Yampa River Rafting

We'll begin our adventure with a scenic two-hour drive from Vernal to our put-in at
Deerlodge Park, where your boats and the rest of your O.A.R.S. crew meet you. After a
thorough safety talk, our journey begins. Today, the Yampa meanders through wide-open
desert scenery, quite distinctive from the deep canyons that adorn most of the river corridor.
Blooming cactus is among the eye-catching desert flora that we'll enjoy today as we
peacefully float down the river, soaking in the sights, sounds and sensations of our
wilderness surroundings.

Our first day on the Yampa generally sets the pace for the remainder our river trip.
Typically, we spend a few hours on the water in the morning, sometimes stopping for a great
hike, a visit to a waterfall or Indian petroglyphs, or a refreshing swim. Come lunchtime, we
pull over to a sandy beach and enjoy a delicious picnic. After feasting and relaxing on the
beach (and perhaps a game of Frisbee or horseshoes), we get back into our boats and watch
the desert panoramas slowly develop as we continue down the river. Today's whitewater is
relatively mild, but over the course of the next few days, the rapids become bigger and more
frequent - perfect for trying out the paddleboat and inflatable kayak! Mid- to late-afternoon,
we stop and make camp; you grab your bags and set up your tent while we take care of the
kitchen and "living room" - camp chairs and the site for tonight's campfire (if permitted).
This is the perfect time for you to lounge on the beach with that book you want to finish
forever.

Before long you will be savoring pleasing hors d'oeuvres and the beverage of your choice -
delicious as these refreshments are, they always taste better after a day on the river! Nap,
take an exploratory hike, or just sit back and laugh with friends and family as we prepare
dinner. After another satisfying feast, the evening is yours to spend however you wish.
Maybe music, stories or jokes will bring us together tonight; maybe the popping of the fire,
the whisper of the river and the clarity of the big, star-filled sky will encourage silent
reflection on the amazing wilderness that is, for now, our home.

Your days on the river will begin with the morning light reflecting the colors of sunrise in the river. Fresh coffee and tea are waiting for you when you get up; grab a cup, sit back and take in the glory of the awakening wilderness. Soon breakfast is served - omelets made to order, blueberry pancakes, sizzling bacon, fresh fruit, toast, and juice are among the treats you'll indulge in each morning. Once you've eaten your fill, you'll pack up your things as the guides break down camp, then our new day's adventure begins.

As we enter the Yampa River canyon, we leave the flatter desert behind, entering a stunning world where rock walls loom above us, rising to heights of 1000 feet. The whitewater also intensifies as the canyon begins; today we challenge three major rapids, not to mention some small but fun riffles.

Our guides might lead a hike to Stubs Cabin, an old cattle rustler homestead dating back to the early 1900s. One hundred years ago, this isolated canyon was used as a hideout by stealthy old-western outlaws, and several abandoned cabins along the river remind us of this shadier side of the Yampa's cowboy history. Other sites we may visit today or tomorrow include Fremont Indian granaries at Mantle Cave, side canyons bejeweled with tumbling streams and waterfalls, and yawning sandstone caves, some of which once housed Pat Lynch, an old hermit who lived out his days along the Yampa River.

For the first two days, we watched the magnificent canyon walls and striking sandstone formations rise up around us, becoming bigger and bolder around every river bend. On the third day, the fascinating geology of this canyon reaches its apex as we float past some of the most astounding rock marvels of all: Grand Overhang, Cleopatra's Couch, and Tiger Wall. The latter is perhaps the most renowned feature of the Yampa River - a sheer cliff wall of pale sandstone, dramatically streaked with jet-black stripes of manganese oxide, or "desert varnish."

Not to be outdone by the scenery, the whitewater is also at its best in this area as we run the well known Warm Springs Rapid. A relatively new rapid, Warm Spring was formed in 1965 when heavy side canyon floods strew boulders across the river, creating the Yampa's biggest whitewater.

Much like the past evenings, we'll make camp on a big, sandy beach that likely allows access to a great hiking trial. If our guides don't arrange a hike, you may want to enjoy a self-guided walk, or perhaps you'd rather just relax and wait for dinner - always a trip highlight, as our day's adventures stir up a hearty appetite. Perhaps this evening you'll enjoy grilled salmon with orange zest, wild rice, and a fresh green salad. Or maybe a lean, juicy steak with mushrooms and mixed vegetables will be the main attraction as we watch the twilight turn to dusk above the canyon walls. A savory dessert usually follows dinner - maybe peach cobbler, strawberry shortcake, or something rich and chocolaty. After our meal is over, the group dynamic of our trip is at its best as we gather around the campfire for nighttime conversation and laughter.
Reaching the confluence with the Green River, we bid farewell to the Yampa, but not to the beauty and whitewater excitement it offered us - both flourish as we continue down the mighty Green. In fact, with the convergence of the two rivers, the whitewater intensifies and presents us with even more consistently exciting rapids than before.

Past the confluence, we round Steamboat Rock and continue into Echo Park. Here we may stop to visit the intriguing Fremont rock art near the side of the river. Or perhaps we'll hike to Whispering Cave, passing magnificent sandstone formations along the way. In Whirlpool Canyon, we might take the longest hike of our trip, following beautiful Jones Hole Creek to amazingly well preserved panels of pictographs and petroglyphs.

After a bit of flat water, we pick up speed as we enter Split Mountain Canyon, the river's gradient becoming considerably steeper. Four or five major rapids deliver plenty of whitewater excitement during our last day on the river. Reaching our take-out point at Split Mountain, we'll take a short ride back to Vernal, returning to the Hatch/ O.A.R.S. warehouse between 4 and 6 PM.