Desolation–Gray Full Trip
The full Desolation–Gray trip covers 84 miles of the Green River from Sand Wash to Swaseys Rapid — the longest roadless canyon in the contiguous United States. The upper 58 miles through Desolation Canyon are wilderness: no roads, no cell service, no bailout. The canyon deepens steadily through the Book Cliffs, with rapids building from easy riffles to solid Class III by the final third. Gray Canyon adds 26 miles of tighter, faster water through the Price River Canyon before the take-out at Swaseys. Most groups run it in 5–7 days, camping on sand benches and exploring side canyons with Fremont rock art, historic ranches, and desert arches.
- Distance
- 84 miles
- Typical days
- 6
Itinerary · 2 segments
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Desolation Canyon
Fifty-eight miles of Green River wilderness where the canyon is the point — Fremont rock art, frontier ranches, big sandy camps, and a rhythm of whitewater that builds over days, not minutes.
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Gray Canyon
The whitewater-dense lower chapter of the Desolation-Gray run — 27 miles of gray shale walls, Class II–III rapids, and a welcoming finish at Swasey's Beach near Green River, Utah.
Access
- Put-in
- Sand Wash Ranger Station and Boat Launch
- Take-out
- Swaseys Boat Ramp