Westwater Canyon
Facts:
- River: The Colorado River
- Rapid Rating: Class III-IV(depending on water levels)
- Put in: Westwater Ranger Station (45 minutes west of Grand
Junction, Colorado and 1 ½ hours east of Moab, Utah)
- Take-out location: Cisco boat ramp (1 hour west of Grand
Junction, Colorado and 1 hour east of Moab, Utah)
- River Miles: 18
- Number of rapids: 15
- First to run Westwater Canyon: Bert Loper and Ellsworth Kolb in
1916
Intro
Westwater Canyon lies between Grand Junction, Colorado and
Moab, Utah on the Colorado River. This canyon has become one of the most
popular whitewater destinations in the American West. National Geographic
called it "the best short whitewater trip in the west." Westwater Canyon has a
colorful history of miners, outlaws, cowboys, engineers, and river enthusiasts.
Westwater's unique geology creates awe inspiring vistas and exciting
whitewater.
Geology
Westwater Canyon attracts geologists from around the
world. Massive faults distributed tons of rock, leaving fascinating formations
seen few other places. The black, uplifted rocks in the Black Granite Gorge
(metamorphic Proterozoic granite gneiss) represent the oldest exposed
formations in eastern Utah (1.75 billion years), and the river has polished it
into odd smooth shapes. On top of the Gorge sits a 1000 foot cliff of Wingate
and Chinle sandstone. Wingate sandstone is made up of preserved sand dunes
formed in a desert environment and makes up the predominate cliffs in the Moab
area. Chinle sandstone was formed in meandering streams and shallow lake
bottoms. Petrified wood and uranium are often found in its layers.
Human History
Pre-historic Native Americas (probably Fremont) left 800
year old rock art along the canyon walls. Little is known about the Fremont
culture because they were nomadic, and other than their rock art, left very
little behind.
Few white men settled here, and fewer wrote about it.
There are many legends leaving questions about the facts. Downstream of the now
abandoned town of Westwater and current Westwater Ranger Station, the legends
and rumors begin at a gold miner's cabin, an outlaw cave and a secret grave a
half mile from the cave. The abandoned Miner's Cabin, once referred to as
Outlaw Cabin, appears to have been used by placer miners looking for gold in
the late 1800's or early 1900's. Further down stream the Outlaw Cave also has a
clouded history surrounding it. Many stories abound about two outlaw brothers
who robbed a bank and hid in the cave to escape the law. Other stories claim
that it is an old mining claim. The truth about the Miner's Cabin and the
Outlaw Cave may never be known.
Many of these stories come from the boatmen who ran
Westwater Canyon. The first to challenge Westwater's famous rapids were two
highly experienced and well-known river runners, Bert Loper and Ellsworth Kolb,
in 1916. By the mid-1950's, running Westwater Canyon had become commonplace and
today is one of the most popular river stretches in Utah.
Books about Westwater Canyon and the Moab Area
- Westwater Lost and Found ~ Mike Milligan
- Canyonlands River Guide ~ Bill Belknap
- Desert Solitaire ~ Edward Abbey
- Ancient Ruins of the Southwest: An Archaeological Guide ~ David
Grant Noble, Brad Melton
- Legacy on Stone: Rock Art of the Colorado Plateau and Four Corners
Region ~ Sally J. Cole
- Stone Desert: A Naturalist's Exploration of Canyonlands National
Park ~ Craig Childs
