Experience: The Yampa River
Escaspe: to the
towering canyon walls of the Yampa River
Raft along 2000-foot high white canyon walls with black tiger-stripes;
hike side canyons to prehistoric rock art and abandoned caves. Rafting the
Yampa River is like traveling through time. Each of the river canyon's various
layers represents an entire age of the earth's development: the rise and fall
of major mountain ranges, the arrival and retreat of oceans at least 12
different times, and the alternating development of deserts and swamplands.
Experience:the
unbridled power
As the last free-flowing river in the entire Colorado River drainage,
the Yampa is incredibly wild in May and June. The Rocky Mountain spring run off
creates big roaring rapids with an average descent of 12-14 feet per mile. The
gradient at Teepee Rapid is an amazing 31 feet per mile!
Discover:
spectacular wildlife
Wildlife is abundant, though often shy. During the heat of the day
lizards sun themselves while eagles, vultures and hawks soar on thermal
airstreams along canyon walls. In the morning and evening, deer, muskrat,
beaver, coyote and the great blue heron move along the river's edge. Just below
the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers in a wonderful place called Jones
Hole, you may see one of the largest herds of bighorn sheep in the area. You
might even catch a glimpse of some of the wild and protected species of plants,
animals and birds that make Dinosaur National Monument their home.
There are two different trips to choose from:
- The
5 day Yampa River Rafting through
Dinosaur National Monument is magnificent blend of hiking, camping and
whitewater rafting. You'll spend your days rafting fun whitewater and hiking to
waterfalls, abandoned caves and petroglyphs, pictographs and other cultural
remains
- The
4 day Yampa River Rafting through Dinosaur
National Monument has it all! As the last free-flowing river in the entire
Colorado River drainage, the Yampa is incredibly wild in May.
