The 730-mile-long Green River is the main tributary of the Colorado River, beginning in Wyoming and flowing through Utah into San Juan County. The powerful river winds through the rugged sandstone canyons on the west edge of Canyonlands National Park, converging with the Colorado River at the southern tip of the park. Relatively calm before the confluence, kayakers, rafters, and canoeists float along the Green River’s tranquil waters inside Canyonlands National Park. Once the Green River merges with the Colorado River it creates powerful rapids similar to those at the Grand Canyon for world-class white water rafting.
A rafting trip down the Green River introduces more than just adventure - it’s also a trip through Utah’s unique Native American, pioneer, and geologic history and scenery. Once home to the Fremont, Shoshone, and Ute cultures, the Green River was named ‘Rio Verde’ by early Spanish explorers who crossed the river on the Old Spanish Trail, just north of present-day Moab. The Green River was mapped by the Powell expedition in 1869, who set up camp at the confluence in Canyonlands National Park.
The Green River white water rafting season runs from April through October, with peak rapids around May and June. Boat launch ramps are available outside Canyonlands National Park. The Green River is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).