The Green River is a very long stream forming in the Wind River Range of the Rocky Mountains in Bridger Teton National Forest of Sublette County, Wyoming, then winding its way south into Utah, turning east into Colorado and finally back south down into Utah where it terminates at the confluence of the Colorado River in Canyonlands National Park in San Juan County. The featured section is the 25 mile run from Echo Park Campground at the confluence with the Yampa River in extreme northwestern Colorado to Split Mountain Campground in Utah, though trips can continue another 8 miles to US Highway 40 near Jensen.
This reach is a very popular 25 mile section of the Green River in eastern Utah. There are at least 15 campgrounds, no significant rapids, excellent access, beautiful scenery, gorgeous canyons and side canyons, about 3-4 months of boatable water and the option of paddling another 8 miles down to Jensen if you did not log enough paddle strokes in the first 25 miles. You will share the river with paddlers ranging in ability from pure novices to expert level skills in canoes, kayaks, inflatable kayaks, rafts, and possibly even dorries. The river is wide and the banks are spacious. In places the canyon walls rise right out of the water to tower overhead. Side canyons offer premiere exploration opportunities for those interested in more than just paddling, and can extend time on the river by one or more days. The scenic Green River is one of Utah's finest paddling destinations, and this section may be the best the river has to offer. Be sure to pack your camera and use it often!
Moffat County, Colorado and Uintah County, Utah, in the high desert about midway between Salt Lake City and Grand Junction. There is nothing close to this remote area where the Green River flows.
Salt Lake City 200 miles; Grand Junction 140 miles; Durango 310 miles; Denver 386 miles; Albuquerque 570 miles; Phoenix 723 miles; Oklahoma City 959 miles; Dallas 1,115 miles; Austin 1,225 miles; San Antonio 1,233 miles; Houston 1,411 miles; Little Rock 1,286 miles; Kansas City 996 miles (all distances are approximate and depend upon starting point, destination point on the river and route taken.)
Water quality in the Green River is very good to excellent, flowing clean, clear and cold, but not drinkable without purification. Navigable flows are generally limited to mid-spring through early summer.
April through June is the prime season for running this section of the Green River. Other times depend upon significant precipitation in the drainage basins of the Green and Yampa Rivers.
This section of the Green River has no significant hazards for competent boaters. Most rapids are Class I to II at normal flows, and can be run by paddlers with limited whitewater experience in canoes, kayaks and rafts. The high desert run does necessitate taking along plenty of drinking water or a system for purifying river water. Rapids are the boulder garden type that sometimes produce holes and standing waves, but the river is wide enough to maneuver around many of them.
Put in at Echo Park Campground at 0.0 miles; Rainbow Park Campground (Utah) at about 14.0 miles; Split Mountain Campground at about 25.0 miles; Trips can be extended by paddling down to Green River campground at about 25.5 miles, or the US Highway 40 bridge at Jensen at about 33.0 miles. There are no other access points on this section of the Green River.
There are numerous excellent natural riverside campsites are available all along this run, including 13 BLM and 2 commercial campgrounds (near the end of the run.) Be sure to carry everything you need to leave no trace of your having been there.
There are no outfitters located along this section of the river. Numerous outfitters from Utah, Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Texas and other states frequently bring groups to this river, so it may be possible to arrange shuttles from one of them. Otherwise, plan on bringing everything you need and running your own shuttles.
The Echo Park Campground to Split Mountain campground run on the Green River can be a run all by itself, or the end of runs through Lodore or Yampa Canyons. The river offers excellent trips for almost anybody regardless of skills or experience, so this section is very popular. A wealth of excellent riverside campsites, plus two commercial campgrounds at the end make this a perfect destination for those looking to a wilderness paddling trip to escape the daily routine of normal life. The river flows best from April through June, and may be navigable at other times if sufficient rainfall and/or snowmelt in the drainage basins of the Yampa and Green Rivers contributes additional flow. A number of commercial liveries run trips to this section of the Green River, though none are located along it, so setting up shuttles may be just a matter of paying a nominal fee to avoid having to run your own shuttles before and after a trip. The river, and surrounding areas, is just awesome in its natural beauty. Once you paddle the Green River you will definitely want to come back and do it again! Bring a camera so you can give your friends reasons to be envious.
