Limited travel opportunities due to the Made in China Virus, coupled with civil unrest and governments-gone-wild in places like California and Washington DC, we were forced to rethink our summer vacation options this year. Most often we would make a couple trips to the coast of Southern California to visit family and escape the intense heat of the Sonoran Desert in the summertime…but this seemed as good a year as any to try something new!
So, this year we packed up, said goodbye to the cats, boarded the dogs and headed north. Far north, beyond the Colorado Plateau, across the Navajo Nation and into the forty-fifth state of the union, Utah. We drove north into Utah, all the way up to a small town called Vernal, near the Colorado border. There isn’t much to see in Vernal, but that’s where we met up with our tour company, Mild to Wild Rafting. We transferred all of our belongings for the trip into dry-bags provided by the outfitter, loaded them onto a van, and set out for the Gates of Lodore, on the Green River.
On the banks of the Green River, just upstream from the Gates of Lodore, we met our guides and loaded our dry-bags onto the four, inflatable rafts that would be our sole means of transportation for the next four days. After settling into our respective stations on the boats and a short tutorial on how to paddle and follow the boat pilot’s commands in the rapids, it was time for launch.
We spent the next four days and three nights paddling and floating down the Green River. Through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument, past Winnie’s Grotto, through Upper Disaster Falls and Lower Disaster Falls. After successfully transiting Hell’s Half Mile we floated past the confluence of the Green and Yampa River before heading into Echo Park and eventually the take-out at Split Mountain East.
For two of us, this was their first-time paddling or floating a river…beyond tubing for a day. For the other two of us, it was certainly a challenge and a good step-up from our last paddling excursion in Black Canyon, AZ. For all of us though, it was a trip of a lifetime. One I know we will all, always remember. In addition to the inflatable rafts we paddled, the outfitters provided us with two inflatable kayaks which the boys practically owned for the entire trip. Watching the two of them paddling class II & III rapids on their own for the first time was awesome…and the natural teamwork they demonstrated was amazing to witness.
All river trips feel the same way at the end. You never want them to end, and this trip was no different. We hit the take-out in the early afternoon. The take-out location was close to Vernal, so it was just a short shuttle ride back to the hotel. We showered, ate a ton of pizza at Antica Forma, and had the best night’s sleep in a long while. In the morning we took off, headed south again, back towards Moab.
Taking our time getting to Moab, we took a detour through Arches National Park. Thinking we were going to just blow through this place was a miscalculation and the next time we head up to Moab, more time to explore the Arches will be needed. We never even got a chance to look at Canyonlands which is also nearby…next time! What we did get to see of this park was amazing though!
After checking into our hotel in Moab, we headed over to Moab Tour Company where we reserved a 4-seater UTV for a tour of Hell’s Gate/Hell’s Revenge State Recreational Off-Road Park. We boarded our Razor 4-seater and followed our guide though the backstreets of Moab on our way to the trailhead. For the next few hours, we climbed and crawled over some of the most unique terrain I have ever driven on. As we sped through the washes and over the petrified sand dunes towards the setting sun, we came to an insanely awesome overlook of the Colorado River, looking down on it as it snakes its way around Moab. Here we watched the sun set before climbing back into the Razors and speeding back though the desert.
We got back to Moab late. Things seem like they’re a little slower right now, like they are everywhere because of the virus. We had only a few options left open to eat at 10 pm. We found a place called Pasta Jay’s serving up some solid Italian food and enjoyed a great dinner on the patio. We hung around Moab for a little while the next morning after breakfast, before making the seven-and-a-half-hour drive back to Phoenix. Breaking up the long drive between Phoenix and Vernal was key in making this trip digestible though. We got lucky driving back into the valley, no major issues on Interstate 17 South, so it was smooth sailing all the way into Ahwatukee.
In summary. Utah – Yes! We’re already looking for our next adventure! In all seriousness though, I regret having overlooked Utah for so long. There are so many things to do up there. From the rivers to mountain biking and off-roading, to the climbing and hiking opportunities that abound, Utah is an outdoor lover’s paradise, no joke. Just be sure to take some good beer along for the trip, or plan to supply in Colorado beforehand.
