Yampa

Following our annual board meeting in Golden, Colorado several members of the American Whitewater board and staff, and a couple friends, gathered for a trip on the Yampa River that continued on to the Green River. Conditions were cold and wet. Flow was dropping over the course of our trip from approximately 7700 cfs at the start to approximately 7200 cfs by the time we reached Echo Park. Day 1 was a long river day and we camped at Harding Hole that night. Day 2 was a shorter day with stops at Signature Cave and Mantle Cave before establishing camp at Laddie Park. On day 3 we boated through Warm Springs before we reached Echo Park around 1pm. We camped at Jones Creek that night before paddling out on Day 4. This Trip Report represents the first half of the trip on the Yampa and continues with a report on the Echo Park to Split Mountain Boat Ramp segment of the Green.

The Confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers, in Dinosaur National Park.

Taken from Deerlodge Park in Dinosaur National Monument, the mighty Yampa River was flowing at an historic low of 19cfs in late summer 2018.

a view from the rim road, Yampa Canyon, Dinosaur National Monument

In partnership with Google, Friends of the Yampa brought street view to Yampa Canyon through Dinosaur National Monument

Group shot at Wagon Wheel Point during Friends of the Yampa's annual Yampa River Awareness Project float

Just ran this at 1400 with my 17 foot cat and other 18 foot boats and barely made it through big joe. The hole at warm spring at this level was nothing and we all took turn running right through it with our duckies. Great beaches. Great camping. Its a shame they don't give out more permits since there are so many camping spots. It took me 10 years to get this permit

Cross Mountain Gorge is my favorite kayak run in Colorado. But I only know it at low flows around 1500 cfs. Filled with eddies and the rapids have great twists, sneaks, and surprises. Everyone on the river is always pumped up! IV+...significantly harder than the Numbers on the Arkansas but not nearly as hard as Gore Canyon. This makes a great first IV+ run.

The Great Overhang on the Yampa River
Named Echo Park because you can hear at least eight returns off of the massive cliffs of Steamboat Rock.

Eight and Six year old Girls Kayaking on the Yampa
Wagon Wheel Point and Harding Hole area of the Yampa River.
Kids rafting on the Yampa River

Harding Hole Camp at Sunset
Kids learning to do dishes on the Yampa River
Hula Hoop rafting under the Grand Overhang on the Yampa River

Cliffs of the Upper Yampa Canyon.
Most of the Yampa is class II whitewater and class V scenery.
Camp on Day two.

Just below put-in the Yampa canyon walls go up.
Anderson Hole campsite makes for a nice short first day.

Thank you David Brower.
lower water makes more camping options at box elder camp
low water year

Photo courtesy of and copyright by Julie Keller.