- June 3 (Only 13 Seats Available!), 25 (Sold Out)
- July 9
Events
Yampa River
5 Day: Yampa River River Rafting
Dates & Rates
2025 Dates
2024 Trip Rates
Adult………………..$1,649
Youth………………..$1,549
What This Rate Includes
- Full Days on the River
- Camping Gear: Clean Sleeping Bag, Pad, & Tent
- Oarboats, Paddleboats, & Inflatable Kayaks
- All Camping Equipment
- Great Hikes in Dinosaur National Monument
- Quality Guides: Highly Experienced, Professional, & Licensed
- High Quality and Quantity Meals
- Iced Coolers on boats
- Lemonade, Iced Water, and Gatorade: Coffee, teas, hot cocoa, and juice available in camp.
- Transportation from and back to Naples, UT The 2022 rates include the shuttle from Naples to the put-in, and from Split-Mountain Back to Naples.
More Information
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- Trip Deposit: $300 per person deposit required upon reservation. Full balance due 45 days prior to departure.
- Trip Cancellation Insurance
- Minimum Age: 10 years old
What Is Not Included in Trip Fares
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- National Park Entrance Pass Dinosaur National Monument strongly suggests that our guests carry a National Parks Pass. Passes can be purchased at www.nps.gov/DINO. A 7 day pass can be purchased prior to the trip at the Dinosaur National Monument visitor’s centers.
- Guide Gratuities by no means required but always appreciated by our guides. We recommend 10-20% of the cost of the river portion of the trip.
- Transportation to Naples, Utah.
- Lodging and meals prior to or following your expedition (except where noted.) Click to see list of quality places to stay in Vernal Utah.
- Government user fees and taxes (about 9% of trip cost.)
- OPTIONAL SHUTTLE OPTION: If you prefer to have your vehicle shuttled from the put-in at Deer Lodge Park to the take-out at Split Mountain, please contact our office. There is an addiitonal $150 per vehicle fee for this shuttle.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Starting The Adventure
We meet at the Microtel Inn and Suites in Naples, Utah, at 7:00 AM, shuttle to the launch site, meet the crew, have a safety briefing, and then launch. We float for a short while as we enter the Yampa River canyon which rises 1000 feet above. After entering the canyon we have exciting whitewater all day. We will stop and take a short walk to Anderson Hole and Stubbs Cabin.
The scenery is spectacular and offers great views around every corner. Midday, the guides will prepare a fresh buffet lunch along the riverbank. After Lunch we have the option run the big rapids Tee Pee, and Big Joe right before camp or on day two first thing after we launch for the day.
This evening, relax by the river while the guides prepare hors d’oeuvres and dinner. Campsites are well maintained by the Park Service with wonderful camping spots. Camp under Ponderosa and Box Elder trees, and let the sound of the river lull you to sleep.
Note: Meals are served from a set daily menu, but you are welcome to request in advance, special dishes or tell us if there are particular things you would prefer not to have.
Potential Hiking Opportunities: Stubs Cabin, Tee Pee, Big Joe, Harding Hole
Day 2 - Hiking the Yampa River
Wake each morning to the smell of coffee. After a hearty breakfast, off Pancakes with bacon or French toast and Sausages we pack and push off.
Today we enter the Weber Sandstone layer of the canyon. The river slows down and we drift under the Grand Overhang and by Mantle Ranch. We may stop and explore Mantle Cave, once inhabited by the Fremont people. We will also float by the spectacular Tiger Wall.
Lunch will again be on a nice river side beach. Option could include Chicken Cesar Salad, or Sandwiches with fresh vegetables. We will pull over and camp in the late afternoon. While you find a spot to pitch your tents, the guides prepare dinner. Fall asleep under the starlit sky.
Potential Hiking Opportunities: Mantle Cave, Signature Cave
Day 3 - Warm Springs Rapid
This morning we wake up with the anticipation of running Warm springs rapid, the biggest rapid of the trip. The Yampa River was once known as a float trip that was very beautiful but did not have a lot big rapids. This all changed in the late 1960’s, when a wet spring brought down tons of rock and sediment which created Warm Springs Rapid. On the 5 day Yampa trip Warms Springs is smaller than on the 4 day trips but still exciting. We will stop and scout the rapid before taking on the challenging cataract.
Rafting the Yampa River is like traveling through time. Each of the river canyon’s various layers represents an entire age of the earth’s development: the rise and fall of major mountain ranges, the arrival and retreat of oceans at least 12 different times, and the alternating development of deserts and swamplands.
