The siren calls of the Yampa and Green rivers running through Dinosaur National Monument is difficult if not downright impossible to resist. There are quiet sections enabling paddlers to float along and contemplate the canyon views and geology, and there are Class III and IV rapids offering watery adventures (and dangers) challenging the most experienced of rafters.
Rafting the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument / NPS - Jacob W. Frank
There are two options for rafting the rivers in this national monument:
Private (non-commercial) trips - If you have the gear and the experience, you can apply for a permit to conduct your own self-guided raft trip. But, because the Class III and IV rapids on both the Yampa and Green rivers are dangerous, permit holders, boatmen, and trip leaders must have previous experience on comparable rivers. Also, in addition to acquiring a river permit, all rafters are required to download, read, and carry the 2024 Boating in the Monument Information and Regulations document which reviews all monument regulations regarding river trips.
Commercial guided trips - These operations take care of everything, from planning to permitting to rowing. Listed below are the National Park Service-authorized concessionaires conducting single-day and/or multi-day rafting trips.
One-Day River Trip Concessionaires
Adrift Dinosaur
9500 E 6000 S
Jensen, UT 84035
1-800-824-0150
www.adrift.com
OARS Dinosaur
221 N 400 E
Vernal, UT 84078
1-800-342-4316
www.oars.com
Multi-Day River Trip Concessionaires
Adrift Dinosaur
OARS Dinosaur
American River Touring Association (ARTA)
6 S Washington St, Suite 16
Sonora, CA 95370
209-962-7873
www.arta.org
Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS)
3840 York St, Suite 150
Denver, CO 80205
720-381-6589
www.cobs.org
Dinosaur River Expeditions
2279 N Vernal Ave
Vernal, UT 84078
800-345 7238
www.dinosaurriverexpeditions.com
Eagle Outdoor Sports
2771 S 150 W
Bountiful, UT 84010
385-244-0021
www.eagleraft.com
Holiday River Expeditions
544-E 3900 S
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
801-266-2087
www.bikeraft.com
Mild To Wild Rafting (fka Adventure Bound)
50 Animas View Dr
Durango, CO 81301
800-567-6745
www.mild2wildrafting.com
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
284 Lincoln St
Lander, WY 82520
1-800-710-6657
www.nols.edu
Sheri Griffith Expeditions
2231 S Hwy 191
Moab, UT 84532
800-332-2439
435-259-8229
www.griffithexp.com
River permits are required for all rafting in the national monument. You can get a single-day or multi-day permit. You can also apply for a high-use lottery through recreation.gov for a non-commercial river permit.
John Wesley Powell in 1869 had a chair strapped to his boat the "Emma Dean" so he could see the river to navigate while the crew rowed through whitewater in what is now Dinosaur National Monument / NPS - J. K. Hillers
