Women’s Watercolor Workshop in Lodore Canyon

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**A Float with Heart: Lodore Canyon FUNdraiser with the Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Sept 11-14, 2026**

Join Great Old Broads for Wilderness for a special Women’s Watercolor Workshop on a 4-day Gates of Lodore on the Green River rafting trip. Artist Susan Kearns will present watercolor techniques and creative exercises to inspire participants to capture artistic memories of the region’s stunning landscape. Open to all levels of experience—even those new to watercolor painting.

Other activities may include yoga, guided hikes, or music-related fun.

Don’t miss this opportunity to let your artistic juices flow and connect with other creative folks, while also learning about Great Old Broads for Wilderness, a women-led national grassroots organization that engages and inspires activism to preserve and protect wilderness and wild lands.

The Gates of Lodore trip journeys deep into the heart of the Gates of Lodore, where the emerald current of the Green River slices through towering 1,000-foot walls of red sandstone. Carved over millions of years and protected within Dinosaur National Monument, this stretch of river blends splashy, technical rapids like Disaster Falls and Hell’s Half Mile with serene canyon floats beneath bighorn sheep–dotted cliffs. Between the thrills, guests explore hidden waterfalls, ancient rock art, and expansive night skies in one of the West’s most storied and scenic river corridors.

Questions? Karen, Lauren, and the rest of our office staff are ready to help! Give us a call today!

Susan Kearns has been drawing and painting all her life. She has won awards in juried shows, shown in several galleries, and painted more than a dozen public and privately commissioned murals. She is the former communications director for Great Old Broads for Wilderness and led watercolor workshops at several Broadwalk events over the 10+ years she was on staff. You can follow her adventures in art at www.artologynow.com.

Holiday will provide all food and river-specific gear, such as waterproof bags and life jackets. You can bring your own camping gear or rent a kit from Holiday. You’ll receive a list for your required watercolor supplies. All that’s left to pack is your sense of adventure and love of wild places!

$1595 per person + a tip for the guides

Holiday River Expeditions will donate a portion of your registration fees to the Great Old Broads for Wilderness. Susan Kearns has graciously donated her time and expertise for this adventure.

We acknowledge the Indigenous inhabitants of Lodore. In an effort to end the erasure of the traditional inhabitants of the land through which we travel, Holiday acknowledges that Lodore Canyon is the homeland of the Eastern Shoshone people and the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) people. We honor and respect these people, and continue to develop our land acknowledgment initiative. Read more here.

Book This Trip

Trip Overview

Type:

Women's
Location:

Lodore Canyon - Dinosaur National Monument
Length:

4 Days
Dates:

Sept 11-14, 2026
Meet at:

Vernal, UT @ 7:00 pm (night before the trip)
Difficulty:

Intermediate
Min. Age:

14
Prices:

$1,595 per person
Deposit:

400

Highlights

Entering the dramatic sandstone portal of Gates of Lodore, one of the most iconic river entrances in the West.
Splashy, technical rapids like Disaster Falls, Triplet Falls, and Hell’s Half Mile on the Green River.
Multi-layered geology showcasing tilted strata and towering canyon walls within Dinosaur National Monument.
Scenic side hikes to hidden waterfalls, petroglyphs, and sweeping canyon overlooks.
Star-filled night skies and riverside camps in a protected International Dark Sky landscape.
A perfect balance of whitewater excitement and immersive backcountry solitude.

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Women’s Watercolor Workshop in Lodore Canyon

Insider's Guide Things to do Vernal, UT FAQs Getting Here Before You Go Packing List

Rates & Dates

Itinerary

The Green River slides into Lodore Canyon at “The Gates,” just south of Browns Park in northwestern Colorado. Float through the heart of Dinosaur National Monument to the confluence with the Yampa River, then into Echo Park and Whirlpool Canyon. Cross into Utah and through the cottonwood groves of Island Park. Finally, the river carves its way into Split Mountain for last eight miles of whitewater before reaching the take out near Vernal, Utah.

Sample Itinerary

Night Before

We’ll meet you at our boathouse in Vernal, Utah, at 7:00 p.m., Mountain Time, the night before your trip for a pre-trip orientation meeting. This is where we’ll pass out waterproof bags and show you how to pack them. We’ll also collect any personal beverages you’d like to bring on the trip. And you’ll have time to shop for last-minute items from our store (be sure to see our packing checklist for items we carry) and ask any last-minute questions.

Day 1:

Meet us back at the boathouse bright and early the next morning for a three-hour ride into northwestern Colorado. Sagebrush, mountains, and the occasional pronghorn dominate the landscape. Our trip starts just south of Brown’s Park National Wildlife Refuge at the base of the “Gates of Lodore,” imposing red cliffs that look like something from Lord of the Rings. After a quick orientation, we’ll float downstream to lunch, our first rapids, and then to camp. Settle in for our first night within Lodore’s vermilion cliffs with time for art exploration.

Day 2:

We’ll start slow this morning. First, coffee and tea, then perhaps some watercolor time before breakfast. Watch the sun slowly descend the walls. When it hits the water, we’ll make our way downstream through some of the biggest rapids of the trip: Triplet Falls and Hells Half Mile. Spend the afternoon swimming or relaxing at camp and go on an afternoon hike to a delicate waterfall to work up an appetite for a gourmet, riverside dinner. There will be time for watercolor activity sprinkled throughout your day.

Day 3:

Today we leave Lodore Canyon and meet up with the Yampa River in Echo Park. Take a hike to a 1,000-year-old rock art panel and visit the Whispering Cave. Hop in an inflatable kayak after lunch and splash through the small, fun rapids of Whirlpool Canyon. Tonight we might camp right on the Colorado-Utah state line.

Day 4:

Enjoy one last cup of coffee by the river’s edge. A few more rapids stud the last miles of Whirlpool Canyon before we exit into Island Park. We may do a silent float while scanning for eagles and the rare moose in this calm section of river. After meandering through the islands, we’ll pause for lunch, then gear up for eight more miles of whitewater fun in Split Mountain. This steep, splashy section of river is a great finale for five days well spent! Eventually, we’ll pull up at the boat ramp, put the boats on trailers, and then hop in the vans for the 35-minute ride back to Vernal. We aim to return to our warehouse at approximately 4:00 p.m.

Don’t forget that this is a sample itinerary! Your Lodore trip may include all of these activities, or it may include other exciting, interesting places and encounters. This is just an example to whet your appetite. We hope you’ll trust us that no matter the itinerary, your trip will be unforgettable. So join us, and “Go With the Flow!”

All of our trips are unique, and the itineraries are subject to group interests, weather, and the campsites we are assigned. This itinerary represents just one possible format for a 5-day trip through Lodore Canyon.