Desolation Canyon Rafting Trip Map + River Log
Mile | Features and Highlights
| 0 | Sand Wash boat ramp. Old ferry site from the 1920s until 1952. |
| 1.5 | Nine Mile Creek — river right. First major side canyon of Desolation Canyon. |
| 7 | Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation begins — river left. Left side of river inaccessible to hiking or camping until mile 70. |
| 8.5 | Wild Horses are often seen in the area — river left. |
| 9 | Tabyago Riffle — first named Riffle in Desolation Canyon. Cowboy Cache — river right. Stash of newspapers and trinkets left behind by infamous “outlaws” as they traveled through the canyon. |
| 10.5 | Sumner’s Amphitheater — named for boatman Jack Sumner on 1869 Powell expedition — river right. Beautiful natural amphitheaters are formed here. Major Powell thought it fitting to name the geological area. |
| 13.5 | Iron-prowed skiff preserved — river left. Wooden boat from early river runners was left under an overhang here. |
| 17-18 | Stampede Flat — river right. Huge beach spanning almost ½ mile. A tortoise shell fossil is located at the beginning of the beach. |
| 20-23 | Peter’s Point — the river bends almost full circle in this 4-mile stretch. |
| 24 | Light House Rock — river right. Rock formation that resembles a lighthouse is visible from the water. |
| 26 | Jack Creek and Jack Creek Rapid — river right. End of Utah designated flat water — life jackets are required from this point forward. |
| 27.5 | Large Cottonwood tree sits at the river’s edge welcoming visitors to stop and explore the large side canyon. |
| 29 | Big Canyon and Big Canyon Rapid |
| 30.5 | Firewater Rapid and Firewater Canyon. Moonshine site — river left. During prohibition, “moonshiners” lived in Firewater Canyon making moonshine at the still to sell to the public. Their still and sleeping quarters remain. |
| 31 | Cedar Ridge Rapid — large cottonwood groves make cool shady spots for lunch stops or camp. |
| 31.5 | Fremont Culture petroglyph panel — river right. One of the most spectacular petroglyph panels to visit. Pictures only — no touching. Fremont’s used this area to chisel messages on the rock wall from 700-1100 AD. |
| 33 | Flat Canyon Rapid |
| 34.5 | Dripping Springs — the river spreads very wide through this area making passage difficult in some water levels. |
| 36.5 | Fret Water Falls Rapid |
| 37.5 | Wild Horse Rapid |
| 39.5 | Steer Ridge Rapid — Seamount brothers used this side canyon to haul supplies down to access Rock Creek Ranch. |
| 40 | Surprise Rapid — unsuspecting rivers runners are caught off-guard by a huge boulder in the river, creating a large “hole”. |
| 41.5 | Log Cabin Rapid |
| 42 | Rock Creek — river right. A freshwater creek runs from the side canyon for fishing and hiking. Fremont pictograph panel located 2.5 miles up the canyon. At this point in the canyon, Desolation Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon at Bright Angel Trail. |
| 42.5 | Rock Creek Ranch — river right. The Seamount brothers built Rock Creek in the early 1900’s. They carried in all equipment and supplies by horseback down Steer Ridge Canyon. Ranch outbuildings, farm equipment, fruit trees are still located on the property. This is private property — no camping. Visitors are welcome to take photos and enjoy the freshwater creek. |
| 43.5 | Calf Canyon Rapid |
| 45 | Snap Canyon Rapid |
| 46 | Three Canyon and Three Canyon Rapid. Three canyons come together here, allowing for many exploring possibilities. The “outlaw” trail is also accessible here. Butch Cassidy and the “Wild Bunch” frequented this area during their travels. Chicken Rock looms in the distance. Ranchers still use this area to cross cattle during fall round up. |
| 47 | Belknap Falls — named for early river runner Bill Belknap. |
| 48 | Lion Hollow — river right |
| 49 | Chandler Falls — fur trapper, Denis Julien, left an inscription here on river left. No trespassing signs remind river runners to respect the Ouray and Uintah reservation laws. |
| 50.5 | Trail Canyon and Trail Canyon Rapid. River spans a large area through this section, making passage tricky in some water levels. Side canyon allows for great hiking. |
| 52 | Bull Canyon and Bull Canyon Rapid |
| 53 | Moonwater Rapid |
| 53.5 | Red Point Rapid |
| 54.5 | Joe Hutch Creek Rapid |
| 55.5 | Joe Hutch Canyon Rapid and Joe Hutch Canyon. Exciting rapid to run! Many river runners enjoy watching fellow boaters from the large beach below the rapid. Possible to hike up to the top with inflatable kayaks and run the rapid again. Also called the Cow Swim area, Jim McPherson crossed cows here in the late 1890s. |
| 56.5 | McPherson Ranch — river left. Jim McPherson and family settled this area in the late 1890s. There are several stories of Jim trading horses and feeding the Wild Bunch during their escape from the law. Stories mention Jim preferring the company of the Wild Bunch to the posse chasing them. Budge Wilcox and McPherson’s daughter sold the land to the Ute reservation in the 1940s. |
| 57 | Rain Canyon — river right |
| 57.5 | Florence Creek runs into the Green River from the McPherson property — river left. |
| 59 | Wire Fence Rapid — one of the mostly talked about rapids in the canyon. Big beach below allows for river parties to stop and enjoy the fun in the sun. |
| 59.5 | Three Fords rapid — a tricky rapid to navigate, especially in an inflatable kayak. |
| Leave Desolation Canyon and enter Grey Canyon | |
| 61-64 | Lazy stretch of river lends to many swimming opportunities. |
| 64.5 | Range Creek and Range Creek Rapid. Creek and ruins are present here. Ruins are located several miles up the side canyon. |
| 64.5 | Range Creek and Range Creek Rapid. Creek and ruins are present here. Ruins are located several miles up the side canyon. |
| 67 | Rabbit Valley and Rabbit Valley Rapid. |
| 68 | Curry Rapid and Curry Canyon — named for outlaw “Flat Nose” George Curry, shot and killed by a lawman In 1900. |
| 69 | Saleratus Rapid and Saleratus Canyon. |
| 70 | Coal Creek Rapid. The notorious “Thunderous Hole” lies in this rapid. One of the longer rapids in the canyon, posing many challenges at various water levels. End of Uintah and Ute Indian Reservation. Hiking and camping on river left are allowed from this point forward. Ruin located on river left. This was the location of a proposed dam site in the early 1900s. |
| 70.5 | Poverty Rapid and Poverty Canyon. |
| 73 | Rattlesnake Canyon and Rattlesnake Rapid. The canyon twists and turns like a snake through this section. A large wall poses challenges to river runners running this rapid. |
| 75.5 | Nefertiti Rock and Nefertiti Rapid. A rock formation resembling Queen Nefertiti stands over the rapid bearing the name of the late Queen. |
| 78 | Price River flows into the Green River from the right. Ruins are located just above the mouth of this river. |
| 80 | Butler Canyon and Butler Rapid. |
| 80.5 | Sand Knolls Canyon and Sand Knolls Rapid. |
| 81.5 | Stone Cabin Rapid. Ruin — river left. |
| 83 | Short Canyon Rapid and Canyon. |
| 84 | Swaseys Rapid and boat ramp — river left. Named for cattleman George Swasey Sr. He ranched in Long Canyon in the 1880s. The end of Grey Canyon. Gunnison Butte is visible from the ramp. |
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Map & River Log
Desolation Canyon Rafting
A general map along with a mile-by-mile river log of Desolation Canyon!
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