Desolation Canyon

Stop by our Green River warehouse before 1 p.m. to drop off gear, then join the pre-trip meeting at 7 p.m. for waterproof bags, introductions, and everything you need to know before morning.

Meet in the morning and drive to the Green River airstrip for a 35-minute flight over the Tavaputs Plateau — spectacular, and the only way in. A 45-minute walk down to the rafts (a vehicle ride is available if you would rather not hike), a hike to a turtle fossil, and first camp on a sandbar beneath the cottonwoods.

Row past Peter’s Point and Lighthouse Rock, then hop in an inflatable kayak to splash through the first rapids. Afternoon brings a side-canyon hike and a look at Fremont Culture sites tucked into the walls.

Wander the historic Rock Creek Ranch, where Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch slept, and spot granaries high on the cliffs. Downstream the river picks up through Chandler Falls and Cow Swim.

Wire Fence, Three Fords, and Coal Creek carry us out of Desolation and into Gray Canyon, where the walls change character. A surveyor’s cabin ruin waits on the bank for anyone who wants to poke around.

A final run of rapids down to the takeout at Swasey’s Beach, with the shuttle back to headquarters arriving around 3–4 p.m.