.
While the others hike the creek, I celebrate four years of ukulele abuse under the tree where I first laid hands on one.
We exit Whirlpool Canyon into Island Park. The bison on the wall is there to welcome us.
So are the mosquitoes. They are drilling through Carhartts in this shot.
But the sunset is marvelous.
Beautiful evening Island Park campsite on the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument
Marching through the cheatgrass to the Wedding Panel.
Amazing petroglyphs accessible by a scary climb or via sensible binoculars.
Entering Split Mountain Canyon, the final gauntlet.
After a raucous ride through Moonshine, SOB, and Schoolboy Rapids, we stop for lunch. So do the bighorn ewes.
After cutting into Split Mountain, the river parallels the mountain crest, then turns to cut out the far side.
At Split Mountain boat ramp, where most people, eyes looking downward, scurry to pack their boats away and leave, we camp and admire the uncommon beauty.
We spend one final morning cruising the Big W–a winding stretch of river below Split Mountain that offers magnificent views of the cliffs we just exited.
And life-size petroglyphs.
And lichen art.
As we turn south into the gray Mancos Shale, our passengers depart and we push the remaining six miles to Jensen Bridge.
Against odds, the ancient mariners made it through again. We’ll be back in another twenty-two years.
Thanks to Tyler and Jen Callantine of Dinosaur River Expeditions for supporting this madness. And our support crew: Brett Smith, Sweet Melissa Frogh, and young Jacoby. And our stalwart dorymen Andy Hutchinson, Kate Thompson, RJ Johnson, Tim Cooper, Bruce Keller, and myself.
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.
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.
Lunch Stop Green River Flaming Gorge One Day River Rafting Trip Utah
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.
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.
