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Almost everything you need to Know about the Yampa River

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Almost everything you need to Know about the Yampa River

To attempt to explain everything you need to know about the Yampa River through Dinosaur National Monument in one short blog is all but impossible but here are a few of the basics. The Yampa meanders from its headwaters near Steamboat, Colorado through town where teenagers float on tubes, into a narrow canyon with class V rapids where gripped kayakers test their skills, through flat desert until it reaches Deerlodge campground. This is the beginning of the Yampa Canyon and the start of 71 miles of some of the best white water rafting in the Western US. There are entire books written on the importance of the Yampa river to the environmental movement, natural history, and rafting community.

In the early 1900’s the dam craze took off across the United States. There was a belief vibrating through humanity that man could conquer nature, that enough technology had been developed power could be harnessed and controlled for the utility of human kind and there were very few movements to stop the development of public lands. It was in this mindset that the Echo Park Dam was proposed. If this dam would have been built it would have flooded the entire Yampa canyon we raft down today. The story is long, and best told through the misty eyes of a crusty river guide who sees their home flooding with the creation of the dam, but in short: an LA family came rafting down the Yampa and fell in love. They brought the story of the proposed Echo Park dam back to LA where David Brower and the Sierra Club learned of it. Through massive efforts people from a multitude of groups fought to save the Yampa. This became the first nationwide grass roots environmental movement. This makes the Yampa the last major undammed tributary of the Colorado river system. Today almost every soul who passes down the Yampa canyon expresses their gratitude for the Sierra Club helping to preserve the waterway.

Not only is the lack of dam on the Yampa historically significant, it creates an untampered environment for the creatures that call the eastern Utah desert home. Scientist study the animals, bugs, fish and plants in an attempt to see the effects that dams have on river ecosystems. In the 70’s scientist found that the Yampa Canyon was nesting some of north America’s last Paragon Falcons. They tagged and tracked the birds and helped ensure the young would hatch to help repopulate the endangered animals.  Today falcons can be seen throughout the river canyon in the summer months.

Beyond environmental history, astronomers study the night sky from Dinosaur National Monument as it is the darkest national monument in the country.  Its remote location protects it from the light and air pollution of human existence.

And Even before the River Rats and scientists called this place, home there are 500 years’ worth of Native Americans history, who thrived in the canyons, leaving us to marvel at what they left behind.

The Yampa River is one of the river most dynamic rivers in the country, changing with the natural flood stages of the Colorado snowpack eventually dwindling down to a mild stream as the snowpack disappears. This makes the river exciting to raft and different every time you launch rafts and boats from the put in.

Mantle’s Cave on Colorado’s Yampa River

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The Yampa River starts high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, with its headwater originating at roughly 11,000 feet the river snakes it way 250 miles across northwestern Colorado. The Yampa River watershed encompasses approximately 8,000 square miles in Colorado and Wyoming. The river eventually meets the border of Dinosaur National Monument and the Deer Lodge boat ramp where our 4 and 5-day Yampa River adventures begin.

A trip on the Yampa River has to many exciting things to see and do along the journey. One of the highlights of the trip is a great side hike to Mantles Cave. This cave is not only scenic but a very important part of early human history. Mantle’s Cave is a large rock shelter about 400 feet above the Yampa River in the Castle Park area, and a short hike from the rafts. The cave is named for Charles and Evelyn Mantle, who ranched in the area and discovered the cave and its archeological treasures sometime in the early 1900’s.

The cave is only accessible by a rafting trip down the Yampa River and is well protected within the boundaries of Dinosaur National Monument. The cave was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

In 1933 the first archaeological excavations of the cave occurred. The Penrose – Taylor Expeditions from Colorado College mapped the cave, uncovered basketry, corn, squash and pottery.

The University of Colorado Museum visited the cave in 1939 and 1940 where they performed extensive excavations. They uncovered storage pits and a wide variety of artifacts throughout the site.

