Ep. 95: Green River Kayak Camping | Utah kayaking Canyonlands National Park
Вставка
- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- A voyage down the final 100 miles of the Green River by kayak, canoe or raft, through the Labyrinth Canyon and Stillwater Canyon into Utah's Canyonlands National Park, is an epic bucket list camping trip. It's also the only way to see this part of Canyonlands. We spend eight days on the river, encountering other river travelers from four other states and two other countries along the way. We find remnants of ancient people dating from 200 to 1,200 years old, including the "Outlaw Cabin" and Anasazi cliff dwellings. We descend through numerous layers of the earth’s crust, passing through two seasons. Throughout it all, though, the river is our constant, yet moody companion; at times our lover and best friend, and at other times our worst enemy, the river is alive -- a living, breathing creature that dominates our lives for days on end.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Separate river permits are required from the BLM for Labyrinth Canyon, and from Canyonlands National Park for Stillwater Canyon. The Labyrinth Canyon permit requires little more than filling out a form and carrying the required gear, while the permit for Stillwater Canyon requires a bit more arduous and bureaucratic process and while there’s no lottery involved, permits are limited by the number of people who can be shuttled by outfitters from The Confluence or Spanish Bottom. Ruby Ranch’s owners also charge a fee for those who choose to launch their boats there, although there are alternative put-ins at Crystal Geyser and in the town of Green River.
Applications and more information may be found at:
BLM Labyrinth Canyon www.blm.gov/vi...
Canyonlands National Park river permits www.nps.gov/ca...
Two outfitters are permitted to provide shuttle services from Spanish Bottom to Moab and also provide guided expeditions:
Tag-A-Long Expeditions tagalong.com/
Tex’s Riverways texsriverways.com/
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CREDITS
All music in this episode is open source and obtained from the UA-cam Audio Library / audiolibrary , or licensed from Soundstripe SoundStripe.com.
ABOUT US
Welcome to Grand Adventure, a UA-cam channel that focuses on RV-centric outdoor activities including not only of course camping, but also mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing and more, nearly always filmed in stunning 4K.
We're based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and invite you to come along as we travel all around the western U.S. My wife Patricia and I, and our dogs Zoe and Maggie are avid boondockers, so you'll seldom find us in RV parks or even dry campgrounds. Instead, we're usually camped in some of the most remote and beautiful spots that you could ever pull a travel trailer into. And unlike most other RV channels on UA-cam, we're not RV dealers or full-timers -- we're weekend warriors just like you!
We'll provide tips and insight on equipping and maintaining your RV, trip planning and travel videos to make your next adventure a grand one indeed! So, subscribe to make sure that you catch every episode, and remember...life is nothing but a Grand Adventure!
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#kayaking #utah #canyonlands #blm #nationalpark #nationalparks #labyrinthcanyon #stillwatercanyon #bucketlist
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Felt like I was right there with you in my boat. Great job with everything.....
Thank you so much, Bill!
Another Grand Adventure!!!!
And another welcome comment, thank you!
I have watched hundreds of UA-cam vids my friend, but this one is one of the most best I have yet to Witness! Thank you very, very much. It was immensely enjoyed. >Merton
That's wonderful to hear, Merton! Thank you very much. We actually filmed this trip back in 2012, although we've returned since. We nevertheless wanted to share it with our viewers. At the time we were only shooting still photos and not video. I had also written up the trip for a magazine piece. So we took the stills and put them into motion, pairing them with passages from that magazine article, the end result of which is what you see here.
That was an awesome adventure. We sure enjoy your videos.
Thank you Johnny, and thanks for watching! It's definitely a bucket list adventure.
You are definitely taking hold of the flame .
Impressive. Just imagine how tough and tenacious those early pioneers were.
No doubt whatsoever.
I want to thank you for the not just this video but all of your videos. Your videos are professionally done, and very informative. You also, have the most beautiful pictures and videos. I follow a lot of RVers on UA-cam in my quest for knowledge. I am retiring at the end of 2019 and I am planning not only my single life in a RV but also my future adventures. I am sure I will do some of the very adventures you have shown us on UA-cam. Again, thank you and keep them coming.
Thank you so much for your comment, and for watching! We love it when our videos inspire folks to take some of their own Grand Adventures. Best wishes for your retirement, and keep us in the loop with how things progress.
@@GrandAdventure Mr. Guido, thank you and I will stay in touch.
Outstanding
Thank you!
totally enjoyed.