Dinner will be prepare by your professional Chefs. We start with appetizer and move to the entrées which can be any thing from high end steak and potatoes to lasagna and fresh vegetables.
Day 4 - Confluence of the Green & Yampa Rivers
We will eat another hearty breakfast and then raft to the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers at Echo Park where we will pass imposing Steamboat Rock rising 1,000 feet above the river. Echo park offers several great hiking opportunities including whispering cave, and 1000 year old Native America writing.
Pass by the amazing Mitten park fault, named after Pat Lynch’s mule Mitten. Soon we will enter our next canyon: Whirlpool Canyon. Guests may be able to see Seastacks, which afford geologic evidence of vast seas that covered the area eons ago. Later we will see an inscription made in 1838 by French fur trapper Dennis Julien, and equipment left by dam surveyors who had big plans to build a dam in Echo Park.
We will cross into Utah and then just below Jones Hole we will stop for a hike and try to catch a glimpse of one of the largest herds of Bighorn Sheep in the area. Jones Creek is a spring fed creek with countless opportunities for fun and adventure. Spend some time fishing along the creek, which has a fish hatchery at the top. Hike up to some amazing Fremont pictographs. Play in the Ely Creek waterfall or just hang out along the creek in the shade enjoying the peaceful scenery.
Camp is just down stream where your guides will prepare hors d’ oeuvres while you relax on the beach. Come “dressed” for dinner tonight. This is our party night! Our way of celebrating a great trip, fun rapids, great hikes, amazing scenery and new formed friendships! Dinner will again be served in a spectacular setting.
Potential Hiking Opportunities: Echo Park, Whispering Cave, Jones Hole
Day 5 - More Big Rapids
This morning we will run more fun rapids. Start this morning’s river travel with the fun, splashy Greasy Pliers rapids. The canyon then opens up into the Island Park area. Enjoy viewing amazing petroglyphs of a very large bison. Raft through Rainbow Park and enjoy swimming in the river before the river slices through Split Mountain.
Stop for Lunch on another great sandy beach. At lunch today your guides will give special instructions for those brave souls who wish to challenge the next few rapids in their Inflatable Kayaks. We run exciting rapids-Moonshine, SOB, and Schoolboy. We take out at Split Mountain and return to Vernal (approximately 45 minutes away).
Potential Hiking Opportunities: Rainbow Park, Moonshine
Maps
Map of the Yampa River Rafting
The Yampa River, located in the heart of the Dinosaur National Monument on the Eastern end of the Uinta Mountain Range. Beginning in Northwestern Colorado, the Yampa is one of the last free-flowing tributaries to the Colorado River system and is featured in National Geographic’s, “Wild and Scenic Rivers” Book.
Native Americans, prospectors, outlaws, ranchers and early river runners make the history of this canyon interesting.
Yampa River Information
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- River: Yampa River
- Rapid Rating: Class III-V(Depending on Water Levels)
- Put in: Deer Lodge Park in Dinosaur National Monument
- Take-out location: Split Mountain boat ramp
- River Miles: 72 miles
- Number of rapids: 16
- First to run Yampa River Canyon: Nathaniel Galloway and his son Parley in 190
Resources
Required Forms
Please print, sign and return the required forms (for each person in your party) to our office by email, fax or mail at least 45 days prior to your trip.
Trip Document in PDF's
Helpful Links
Dinosaur National Monument: Dinosaur National Monument protects a large deposit of fossil dinosaur bones–remains of the so-called “terrible lizards” that lived millions of years ago.
Sheri Griffith Expeditions is an Authorized Concessioner of Dinosaur National Monument.
Vernal Travel Council: A great resource on Vernal area trails, hotels, and other great things to do in Vernal.
River rafting is a lot of fun, but like most outdoor adventure activities, there are also potential hazards. Click here for more information about possible hazards you might experience while whitewater rafting in our beautiful canyons.
Links to Area Information
Questions About the Trip
Cancellation Policy and Trip Insurance:
Sheri Griffith Expeditions has a NO REFUND policy. Since you have reserved space for which we have a limited number of seats, our non-refundable policy applies in every instance. There are no exceptions for any reason, so we highly recommend that you purchase Travel Insurance to protect your vacation investment. For more information about Travel Insurance, click here.
