Multi-day whitewater rafting trips are one of my favorite vacation activities. Combine thrilling whitewater, drop-dead gorgeous scenery, delicious campfire cooking, and serene riverside campsites…what more could you want from a vacation? I’ve taken several river rafting trips with OARS Rafting, and this Gates of Lodore rafting trip on Utah’s Green River is definitely the most family-friendly and laid-back river trip I’ve been on. The year before, I rafted through Canyonlands National Park from Moab. As soon as I got home, I signed up for this “Gates of Lodore” rafting trip for the following year. Obviously, all this travel to Utah was a significant factor in why I eventually became a Utah local! And I still visit the Dinosaur Monument area at least once a year.

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Vernal Utah aka Dinosaurland

The starting point of the Gates of Lodore rafting trip is Vernal, Utah. This small town is located in the northeast corner of Utah, just 20 miles from the Colorado border. Vernal is best known as the home of the Dinosaur National Monument and is also the gateway to the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. In fact, Flaming Gorge Reservoir is known as one of the best trout fishing destinations in all of Utah! Just below the Gorge dam, you’ll see plenty of fishermen!

Dinosaur National Monument contains over 800 paleontological sites and includes dinosaur fossils and petroglyphs, making it one of the coolest National Monuments in Utah. The geology and history of this area are super interesting, and if you are taking the Green River rafting trip, you probably want to plan a few days before or after your river rafting adventure to explore some of the best things to do in Vernal Utah!

Browse Vernal Hotels at Booking.com

Green River Rafting Departure

Every OARS whitewater trip that I’ve joined begins with a pre-trip meeting the night before departure. It’s a chance to meet your guides and fellow rafters, ask any last-minute questions, and get your OARS-issued drybags which you’ll pack up for the trip. I chose to camp at the Vernal KOA, which was great as I could shower and do laundry after being on the road for a week already, with a few days in the Colorado backcountry.

Be prepared for an early morning departure for your river trip. Most trips leave from the local OARS warehouse, where your cars, keys, and any valuables are stored while you are on the river. Rafters then pile into a shuttle to the put-in, which is north of Dinosaur in Colorado. Given the restrictive Utah liquor laws, it’s convenient to drive through Colorado on your way to the put-in, so you can stock up on any adult beverages you might want to enjoy!

After a lengthy ride, you arrive at the put-in near the Gates of Lodore. Rafters get suited up in PFDs and helmets, which are provided by the outfitter, while the guides get everything ready for departure.

Gates of Lodore Rafting

Almost immediately after launching, you will arrive at some of the best white water rafting in Utah, the Gates of Lodore. Imposing name, and stunning scenery. These “gates” or canyon walls mark the entrance to the Canyon of Lodore, the same canyon John Wesley Powell passed through in 1869 on his way to the Grand Canyon. In fact, Powell’s expedition named the canyon after a 19th-century poem, The Cataract of Lodore. For 18 miles, the Green River cuts Lodore Canyon through the Uinta Mountains. After the Gates of Lodore, which has some fun Class III and Class IV rapids including Disaster Falls and Triplet Falls, the whitewater on this trip is pretty mellow. Granted, I went in September, so a spring trip promises more excitement.

Depending on the trip and the group, you may have time for some hiking during the day. Spots like Jones Hole Creek, and Echo Park are great spots to stretch your legs a bit!

Dinosaur National Monument

After rafting 18 miles through Lodore Canyon, you arrive at Echo Park, where the Yampa River meets the Green River at Steamboat Rock. There’s even a small bit of civilization here if you count park service pit toilets as civilization. There’s a 4WD road to Echo Park, as well as a National Park Service campground.

At Echo Park, we took a short walk to see some petroglyphs. Besides the amazing geology and scenery, there are some pretty cool spots to see Native ruins in Utah!

Before you start your Utah whitewater adventure, make sure you have the proper rafting clothes!

After your rafting trip, make sure you take the scenic drives in the Monument, for a cool aerial view of the river you just rafted. You can see Steamboat Rock and the Mitten Park Fault from some of the scenic viewpoints along the park road.

Green River Camping

Whitewater is great and all, but my favorite part of these multi-day river trips is the camping. (ok, and the food!) Each day, as we pulled into our campsite for the evening, the first order of business was to get the “fireline” going – passengers line up and empty the boats, unload dry bags, and set up camp. While we set up our evening accommodations, the guides would get the kitchen ready for dinner. This was the smallest crew I’ve had on a rafting trip. Even with only 8 passengers, there’s still a TON of work to be done at camp. From setting up the kitchen and the loo, preparing dinner, and entertaining the guests. This is after a day of rowing our butts down the river and then reversing the whole process in the morning.

I’ve yet to have a disappointing campsite on any Utah whitewater rafting trip. This is backcountry camping at its finest! As with every OARS trip, I was sad to see the end of my Utah whitewater adventure. Spending every waking hour for 4 days with these folks, along with no electronics, email, or external communication, is kind of hard to snap out of! I believe they call this the river blues. I get them every time.

Cost of a Gates of Lodore Rafting Trip

This trip was one of my more affordable multi-day rafting trips with OARS. These river trips are “all-inclusive” aside from tips at the end, so once you’ve paid, you don’t have to worry about budgeting for additional expenses. If you have the time, longer trips on the river are always better than short trips! In my opinion, anyways!

• OARS Trip Cost: starts at $1,149 per adult for three days (specialty trips like adults-only or women-only are also available) The five-day rafting trip is $1599, which is still a great deal!
• Guide Tips: the guidelines are to tip 10-20% of your trip cost. I will say it never feels like enough for how hard these guys work to make sure you have an amazing experience. With six OARS trips under my belt, I’ve never had a bad, or even mediocre, guide. Tip as much as you can possibly afford!

Utah River Trips

My first Utah river trip was a multi-day rafting trip on the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon. It’s one of the best things to do in Moab! I’ve rafted the Weber River several times, but that’s just a short day trip and one of the most popular Park City summer activities. Other Utah rafting trips on my radar include the Green River through Desolation Canyon, Westwater Canyon, and the Yampa River, which starts in Colorado and meets up with the Green River. The minimum age for most of these trips is 6 or 7, but this will also depend on water levels and the season. If you’re not ready for an overnight trip, there are also options for day trips with several outfitters in Vernal.

Interested in reading about my other trips with OARS Whitewater Rafting?

• Cataract Canyon Utah
• Grand Canyon Arizona
• Rogue River Oregon
• Baja Mexico Kayaking
• Galapagos Islands Sailing