Great Old Broads Stars & Raft – Lodore Canyon

Sample Itinerary

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 demonstrate how to pack them. We’ll also collect any personal beverages you’d like to bring on the trip. Finally, 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. Don’t worry – there will be plenty of time on the river for day-to-day 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 they’ve emerged out of 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 and enjoy the uncommon experience of simply watching night fall.

Day 2:

We’ll start slow this morning. Enjoy the experience the night before in reverse: now we can watch the sun slowly descend the walls, bringing daylight and warmth into the canyon. When the sun hits the water, we’ll make our way downstream through some of the biggest rapids of the trip: Triplet Falls and Hell’s 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. Listen to tales about the value of wilderness and the importance of dark skies.

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 and splash through the small, fun rapids of Whirlpool Canyon. After lunch we’ll have the opportunity to take a longer hike to secret waterholes, waterfalls, and Fremont Culture pictographs. This five-mile round-trip hike is sure to be a highlight! Peer through a telescope at the rings of Saturn, or learn to identify a new constellation.

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 four 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!”