Rafting Dinosaur National Monument. 2) Lodore Canyon

In my prior post on rafting in Dinosaur National Monument, I described our arrival at Green River and our entry into the Monument through the spectacular Gates of Lodore.  If you missed that blog you can check it out at this link.

(stopping for our first lunch break on the Green River)

We were to spend two full days and nights in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to, Lodore Canyon.  It is here that the Green River has cut a path through the red rock of the Uinta Mountains.  The canyon walls are steep and the cliffs are dramatic.  Geologists tell us that this is some of the most ancient rock in the world, more than a billion years old.

(Lodore Canyon, Courtesy of John Wesley Powell’s, The Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and its Tributaries)

As I mentioned last time, we were retracing part of the Major John Wesley Powell expedition.  Major Powell left a historic mark on this place, naming many of the rapids in a most colorful way, like Disaster Falls (where Powell lost a boat) and Hell’s Half Mile.  But more on the whitewater later.

Unlike Major Powell, we didn’t have to deal with any boating disasters on the Green River.  Our guides did all the navigating and worrying, and we could simply enjoy the spectacular red rock scenery….

We spent two nights camping in Lodore Canyon.  It would have been easy to go through more speedly but the tour guides have wisely chosen to spend more time here because the campsites were memorable and provided a great place to relax and enjoy the company of our fellow travelers.

(Our group’s rafts, tied up for the evening)

While the canyon is quite narrow, there are some decent beaches and flatter areas that make for comfortable campsites.  The photo below shows my tent at one of these, tucked nicely into the forest; the remaining group’s tents are scattered at some distance.  What with the cool night and gurgling of the river, I slept like a baby.

We did this trip in mid-June, when the weather in the Monument can be either cool or hot; during our trip it was decidedly hot.  It was nice to be able to take a dip in the river or soak our feet in it to cool down.  Below are some of my fellow travelers and friends, enjoying an adult afternoon beverage.

The color of the sun on the rocks in the early morning was quite lovely.  It was a nice sight with which to enjoy your first cup of coffee or deliciously prepared breakfast (everything provided, thanks to our hard-working guides).

A few more photos of lovely Lodore Canyon:

(Great reflection in the water)

(One of many swimming holes)

Most of the photos so far have shown flat water, and a lot of Lodore Canyon provided a gentle float.  But there was plenty of class II and III whitewater to liven things up, as you can see in the following series of photos:

There were wildlife sightings, like bighorn sheep and deer — too far to photograph well.  But I did get some nice photos of a bald eagle studying us as we floated by, as well as a pair of mergansers.

The character of lower Lodore Canyon changes near the point where the Green River meets up with the Yampa River at Echo Park.  Red Rock becomes replaced with a creamy white stone….

And faulting lines become evident.  The following photos are of the Mitten Park Fault:

As we passed massive Steamboat Rock….

(Steamboat Rock)

We were about to reach the confluence of Green and the Yampa River — flowing at some speed that time of year.

(Junction of the Yampa and Green River in the distance.  If you look carefully, you can see the grey water of the Yampa ahead)

(Final Green River post: After the Yampa)