Thank you so much!
Interesting break from the rv. Enjoyed this one very much.
Thank you Curt!
Thanks for the great video. I used it as I researched for my trip in the river the first week of May.
That's terrific to hear, Brian! Have a wonderful trip, that's a great time of year to run the Green.
A big thumbs up for that that was amazing! 👌 Awesome UA-cam video...
Thanks so much Mason!
A great video! Thank you for sharing! much need as we are under snow and ice here in New Hampshire!
Glad you enjoyed, thank you. Yup, snowing here in Utah as I'm typing this.
Awesome episode!
Thanks so much Shawn!
what an amazing world you live in
It never gets dull, bud.
Great Video Mark!
Thank you, and thanks for watching!
Great Job Grand Adventure! Loved how informative it was! Ive never seen a paddle mapped out as well! Enjoyed it very much!
Thank you so much! Jon and I were taking careful journal notes throughout the whole trip. At the time it was published as a magazine article, and the narration simply borrowed excerpts from that article.
An amazing adventure. I can only guess on the many hours you put into your videos. Thanks once again.
Thanks so much TG! This one is an adventure of a lifetime, and we can't recommend it enough if you're so inclined.
Thanks for the memory. My wife and I paddled kayaks down the Green River exactly a year ago. During our trip through Stillwater Canyon we didn't see another person between Ruby Ranch and just above Mineral Bottom, despite the exceptionally good weather.
So glad that you enjoyed the trip! Did you take out at Mineral Bottom, or continue to the Confluence? Jon and I have also done Labyrinth Canyon (Ruby Ranch to Mineral Bottom) as a separate trip. Stillwater Canyon is the stretch from Mineral Bottom to the Confluence.
@@GrandAdventure We took out at Mineral Bottom. I'd forgotten which sections are called Labyrinth and Stillwater. Thanks again !
Your photography is always really really good. Well done. Appreciate all the hard work you do on these videos.
Did that trip but took canoes, which I highly recommend over Kayaks. It's just a float trip with no whitewater. Our cargo canoes tote 1100 lbs each and so we had ice chests, cook stoves, sleeping cots and all the goodies that don't fit in kayaks, including a toilet tent. We were eating steaks and ice cream the last night of the trip. We were picked up by truck and not the jet-boat.
Glad you enjoyed your trip, James! However, each afternoon when the up-canyon headwind kicked up we couldn't help but remark upon how grateful we were to not have the increased windage of a canoe, and rudders to boot. Trust me, we ate and drank like backcountry kings and wanted for nothing. You'd be amazed what you can stow in a 14- or 15-foot kayak, and these are flatwater boats that couldn't handle any whitewater if there was any. In fact Jon, who spent much of his childhood in canoes as both a camper and camp counselor, was in a rented kayak on this trip but went and bought his own shortly thereafter.
If you were picked up by truck you must've taken out at Mineral Bottom, which was about halfway along our trip to the Confluence, as there's no road that reaches the river anywhere near the Confluence. We re-did that upper half that you did two years after we did this full-length trip.
@@GrandAdventure Yes that's a fact. When the wind starts blowing,you need to be done rowing. The Green river has only a few float trips but several whitewater runs that routinely kill kayaks and canoes. Cataract Canyon (further downstream) can be as wild as anything in the Grand Canyon. I've been lucky enough to run most of the Green/Colorado, from Wyoming to Mexico. I floated in Canoes, kayaks and rubber rafts. We flipped a 40 foot, pontoon raft once in Cataract Canyon. I was the only passenger that managed to remain clinging to the vessel. The other (dozen or so) were all over the place.
I love that river but she will kill you without batting an eye.
@@jamesbaldwin7676 no doubt about it, which is why we go no further than Spanish Bottom. Desolation Canyon would be no joy in our boats, either. Someday, though, I hope to see half as much of that river as you have.
nice video👍
That was beautiful! You’re right about camping out of a boat rather than on your back and feet. You can afford the weight of real food, and other luxuries, not practical in backpacking. If you’re ever in Florida the Santa Fe, Suwannee, Peace and Hillsborough rivers all offer great camping opportunities. The Suwannee is long enough for seven days or more easy paddling.
Good to know, Timothy! I've seen parts of the Hillsborough (used to live in the Sarasota area and work in Tampa), but the others would be completely new to me. Appreciate the tips!
