Green River Utah Float Trip: A Complete Planning Guide

The Green River in Utah runs through some of the quietest canyon country in the American Southwest. Depending on which section you float, you'll spend days in Labyrinth Canyon's red-walled solitude or put in above Cataract Canyon's whitewater. This guide covers planning a flatwater float through Labyrinth Canyon — the most accessible multi-day Green River trip.

Sections of the Green River in Utah

The Green River offers dramatically different experiences depending on where you put in and take out.

Labyrinth Canyon — Green River State Park to Mineral Bottom, roughly 68 miles. Flatwater. No whitewater. This is the classic multi-day float: calm water, towering canyon walls, sandy campsites, and almost no other people mid-week. Permits required for overnight trips.

Stillwater Canyon — Mineral Bottom to the Confluence with the Colorado, roughly 52 miles. Flatwater inside Canyonlands National Park. The continuation corridor for crews running through to Cataract.

Desolation/Gray Canyon — Sand Wash to Green River, Utah, roughly 84 miles. More remote, some Class II–III rapids. Requires a BLM Vernal lottery permit.

Where the Green meets bigger water

Beyond the Green's own corridors, two adjacent options come up often in Utah trip planning:

• Cataract Canyon sits below the Confluence on the Colorado mainstem, roughly 14 miles of Class III–IV whitewater (Class V only at flood-stage flows above ~50,000 cfs). Reached via Stillwater on a Green-side launch from Mineral Bottom.
• Ruby-Horsethief Canyon is a Colorado River flatwater section near Fruita, sometimes combined with Westwater for a taste of whitewater. Listed here for completeness — it's not a Green River trip.

Labyrinth Canyon: what to expect

Labyrinth Canyon is named honestly. The river loops through increasingly tight meanders, the walls rise to 1,000 feet, and the only sounds are water, wind, and the occasional raven. There are no developed amenities on the river — no toilets, no fresh water, no cell service.

The current does most of the work. Expect to cover 10–15 miles per day without effort. A four-day trip is comfortable at a relaxed pace. Five or six days gives you time to explore side canyons.

Water: The river water is silty and must be filtered. Bring a quality filter — Sawyer Squeeze or a gravity filter for groups. You'll use river water for everything: drinking, cooking, dishes.

Sanitation: Groover required. BLM mandates carry-out waste systems on all overnight trips. Plan for one groover per group.

Shade: There isn't much. Canyon walls provide morning and evening shadow, but midday sun hits the river directly. A shade tarp rigged over your raft is worth the weight.

Permits

Overnight trips through Labyrinth Canyon require a permit from the BLM Moab Field Office through recreation.gov. Permits are first-come, first-served — not a lottery. In shoulder season you can often get a permit with a few days' notice. Spring break and Memorial Day weekend fill early.

The permit covers your group and specifies your put-in date and number of nights. You'll list your campsites when you apply, but the BLM is flexible about which sites you actually use on the river.

Permit fee: Small per-person fee, paid online.

Campsite reservation: You select sites when you apply. Designated sites are marked on the BLM's Labyrinth Canyon map.

Shuttle logistics

Labyrinth Canyon is a point-to-point float — you put in at Green River State Park and take out at Mineral Bottom. Shuttle options:

• Commercial shuttles: Several companies in Green River, UT will drive your vehicle to Mineral Bottom and drop you at put-in. Expect to pay $100–$200 depending on vehicle size and group.
• Two-vehicle shuttle: Leave one vehicle at Mineral Bottom, drive to put-in in the second. Mineral Bottom road is well-maintained gravel — passenger cars can make it in dry conditions.
• Bike shuttle: Some groups shuttle bikes to Mineral Bottom and ride out on the White Rim Road. The climb out from the river is significant — plan a half-day for the ride.

Water levels and flow

The Green River at Green River, Utah (USGS gauge 09315000) is the relevant gauge. Typical spring flows run 3,000–8,000 CFS. The river is floatable at very low flows (under 1,000 CFS) but slower and shallower.

Check waterdata.usgs.gov before your trip. Very high flows (above 15,000 CFS) make camping difficult — beaches disappear under water.

Gear essentials

For a flatwater desert float, your gear priorities differ from a whitewater trip:

• Sun protection: Wide-brim hat, long-sleeve sun shirt, SPF 50+. The river amplifies heat.
• Shelter: A shade tarp is more useful than extra tent weight.
• Water filtration: Sawyer Squeeze or Katadyn BeFree for individuals; gravity filter for groups.
• Dry bags: Personal gear in a 65L dry bag. Electronics and sleep gear double-bagged.
• Sandals: River sandals with secure straps. Chacos or Tevas — avoid flip-flops.
• Groover: Rent from an outfitter in Green River if you don't own one.

Campsites

Designated campsites in Labyrinth Canyon are all sandy beaches. Most have good shade from tamarisk or canyon walls in the evening. Popular sites:

• Trin-Alcove Bend — One of the most scenic bends in the canyon, around mile 20.
• Fort Bottom — Historic structure, worth the short hike up from the river.
• Mineral Bottom — The takeout, with a BLM toilet and parking area.

Leave No Trace rules apply. Pack out everything. Do not build fires except in established rings.