Utah’s Green River Canoe

TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: You will travel in 17-foot tandem canoes, which hold two to three paddlers, plus all necessary gear. An average day’s travel consists of 4-7 hours of paddling, depending on wind and weather. Travel distances vary from 10 – 14 miles per day with the exception of scheduled layover days. You should have at least one layover day to explore the surrounding canyons and Indian ruins. To protect the environment, Wilderness Inquiry uses Leave No Trace camping techniques.

WEATHER: Temperatures range from 30 F (evenings) to 90 F (days) in the spring and fall. Be prepared for unpredictable weather, such as sudden thunderstorms or windstorms in the summer or snow storms in the spring and fall.

ACCOMMODATIONS: This is a camping trip. At night you will sleep in a comfortable tent. Typically, there are 3 people per 4 person tent (although other arrangements can be made). Bathroom facilities consist of an outhouse or a foldable commode chair set up in a privacy tent. We make every effort to ensure privacy and cleanliness.

YOUR GROUP: The group size ranges from 10 to 12 participants, plus 2 or more Wilderness Inquiry staff. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities. Our trips are cooperative in nature. Wilderness Inquiry staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can. Part of the adventure involves learning about daily camp activities.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: If you are new to outdoor activities, you need not spend a lot of money on gear. Wilderness Inquiry will provide all necessary canoeing and camping equipment. All you need to provide is your personal gear, such as clothing and a sleeping bag. A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear, that can usually be arranged.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: No previous experience is needed to complete this trip.

COVID POLICY: We continue to monitor and update our COVID-19 policies. Wilderness Inquiry strongly encourages everyone to be fully up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination and take other necessary steps for the health and wellness of all. We ask you to self-screen for any signs of illness prior to your trip’s departure. Please contact Wilderness Inquiry if you are exhibiting signs of illness. We will also continue to follow all guidance and requirements of locations that we travel, keeping in mind some international destinations do require vaccinations and/or negative covid tests. We will update this policy as new information and guidance becomes available.

SAFETY WHILE ON TRAIL:  Though not required, some individuals may choose to wear a mask, and we expect all participants to respect this choice. Please ensure proper hygiene including, but not limited to, hand-washing and/or sanitizing before eating and after using the restroom. Individuals who become ill or test positive for COVID-19 during a Wilderness Inquiry experience will be isolated to the best of the group’s ability and are responsible for their own transportation and expenses to depart the trip.

300 million years ago, the area that now comprises the Colorado Plateau (the dominating feature of the Northern Southwest) was covered with ocean. The ebb and flow of this ancient ocean deposited considerable beach sands, marine limestone (calcium carbonate) and other minerals. Following the retreat of the oceans, the erosion of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains also added layers to the Colorado Plateau. Although the proto-Green and proto-Colorado Rivers did form at this time, it was not until 10 million years ago that the rivers began to cut their characteristic canyons. This accelerated erosion was caused by the uplifting of the Colorado Plateau.

Far below the dry plains of the Colorado Plateau, the ecosystem of the river basins and surrounding canyons is teeming with life. The most apparent vegetation along the rivers remains the tamarisk tree (also called Salt Cedar), which forms dense thickets along the river bottoms. Interestingly, the tamarisk is a native of South Asia, and was introduced to the United States for erosion and flood control. The tree’s ability to reproduce rapidly, recover after fire and hoard large quantities of ground water allow it to out-compete the native cottonwoods. In addition to trees, the river bottoms host a wide variety of cacti and other succulents. In the springtime, many species of cactus flower display a startling variety of red, pink and orange blossoms.

Many birds and other animals can also be seen along the river, including the Big Horn Sheep, Beaver, Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, lizards and snakes. Also of note throughout the area is an interesting community of microorganisms that form patches of cryptogamic soil. These colonies of cyanobacteria form in thin sheaths across the desert floor, absorbing nutrients over hundreds of years. During rainy periods, they swell up to ten times their normal size. As they mature, other plants can grow through them symbiotically by enhancing the host’s root system and by tapping into plants’ roots for nutrients. These occur in patches of dark, spongy crusts in open areas. Take care not to step on them!

Suggested reading list:

Baars, Don. (1989) Canyonlands Country. Canon Publishers: Lawrence, Kansas.

Belknap, Bill., Belknap, Buzz. (1974) Canyonlands River Guide. Westwater Books: Evergreen, Colorado.

Belknap, Buzz., Evans, Laura. (1978) Desolation River Guide. Westwater Books: Boulder City, Nevada.

Belknap, Buzz., Evans, Laura. (1980) Dinosaur River Guide. Westwater Books: Evergreen, Colorado.

Cunningham, Richard L. (1990) 50 Common Birds of the Southwest. Southwest parks and Monuments Association: Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hoffman, John F. (1985) Arches National Park. Western Recreation Publications: San Diego, California.

Houk, Rose. (1992) Anasazi Prehistoric Cultures of the Southwest. Southwest Parks and Monuments Association: Tucson, Arizona.

Kelsey, Michael R. (1991) River Guide to Canyonlands National Park and Vicinity. Kelsey Publishing: Provo, Utah.

MacMahon, James A. (1988) Deserts. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, New York.

McPherson, Robert S. (1992) Sacred Land Sacred View. Brigham Young University/ Signature Books: Salt Lake City, Utah.

Niehaus, T., Ripper, C., Savage, V. (1984) Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Company: New York, New York.

Noble, David Grant. (1995) Ancient Ruins of the Southwest. Northland Publishing: New York, New York.

Peterson, Roger Tory. (1990) Western Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, Massachusetts.

Powell, J.W. (1961) The Exploration of The Colorado River and its Canyons. Dover Publications: New York, New York.

Stall, Chris. (1990) Animal Tracks of the Southwest. The Mountaineers: Seattle, Washington.

Stokes, Lee. (1969) Scenes of the Plateau Lands and How They Came to Be. Starstone Publishing: Salt Lake City, Utah.

Tweit, Susan J. (1994) The Great Southwest Nature Factbook. Alaska Northwest Books: Portland Oregon.

If you have other reading suggestions please let us know!