Awesome Mark 👍😎♥️🚌🎬🎥thanks for sharing and safe travels
Thank you for watching, Tom, and right back at ya!
Now that, was truly a grand adventure! Awesome trip! 👍
Thank you! It most certainly was.
What an awesome trip! Truly is a bucket list item.
Thanks for the video! A childhood friend and I are planning a two week trip down the Green self supported for two weeks. We'll skip some areas due to lotteries etc. We want to do some fly fishing so we will start at Flaming Gorge Dam.
Sweet! The area through Browns Park is beautiful and has some fascinating history as well, as Butch Cassidy and his gang used it as a hideout due to its proximity to the confluence of three different states. That way they could avoid the jurisdiction of a posse that might come after them. Have a wonderful trip!
Mark, I think your best to date. Extremely well narrated and descriptive. Really a joy to watch, and hopefully do ourselves in the near future. Thank you! Kerry
Wow, Kerry -- thank you so much!! Your comment means a ton to us.
Your videos are always a joy to watch. Thanks for sharing.
Love your comment, Patricia -- thanks for watching!
Well written, well narrated, and excellent cinematography! You've out done yourself, my friend! Just the type of video adventure I've been looking for!
Thank you Terry! Super happy that you enjoyed it.
Beautiful scenery captured by your professional photography!
The logistics and planning seems daunting, but the reward is an awesome adventure!
When I was a Boy Scout many years ago, we did a three day trip down the local river (Russian River - nothing like the Green River). I always remember the peaceful feeling of starting out on the river at the beginning of the day.
Thanks for sharing this fantastic trip Marc!!
Thank you, Ram! This trip is definitely worth the logistic hurdles.
Little bit behind as been away. What a fantastic trip certainly a bucket list one. Thanks for taking the time to put this film together P&J
Thanks so much, folks, both for watching and for your comment!
Excellent, Marc, thank you!
Thank you Michael!
Kiley just got a new kayak and watching your videos are very inspiring. she wants to learn as much as she can so we might take a trip like this some day.
Congrats to Kiley! This is definitely a trip of a lifetime for a paddler. Thanks for watching!
Incredible adventure!!
Yes it was, thank you!
Wonderful trip thanks for sharing it with us. Another great video.
And another great comment, Diane -- thank you!
What an amazing trip, thank you for sharing
And thank you so much for watching! It is indeed an amazing trip.
I was waiting for the moment in time , when I could give you my full attention and watch your film uninterrupted and I’m so pleased I did !
From every young boys adventure to the bucket list for us slightly more mature folk
What can I say ............. thanks Marc , thanks for taking the trouble to film, edit and share , further more thanks for going I’m sure you will inspire others to have their own adventure , including myself
Best wishes Gavin & Zehra
Wow, guys... Thank you so much!
You've done it again... This is the second outstanding Episode. The narative was a mix of Edward Abby (sp) and C. W. McCall, San Juan Odyssey. The video, though not "video" in the real sense of the word, i.e. the stil shots moving in and out are excellent, and intigrated well into the story line. Then my wife caught the subtle background music that enhanced the whole package. Well done guys. Thanks for sharing. It takes an amazing amount of time to do this quality work.
Thank you so much Roy! We've got one more "moving stills" episode coming up before we're back to true video. It's true that they're actually more time intensive in the editing room than working with video clips, but they're a necessity to pumping out new episodes each week when we've been skiing since November instead of camping. 😉
Excellent videos! Thank you.
Thank you so much!
Nice trip! Would like to have seen your trip laid out in a map-style, showing the stops and highlights you made along the way. Thanks for sharing your trip with us! :-)
Excellent feedback, Laura -- thank you!
There's an excellent app for that called "Relive"
Amazing trip Marc. I had to come back later, too much buffering. Thanks as always for your great videos. Can't wait to see what summer vids you do.
Thanks so much Rob! Sorry that YT failed you. Next week is our final "leftovers" episode, sharing 5 favorite Southern Idaho campgrounds that we haven't covered before. Next week we're planning to film in and around Moab for upcoming episodes thereafter.
Nice commentary with the video. Very informative!!
Thank you Richard!
That mud is pretty brutal! I think I still have some a old pair of sneakers I fished the green in years ago with it still on them!
TR, I don't doubt it one bit!
Such a great trip. You captured it amazingly! Keep up the good work bud!
Thanks so much! It's truly a trip of a lifetime.
Just subbed your channel, BTW -- the trailer alone was enough to grab our interest. 😉
@@GrandAdventure Thanks! I've been enjoying your vids, you really show some great spots out there!
