WHITEWATER CANOEING ON THE GREEN RIVER IN UTAH

Some of our favorite trips included canoeing on the Green River in Northeastern Utah from Flaming Gorge Dam, down to the Gates of Lodore in Northwestern Colorado. We did this trip about 12 times between the early 80's and late 90's. This trip was also featured a few years a in ago "Boy's Life" with a troop from Greeley, CO (led by an old SM friend).

We typically left from Boulder on a Thursday, traveling to Dutch John, Utah, (about 8 hours with stops) then camped in a forest service campground near the Dam. A tour of the Dam is an interesting attraction to see how it was built and the hydroelectric turbines and generators. Next morning, we unloaded canoes below the Dam and put in for the first exciting leg of the trip from the Dam to "Little Hole" campground (about five miles of interesting but safe whitewater canoeing in crystal clear and very cold water).

Fishing is quite excellent in that stretch with large trout for those who are so inclined. Sometimes we would take out and return canoes to the Dam and re-run that stretch in the afternoon. For the next leg of the journey, we would shuttle cars from Dutch John down to Indian Crossing either that afternoon, or the next morning, for the next takeout point.

The shuttle is about 40 miles up through southwestern wyoming and back into Colorado so it takes about four hours round trip on gravel roads. The descent down into Indian Crossing (and back out for the return trip) from the plateau is fairly steep on a 15 percent grade so good brakes and low gears are essential especially if you have a canoe trailer.

Canoeing below Little hole takes you to Red Creek Rapid which is a more challenging longer run of some class 2 rapids and sometimes class 3 if the water is running high. Usually we portage the upper Red Creek rapid, but a few experienced canoeists will take it on. The water rises and lowers when the Dam's generators are running at high capacity during the day and lower at night. Beyond Red Creek rapid, is moderate rapids and riffles which are fun even for novice canoeists.

Swallow Canyon is a beautiful deep water passage that has steep vertical rock walls frequented by the birds with lots of nests. A fun activity there is to get out and have mud fights in the shallows. Below Swallow Canyon, near Indian Crossing is the John Jarvie Ranch which has interesting displays of old West memorabilia and was also the area frequented by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and the Hole in the Wall gang outlaws. You can also canoe on the Flaming Gorge Reservoir above the Dam and do some fishing if you wish.

If you want to make the trip a 50 miler, you can do a float trip on down to Gates of Lodore which is right around 50 miles from the Dam, but water is very slow moving and warm and takes more paddling to get anywhere fast. Land is mostly BLM managed and can be camped on with many suitable sites near the river.

Gates of Lodore Canyon has a very treacherous series of rapids with rapid descent down to Vernal, Utah. It has up to class 5 rapids which requires permitting from BLM to go through, and usually is only done in rafts with a guide service, or sometimes kayaks.

The Green River was first explored by Major John Wesley Powell who mapped and recorded the features of the river in the 1860's and passed through Gates of Lodore in longboats....a very exciting ride documented in his writings and illustrations of the area.

Nearby attractions are the Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah, (south of Dutch John) which can be visited en route to or returning from the Canoe Trip, although the visitor's center and exhibit building are presently closed due to structural problems. It may be repaired or replaced in the future however. Many interesting fossils and a large display of multiple dinosaur bones embedded in the terrain are fascinating for the "Jurassic Park" enthusiasts.

Cost was about $120 per Venturer for a week long 50 miler to gates of Lodore, and about $80 for a four day trip (skipping the lower stretch down to the "Gates") which was the most common for our Crew as it only required a Thursday departure, and then canoeing on Friday, Saturday, part of Sunday, and then return home. On the way back we often would stop for swimming at the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs, or sometimes in Steamboat Springs.

Bob Amick, (ret.) Advisor/Skipper Venturing Crew/Sea Scout Ship 72, ASM Troop 72, Boulder, CO