Colorado Raft Trips on the Yampa River

With 40 years of experience guiding Colorado River Rafting trips in Dinosaur National Monument on the Yampa River and Green River Gates of Lodore Dinosaur River Expeditions is your first choice when it comes to a vacation of a lifetime. 

Beginning in Deer Lodge Colorado, our Yampa River whitewater rafting trips take you for an amazing 72-mile journey. Along the way, you’ll experience astounding sandstone cliffs, thrilling Colorado whitewater, incredible campsites, and so much more. The Yampa River is a great family white water river rafting trip, group trip or perfect for the solo traveler.

Your Yampa River trip in Dinosaur National Monument with Dinosaur River Expeditions includes fun rafting and inflatable kayaking through spectacular scenery and exciting Colorado whitewater. Our guides will lead hikes to some of the finest ancient Native American sites in Dinosaur National Monument, where you’ll see 700-year-old petroglyphs, early pioneer sites, and the most amazing vistas of western canyons found anywhere.

Camping along the shore of Colorado’s Yampa River in the heart of Dinosaur National Monument is unbelievable — the views alone will leave you speechless. Your rafting trip guides will prepare remarkable meals — they’ll leave no appetite unsatisfied. Dutch ovens will steam with fresh, nutritious, dining such as homemade Peach Cobbler and delicious Lasagna.

The views and food are not the only thing that make time in camp special — your adventure guides specialize in camp entertainment. They may surprise you with an impromptu skit, a fun rafting-trip game, or great stories of river trips from the past. Looking for other river trip options we offer one day trips on the Green River and 4 day trips on the Green River Gates of Lodore. Book your greatest whitewater rafting adventure vacation today with Dinosaur River Expeditions — it will be unforgettable.

This is a sample itinerary of what your adventure will look like. 

DAY BEFORE DEPARTURE

Meet at our Vernal office- 2279 North Vernal Ave, at 5:00 PM for pre-trip orientation. At this time, your guides will provide you with dry bags, last minute packing suggestions, answer any questions you may have, and help with the final details of the trip before departure. We've found this orientation to be very helpful in making each trip a successful experience. If you cannot make the meeting please let us know in advance so we can prepare before your arrival.

DAY 1 TRIP DEPARTURE

Meet at the location provided in pre-trip the evening at 7:00 AM to depart for the river approximately 8:00 AM. Depending on your trip, it will be a one-hour to two-and-a-half-hour bus ride. At the river, your guides will be prepared to load the final pieces of equipment and start your vacation. Your day will encompass whitewater, hikes, and a delicious river-side lunch. When you arrive at your first camp, the guides will make it a comfortable outdoor experience while you explore.

DAY 2 & 3 ON THE RIVER

Start the morning with hot coffee, a wonderful breakfast, and a beautiful sunrise. This will be followed by taking down camp and packing for a day of adventure — with hikes, whitewater, lunch, and a lot of fun. You'll end the day with a relaxing camp-time experience. Take the time to try some fishing, exploring, playing a game, or just leaving all your cares behind.

DAY 4 FINAL DAY OF THE TRIP

Last day on the river; a peaceful morning float through Rainbow Park and Island Park followed by an afternoon filled with exciting whitewater through Split Mountain Canyon. This section of river has some of the Green River's most exciting rapids. A lunch stop on a wonderful sandy beach puts you a few river miles away from the take out, where you will take a 30-minute shuttle ride back to Vernal, Utah, returning to our office approximately 3:00-4:00 PM.