Crew guide
Four unforgettable days through Lodore Canyon, Echo Park, Whirlpool Canyon, and Split Mountain—with real whitewater, assigned camps, and almost no margin for sloppy logistics.
Upper Lodore · Miles 0-6
Typical day 1
The Green enters 2,000-foot canyon walls almost immediately. Disaster Falls is the first consequential rapid and deserves deliberate setup and boat spacing.
Launch inspection and ranger check happen at the ramp. Wade & Curtis and Pot Creek are the early assigned-camp zones.
Lower Lodore · Miles 6-18
Typical day 2
The technical core of the trip: closely spaced named rapids, dark quartzite walls, and limited recovery room in places.
Triplet Falls and Hell's Half Mile are the signature Class III-IV features. Scouting and conservative spacing are standard private-trip practice.
Echo + Whirlpool · Miles 18-35
Typical day 3
The canyon opens at Steamboat Rock and the Yampa confluence, then closes again through Whirlpool Canyon. Jones Hole is the marquee hiking stop.
Permitted multiday groups may not camp at Echo Park or Rainbow Park; use the assigned river camps on the permit itinerary.
Split Mountain · Miles 35-44
Typical final day
A last quiet reach gives way to Moonshine, S.O.B., Schoolboy, and Inglesby rapids in Split Mountain Gorge.
Rig for the takeout before the final gorge. Split Mountain can be congested during midday commercial de-rigging.
Trip map
Tap launch, confluence, hike, campground, takeout, and staging markers. The orange road line is the approximately 120-mile vehicle shuttle—not a shortcut across the monument.
Vehicle shuttle
Private-trip vehicle shuttles, equipment rentals, food packing, and trip support for Gates of Lodore and the Yampa.
435-781-4919
Vehicle shuttle
Gates of Lodore vehicle service may be available by advance arrangement; confirm scope, timing, and NPS authorization directly.
435-848-8000
Permit required. Private multiday launches are issued through Recreation.gov. High-use trips are normally three or four days; over-length Green trips may be approved up to five days. The noncommercial group maximum is 25.
Assigned camps matter. During high use, camp only at the sites printed on the permit itinerary. Echo Park and Rainbow Park are not legal multiday river camps, and camping is prohibited in Split Mountain Gorge.
Experience is mandatory. NPS requires the leader and boatmen to have comparable Class III-or-higher experience, plus whitewater safety, first-aid, and repair capability.
Bring the current rules. The permit holder must read and carry the current Boating in the Monument regulations. Equipment and inspection requirements are enforced at launch.
The river turns directly into the Uinta Mountains beneath walls rising more than 2,000 feet.
Disaster Falls, Triplet Falls, and Hell's Half Mile still carry names from the 1869 expedition.
Steamboat Rock stands over the Green–Yampa confluence at the center of the monument.
A clear creek, Fremont-culture rock art, and Ely Creek waterfall make this the signature hike.
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