How to book a trip
There are several easy ways to make a reservation. Easiest is to click on the “book online” button on your trip or at the top of the screen. You can always give us a call at 800-332-2439.
Deposits and Reservations
For 1 day trips full payment is required at time of booking. For multiday trips a non-refundable $300/person deposit is required at the time of reservation. The balance is due 45 days prior to departure. After making your reservation you will receive a reservation packet that will include a packing list, helpful travel hints, travel insurance information, a beverage request form, and a guest registration form. Please fill out the guest registration form and send or fax back quickly. If you find you are unable to participate in the trip that you booked, but would like to transfer your trip to the following year, there will be a charge of $300 per participant if the change is made at least 3 weeks prior to your departure date.
Non-Performance
We make every effort to follow through on our plans. However, we reserve the right to make changes in the itinerary or possibly cancel a trip if necessary including but not limited to weather conditions, water fluctuations, insufficient reservations, changes in international relations, or other factors beyond our control. If cancellation is necessary, your money will be refunded. Our financial liability shall be limited to the amount actually paid and shall not be extended to cover any other costs incurred by the trip member.
Orientation:
The evening before the trip we meet at the Microtel Inn and Suites in Naples, Utah at 6:30 pm (MDT) for a pre-trip orientation. Here you will learn what to expect and prepare for, receive your dry bags, sign the Assumption of Risk forms, and get a chance to ask any last questions. If you are not going to be able to make this please let us know ahead of time.
Beverages:
If you would like any personal beverages while on the river, i.e., sodas, beer, wine, etc., you can bring them with you the morning of departure and we will place them in iced coolers. We provide some sodas, water, lemonade and Gatorade mixes and tea, juice and coffee in the mornings.
Tipping:
Guests often ask whether gratuities are appropriate, and in what amount. If you feel your guides have provided a very special trip for you, a gratuity may be left with the trip leader and will be shared among the crew. Entirely discretionary, anything between 15% and 20% of the trip cost is a general tipping guideline. If you plan to tip, remember to bring a personal check or cash—ATM’s are hard to find in the backcountry! PLEASE, do not make out checks to Sheri Griffith Expeditions. If you are writing check please make it out to the Trip Leader. NOTE: we cannot take credit card gratuities.
Hiking and Physical Requirements:
If you are of an adventurous spirit and in reasonably good health, you should have no problem enjoying any of our trips. It’s not necessary to be an athlete to participate in a river expedition. However, It is several hours to the nearest medical center. If you take medication you should bring a good supply and inform your guide of all medication that you are taking. When you meet your guide, you should discretely explain any medical conditions you may have or be concerned about including allergies to bee stings, etc. Each guide carries a first aid kit and will need to know if specific medicines should be stored. It’s also helpful to know about other health issues when planning activities for the day. Pregnant women and anyone with heart trouble should have their physician’s approval before taking a river trip.
Safety, and Assumption of Risk
We maintain an excellent safety record, since 1971. However, all outdoor experiences involve risk and we all must recognize that accidents or illnesses may occur. We cannot guarantee your safety. We place final responsibility for your safety firmly on your shoulders where it belongs. You have to pay attention to what you are doing. Mother Nature controls the water level, the weather and the elements, so there is a risk involved in rafting and camping. Before your trip departs, you will be asked to sign an Assumption of Risk and Release Form. We assume no responsibility for injury to trip members, their personal belongings or, for time and expense incurred. We strongly recommend Travel Insurance, which covers vacation losses and accidents and provides a refund if you have to cancel your trip.
Parking, luggage and valuables:
You are welcome to leave your vehicle parked at the Microtel Inn and Suites while you are on the river. They also have a safe room for luggage and valuables while you are on the river.
Location:
Yampa River, UT
Highlights:
Rapids Every Day, An Active Vacation, Great Waterfall Hikes, Dinosaur National Monument, Stunning Scenery, Tons of Wildlife, Classic Outlaw History, Rarely Run River, Undammed River
Adults:
$1,649 (Does not include taxes and & government user fees)
Youth:
$1,549 (Does not include taxes and & government user fees)
Trip Length:
5 Days / 4 Nights
Host City:
Vernal, Utah
Min. Age:
10 Years Old
Rapids:
III-IV (Depending on Water Levels)
2025 Dates:
June 3 (1/2 Full!), 25 (SOLD OUT!) | July 9
Boats:
Oarboats, Paddleboats, Inflatable Kayaks
