Canyon Concerts – Rafting with Theoretical Blonde

The evening before your trip at 7:00 p.m., Mountain Time, meet your party at our headquarters in Vernal, Utah for a pre-trip orientation meeting. Learn how to pack your waterproof bags, drop off any personal beverages, and hear more about what to expect on the river. This is also a good time to buy any last minute items from our accessories store you may desire (see our packing checklist for a list of items you can find at our store).

Watch for raptors, prairie dogs, and pronghorn antelope on the three-hour drive from Vernal to our put-in near Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge. Once on the water, we’ll float through the impressive Gates of Lodore and enter the great unknown. Soon enough, we’ll a great taste of what’s to come with Winnie’s Rapid and Disaster Falls. Enjoy soft sand and gorgeous views as you set up camp for the first night and reconvene with the group for dinner and the first evening concert.

Awake to your guides pouring hot coffee and serving you a delicious breakfast! While the river miles traveled today may be short, the stoke level is high as the canyon narrows and technical rapids emerge: Harp Falls, Triplet Falls, and Hell’s Half Mile. Tonight’s camp is perfect for a game of bocce ball or horseshoes, with an optional (but can’t-miss) hike to a secluded waterfall. Enjoy another delicious river-front dinner and concert with the band.

Today we will reach the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers at Echo Park, where the canyon widens and the river circles iconic Steamboat Rock. Learn the powerful history behind the proposed dam site at Echo Park and the birth of the environmental movement. Downstream, the river cuts through the dramatic Mitten Park Fault and enters Whirlpool Canyon, where more playful rapids await. An adventurous afternoon may be spent at Jones Hole Creek, a blue-ribbon trout stream with side canyon petroglyphs and a waterfall. One more evening concert awaits us at camp!

Enjoy a peaceful float this morning through Island and Rainbow parks before entering another massive gorge. Several more thrilling rapids await, such as Moonshine, S.O.B., Schoolboy, and Inglesby. After our final riverside lunch, we will slide into the take out at approximately 2:00 p.m. Our expected time of arrival back at our headquarters will be about 4:00 p.m.

Please keep in mind that this is a sample itinerary and may not be the exact trip you’ll experience. Lodore Canyon offers countless options and each trip may feature different highlights. This is just one possible itinerary. Keep an open mind, be flexible, go with the flow, and enjoy!