The Fremont culture who used the area left artifacts typical of prehistoric sites found throughout the southwest. Items like stone tools, chipped stone flakes, Manos or a stone used for grinding and a small amount of grayware pottery.

Food items found in Mantles Cave included dried and pulverized insects, grass seeds, pinyon nuts, squash and pumpkin rinds, beans and corncobs. These items give archaeologists an indication that the Fremont both gathered and cultivated plant foods.

The Fremont also hunted and used a wide range of hunting techniques determined by the finds of fishhooks, arrow points and wooden arrow shafts along with snares and nets. This region of Colorado has a large population of elk, mule deer, small game and birds. Hunting would have been key to survival. The Yampa River itself is home to a large variety of fish species and the native people would have been skilled at catching these fish.

Clothing items found in the cave included buckskin sandals or moccasins, rabbit-fur cloth and a juniper-bark robe. The most incredible find was a bag of ceremonial items. A headdress made of flicker feathers, lined with ermine fur along with slate beads, a blade made of quartzite, feather bundles and a butterfly pendant.

Mantle’s Cave is very important in identifying the Fremont culture. Artifacts found within the cave have dates ranging from 500 AD to 1255 AD. In addition, artifacts from the late Archaic period is represented in the cave with dates ranging from 1770 to 1400 BC.

A trip on the Yampa River is a once in a lifetime experience and Mantles Cave is only one of many wonderful things to see and do along the journey.

Vernal Utah Single Day River Rafting Adventure

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Visiting Vernal, Utah and looking for a family fun activity? We offer an excellent introduction to river rafting with our one day raft trip on the Green River starting from the base of the Flaming Gorge Dam. This river trip is an incredible 7 mile float trip with spectacular scenery, peaceful stretches of calm water interspersed with fun class 2 white water. Our experienced guide staff will meet you at our Vernal location at 8:30 a.m. the morning of your day rafting tour. The guide staff will orient you to what items you may want to bring for the day such as sunscreen, camera, water bottle, light jacket and provide you with a water proof day bag to secure your personal items while floating the river. We typically depart for the river by 9:00 a.m. the drive to the river is approximately 50 minutes. Once at the shore of the Green River the guides will set you up with life jackets, safety speech and provide directions about the rafts being used for the day.

Once you start the float trip the guides will provide you with interpretation about the region, pointing out geology, fauna, plant life and tell stories of the human history that has occured along the river. 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.

River Rafting Green River
Single day river rafting Utah’s Green River

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 they are 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. After a nice lunch stop you will load the rafts and finish the raft trip to the take out location Little Hole.

From here the drive is a little over an hour back to our Vernal, Utah location. This is a popular rafting trip and advanced reservations are recommended but not necessary. We are also a short drive from Park City, Utah which is two hours away and Steamboat Springs, Colorado two and half hours away. Booking a trip is easy you can reserve your day rafting trip on our website or call our office staff to secure your space the day.

Book your next Utah One Day River Rafting adventure today!

Vernal Utah One Day River Rafting Tour
Beautiful scenery along Flaming Gorge Green River

Thank You

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Thank you seems to small.

Only eight letters to express the rivers of gratitude to each of you. It’s laughable that eight would be enough, for without you our lives as river guides would be undeniably different.  Let me explain.

Each of you that travels down the river, allows us to live and breathe in this amazing national monument. To feel the tug of flowing water on oars every day, to smell like sunscreen and sweat for months on end, and gasp at desert vistas in every moment. By coming on a river trip you allow us to live the way we wish to live.  But more importantly you allow us to feel that we are bigger than ourselves, a part of a history in Dinosaur National Monument while guiding on the Green River and Yampa River.

Each of us become a river guide for a shallow reason, something like: we went on fun vacations with our family as kids, whitewater is a thrill, or even just the novelty of being a river guide.  Every guide will admit it, but the reason we stay river guides is because of you.  As guides grow more sun crusted we learn more about the river and its surroundings; where different petroglyphs are, who the first person to raft the river solo was, where a dam was almost built and how it was stopped, and the story of the Powell expeditions first trip.

