Shuttles
The unsexy half of every river trip. How rigs, trailers, outboards, and people get from put-in to take-out and back without burning a day.
Approach
Shuttle is a logistics problem, not a vibe
Most shuttle pain comes from solving it last. We plan shuttle alongside the permit and the put-in date — who drives, what gets towed, where the keys live, and which paid services exist on the section. The pages below cover the rig systems we run and the section-by-section shuttle notes that live on each dashboard.
Rigs & Transport
How the gear moves
Trailers, outboards, and the rigging systems that decide how a shuttle actually runs.
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Raft + outboard trailer system
A working trailer build for hauling a rigged raft and outboard to put-in and back from take-out.
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Lightweight outboards for rafts
When the take-out is a flatwater motor — what we run and why.
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Honda 2.3 — long-term review
The motor we've actually run on Cataract take-outs and Lake Powell crossings.
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Best vehicle for Utah overlanding
If you're driving the shuttle yourself, this is the rig question.
By Section
Shuttle notes on the section dashboard
Each river-section page carries the put-in / take-out coordinates, drive time, and the local services that actually answer the phone.
Cataract Canyon
Potash to Hite or Lake Powell — long shuttle, motor takeout.
Desolation Canyon
Sand Wash to Swasey's — paid shuttle territory.
Westwater Canyon
Short, simple, drivable in a morning.
Yampa Canyon
Deerlodge to Split Mountain — shared with Lodore takeouts.
Lower San Juan
Mexican Hat to Clay Hills — Navajo Nation crossing.
Trip Articles
Shuttle inside the trip writing
Articles where shuttle decisions shape the trip plan.