@@HuckOutdoors thank you, and we look forward to enjoying yours.
Great video, excellent filming.
Thank you William!
That was definitely a Grand Adventure. Well done. I have been in the area but not on the river.
I know if you are hanging out in Moab you have been to Pasta Jay's.
Thank you so much! Actually, Pasta Jay's is a new one on me, but we should be in Moab next week to film so it'll give us a chance to check it out.
@@GrandAdventure I think you will like it. Just a funny aside. I just got notice on Facebook that my sister and husband are in the area and posted pictures of them in Arches. I will send them a link.
@@WILDEBILL308 we certainly hope that you do, thank you!
Back in 1975 and 76 Kayak down Green River 10-15 miles north of Green River town in Utah that portion of the river had good size Rapids had a Blast going threw those Rapids camped a few nights there made 4-5 runs down River less than werk
Great memories, Klaus! That stretch north of Green River is known as Desolation Canyon.
Beautiful area you’ve highlighted. Definitely adding it to my list. That said, granite creek outside Jackson is also amazing if you’ve not been there. Check it out.
We've camped at Granite Creek, and we agree!
Great! Sorry, somehow the comment I meant to leave under your Wind River WY video ended up here.
@@gormanthomas8135 ha! I was on very, very marginal cell service when I replied, and just thought it was on the Wind River video. No matter!
That was quite an adventure with some great photos.
I noticed some of the camps were set up just above the waters edge. How do you know there is not going to be an increase in the release of water from the dam above causing the river to rise and flood your camp?
Do you use a GPS when navigating the river?
I enjoyed the trip, thanks!
Tom Bradshaw's and Christina McMillan's favorite video!
The McMillan Express yep!
Coming from you folks, that means a lot -- thank you!
That’s just awesome and love all your video. And how you put GPS or grid coordinates for BLM land. I’ve managed to work all bunch of places there around you tell that you’ve pointed out that we just can’t wait to get on the road and visit Utah
Excellent, Roger! Please be sure to let us know how it works out for you.
We really like your videos. Short and to the point. I notice that you drive a Tundra pickup. Do you like it? I notice it is not a TRD. Is the regular Tundra high enough for most roads? We want to buy a small travel trailer ( Lance 1875) and travel out west mostly. What are your thoughts?
Thank you, Bob. You're right, our Tundra is a 2014 SR series. We've got no issue with the ground clearance on our Tundra. Neither did we on our Tacoma, which we took on many serious off-road adventures. If I'm not mistaken, the TRD package doesn't change ground clearance. Instead it adds different alloy wheels (same size), Bilstein shocks, two skid plates (rather chintzy aluminum ones I believe), a dual exhaust and leather seats (Pro). It might include a different air intake and filter in the TRD Pro, I'm not sure about that. Later models than ours also upgrades the fuel tank to 38 gallons, and given the MPG we get towing we wish we had that. I'd like to put some decent body armor underneath, but I haven't done that and haven't punched anything on it yet.
How did you do the shuttling? If you start at Ruby Ranch and end at Mineral Bottom.
We used Tag-a-Long Outfitters to drive us from Moab to Ruby Ranch, and then pick us up with their jet boat at Spanish Bottom. On a subsequent trip running only Labyrinth Canyon we hired them to do the same, except they picked us up with their van and kayak trailer at Mineral Bottom. There are links to the two permitted outfitters -- Tag-a-Long and Tex's Riverways -- in the video description.
Beautiful. What was the tube thing???
The tube thing? Something not so beautiful that we coined the "Poop Tube". Essentially a homemade toilet that's required to be able to bring all of your waste with you.
@@GrandAdventure I thought so, but then I thought "Really? They can't dig a hole?" That's really something. Good to know.
@@marilynnarnold811 in normal circumstances a cathole would work just fine. However, with nearly all of the folks traveling that area remaining within a few feet of the river, both the BLM and the Park Service require a more sanitary solution.
@@GrandAdventure I see how it could become a problem. Thanks for the info and great video.
@@marilynnarnold811 and thank you for watching!
I really enjoyed this episode, thanks for sharing this. I have a couple questions. Where did you start your trip from ? I thought you said Green River UT, but that looks pretty far down to the Colorado which is where you ended the trip. I dont see any roads accessing Green River below I-70 down to Canyonlands. Next question, I was wondering which kayak you have, if you dont mind sharing that info. I see your friend has the perception carolina 14 . I have a 10 ft recreation kayak, I wouldn't really be in position to do a week long paddle. Thanks.