Without knowing it, each time we repeat these stories and facts to you, they become part of our personal history.  None of us were on the Powell expedition boating down the Green River Gates of Lodore, but somehow that expedition is as much a part of my history as riding bikes with my brother as a child. Each time we share the river rafting experience of Dinosaur National Monument with you, it becomes our home and its characters our family.

As time goes on, we make our own history:  a upside down boat used as a slip ’n slide at Wild Mountain campsite, a guest that cried because they were so grateful to have their family together, a kid dance party on the boat on the windiest day of the summer. And as John Wesley Powell did, you become part of who we are, a character of the river and part of our family. For you, this river trip may be once in a lifetime, but for us, this trip is life, and you are the reason for it.

Thank you for allowing us to create a home and a family here.  Thank you for allowing us to love our fellow guides and bosses like we do our own parents and families.  Thanks to our families for supporting our unconventional career choices and understanding that the reason we are here, is to connect with a deeper part of ourselves, to become droplets in a massive river system.  Thank you for allowing us to feel simultaneously insignificant and vitality important to the universe.

Thank you for letting us share our home and family with you.

In return for completely changing our lives and the way we view ourselves, we give you eight letters.  Not nearly enough, but perhaps you will feel that the eight letters we give you, are bigger and so much more important than just letters.

 

Thank you.

The Dinosaur River Expedition Guides

 

When you do

Things from

Your soul.

You feel a

River moving

In you, a joy.

 

-Rumi

7 Must Do Outdoor Activities in Utah

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 Whitewater Rafting the Gates of Lodore on the Green River

The Green River meanders through the Utah/Colorado border but is so spectacular we had to keep it number 1 on our list. Entering through the Gates of Lodore sends you on a 44-mile expedition through technical whitewater rapids like Hell’s Half Miles, lets you sleep on peaceful beaches, watch the stars swirl around the canyon at night, explore vista hikes that will drop your jaw hundreds of feet back to the river, and let you live among the mule deer and bighorn sheep for a few days. Luckily the river is permitted, so although over 9,000 people apply to go down the river every year, it will never be overcrowded and you’ll sure to have an unforgettable wilderness experience. Once you have experienced a Green River Gates of Lodore trip you will have to come back and see the Yampa River another western river gem located in the heart of Dinosaur National Monument.

 Hiking in the Uinta Mountains

This is one of the more underrated mountain ranges in Utah.  Just a few hours outside of Park City, the Uinta’s are home to Utah’s tallest peak, Kings peak at 13,534 feet.  The wooded area is home to beautiful mountain lakes, wild flowers, and crisp mountain air and due to its high elevation, it stays cooler in the heat of the Utah summers.  With plenty of trails for day hikes or backpacking, it’s on the list for a Utah must-see.

Canyoneering in Canyonlands

 The slot canyons in Southern Utah are worth getting yourself into.  Spend a day hiking through one of the wider canyons, like the Narrows, or hire a guide to take you and your friends repelling down a longer more technical canyon.  Be sure not to attempt to do this on your own unless you know what you are doing. The canyons and change quickly with weather and you don’t want to be a search and rescue story. You will more than likely spend some time in Moab while you are there stop in to the local owned outdoor recreation and gear experts Moab Gear Traders.

 Backpack the Grand Gulch in Bears Ears

This stunning 52-mile backpacking trip will take you into the heart of Bears Ears. The steep canyon takes you out of this world as you walk past ancient pueblo ruins: everything from granaries and kivas to petroglyphs and pottery shards. It’s believed that Bears Ears was a hub for pre-colonized North America, like and ancient city. Ruins from many tribes can be found throughout the hike, but don’t forget to visit Newspaper Rock on your way out, with hundreds of petroglyphs from centuries of Native Americans.

Fly Fishing on the Green River

The A-Section of the Green River attracts Anglers from around the world. With over 1000 trout per-mile and cold crystal-clear waters, just below Flaming Gorge Dam, you’d be hard pressed to find a better fly-fishing zone in Utah.  Float the 7 miles section in a drift boat or walk along the banks of the river along a trail that runs the length of the first section.  While the A-section is the most popular, the B and C sections also offer amazing fishing with a few less people.  Make a weekend of it and float the A, B, and C sections, reserving a campsite on the riverbanks. Want to learn more about fishing or just need some help with your casting? Not to worry, there is a whole city of fishing guides in Dutch John, Utah happy to take you. Fishing is not your thing but you would still love to see the river, we offer a fantastic scenic river rafting day trip give us a call or book online for Utah one day on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam.

 Mountain Biking in Vernal, Utah

 Vernal is giving Moab a ride for its money.  It has something for everyone; easy beginner trails to learn or ride with kids, self-inflicted suffer fest, flowy downhills with a few drops if you are daring, and everything in between. The city sits on the edge of the North-Eastern Utah desert and the Uinta Mountains giving it a uniquely diverse landscape. Within 20- minutes of Vernal in either direction you can ride on Moab Style slick rock or Montana-esque packed dirt in the woods. There are dozens of well-made trails and not as crowded as Fruita or Moab.  Head into the local bike shop, Altitude Cycle, for tips on which trails to ride.

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park

This Utah view is iconic for a reason. The three-mile hike takes you along sandstone slick rock, winding through desert half pipes and bowls. It’s a moderately-difficult hike and worth the trek to see the arch in person.

Best Season For River Rafting

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Best Time of Year to Raft!

 

The time of year you book your river trip will have a dramatic impact on what your trip is like, choosing the right time for you, will help give the trip you are looking for.

 

Late May to early June is a beautiful time of year in Dinosaur National Monument.

The blooming desert flowers and cooler temperatures make for a very scenic trip. It is also the only time of year you can commercially run the Yampa River. The Yampa River is a free-flowing river, meaning there are no dam controls so the amount of water in the river rises the more the snow melts, and as the season goes on the river becomes too low to raft.  If you want to see the beautiful white sandstone and archaeological history of the Yampa River, be sure to go on a spring trip.

River Rafting

The other consideration when booking early season trips is the higher spring water levels means a more thrilling white-water adventure. The Yampa has large stretches of flat water, but also big challenging rapids, with water levels typically peaking around the first of June. Due to its free-flowing nature gauging how big the rapids will be, is dependant how much snow the Colorado mountains get throughout the winter.  More snow equals more water, more water means bigger rapids, bigger rapids mean a more thrilling ride.  If you are dying to go down the Yampa, but skeptical about the larger rapids, aim for an late May trip or a low snowpack year.  It’s difficult to predict when the Yampa will hit peak water flows, but typically May is a bit lower.  If you are looking for a big whitewater adventure aim for an early June trip.

 

The Green River also historically has higher flows in the spring.  The US Fish and Wildlife encourage Flaming Gorge Dam to simulate a spring flood stages to que the native fish to start spawning. The Gates of Lodore section of the Green River is another great option for a thrilling ride in the early season.  Again, the flows are difficult to say until just a few weeks before the launch date, but as a general rule of thumb, watch the Wyoming snowfall and look to the month of June for the most water for a Gates of Lodore trip.

 

As the season goes on the water levels will taper off and the river becomes a more family friendly place. July and August are great mid level rafting trip on the Green river.  The flows are typically friendly enough to let tweens and early teens try their luck on one of our inflatable kayaks in whitewater and the air temperature rises making the cold river water refreshing. The rapids are thrilling and splashy but not quite as intimidating as an early season Yampa or Lodore.  The lower water opens up more sandy beaches for kids to play on and enjoy swimming. If you are looking for a trip for you and your family, late June, July and August are the perfect time of year.

 

Ultimately the time you choose to book your river trip depends on what you are looking for.  The river canyons are beautiful no matter the time of year; families with kids typically have more fun later in the season and late teens and adult groups have a great time with the early season high water flows.

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