Thanks, Eric! We launched from Ruby Ranch goo.gl/maps/g4NjTavugbXtDNUC7 . It's private property, but the owners allow paddlers to launch from there for a small fee placed in a dropbox. Folks will also launch from the town of Green River, which is 23 river miles upstream and therefore adds a day to the trip, or from Crystal Geyser just downstream of Green River goo.gl/maps/gg2n6mmcXCm2s8mF6 .
Other than Mineral Bottom (goo.gl/maps/6XgDwfYDVcYW96pE6), Ruby Ranch is the last place to reach the Green River by road. Mineral Bottom is pretty much the demarcation line between Labyrinth Canyon upstream (BLM) and Stillwater Canyon downstream (NPS). With the BLM permitting process being so trivial, Jon and I have also done Labyrinth Canyon by itself as a 3-day trip. We hired Tag-a-Long Expeditions to drive us with our gear to Ruby Ranch, and to pick us up at Mineral Bottom. We just left our vehicle at Tag-a-Long in Moab. They're very flexible in doing just about anything you want them to do. IIRC it was around ~$75 per person for both shuttles. BTW, the Mineral Bottom Road is pretty darned spectacular (photos.app.goo.gl/abQ3NopMMtYcrrJr7) -- we'll get to show you more of that someday when we do an episode on the White Rim.
My boat is a Necky Looksha Sport www.lakegeorgekayak.com/Necky_kayaks_looksha_sport_specs.htm but mine is an older roto-molded model, not fiberglass or Kevlar. Because it strangely has only a dry hold in the stern and not in the bow, I use a large tapered dry bag on longer trips that I insert through the cockpit and shove down past my feet to be able to use bow storage as well. I agree, a 10-foot recreational kayak won't give you the cargo capacity for a long trip like this one, but mine is only 14'4" so it doesn't take too much more. You also want a fully enclosed cockpit, for with a jacket and spray skirt it's cozy, warm and comfortable even with the cold rain that we encountered on this trip.
Thanks for the info, and I really appreciate it. There were quite a few kayaks at both the crystal geyser and mineral bottom waypoints. Interesting that you mention White Rim Road. I recall in your video that you hiked up to it. So are planning a mountain biking trip on the White Rim loop , or something else ?
@@ericmoore6934 happy to provide the info. Part of the reason that we make these videos is for the fun of it; but another is to help share information about great trips and interesting destinations. Sharing info with viewers via comments is just another channel for sharing that information.
Confession time, though. Grand Adventure launched in late 2017, and as you know it's RV-centric For us, RV travel is a seasonal thing, rather than a year-round thing. Skiing is just too important, it remains my first love. So that means that we have months through winter where we're not out filming new content. If we want to keep putting out episodes weekly, that means getting creative -- like our Winter Camping and Skiing episode which frankly, performed rather poorly. It's obvious that any time we stray from our core subject we lose folks, so I'm somewhat forced to keep ski content to a minimum. It also sometimes means digging into our vault of photos that were taken before we started Grand Adventure, just to keep that weekly content coming. That explains these "moving stills" videos that you've watched much of this winter, and much of last winter, instead of the video that we've been shooting since launching Grand Adventure.
Where I'm going with this, is that we've already done the White Rim. In fact, to let you in on another secret, this Green River trip was also photographed several years ago. We did the White Rim as a combined 4x4 and MTB trip. Jon, the guy I paddled with in this episode, did the entire route on his bike. Another couple who are friends brought their Rubicon. I did a mix of both with Mrs. Grand Adventure, my mountain bike, and our (at the time) Tacoma.
makes sense; didn't realize you already made these trips some time ago. I'm looking forward to the white rim adventure. I did 👍your recent Park City camping trip, I wouldn't mind more winter videos. I haven't made it back skiing as been on a weekly storm pattern landing on weekends, and didn't want to drive in it.
Want to do this so bad
Do it. Apply for the permit the same day that the permitting opens up for your chosen date of travel. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will never regret doing.
Marc, is John your son ?
Oh, now that hurts! LOL - Jon is older than me.
OH NO ! Well in my defense I could not get a very good look at his face. You both look so young.
@@deehart2228 pffffttt...I look rode hard and put away wet.
Great information, however it’s a slide show, not a video ... disappointing...