Paddling & Hiking Green River's Stillwater Canyon (Sept. 30 - Oct. 5)

Janice

Member
.
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
1,203
We had a great trip! Thanks to those of you who provided info and advice.

7 of us from Michigan and Maryland headed out to SLC on Sept. 28 and arrived in Moab in time for dinner at yummy 98 Center, which is owned by river guides who worked with our friends on a previous rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. The next day, we spent time in the middle of the day at Tex's Riverways finalizing our rentals and payment. Before then, we had a great morning at Dead Horse Point State Park. I've wanted to go there on other trips but never made it, so I was glad to get there this time and it was especially perfect for this trip, as we'd get to look down on the Colorado a week before jet boating below the same spot at the end of our trip. The rim hike was easy, fun, and had great views of the surrounding canyons.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.27.03 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.50.47 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-13 at 4.33.06 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-13 at 4.32.14 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-13 at 4.33.20 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.52.23 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-13 at 4.33.53 PM.png

After taking care of everything at Tex's, my husband realized we could go to Arches for sunset since timed entry permits aren't needed after 4 pm. We got food for a picnic dinner and delighted in the beautiful scenery at the Windows section.
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.52.57 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-13 at 4.43.11 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.47.56 PM.png

The next morning, Tex's loaded up all our stuff (plus lots of other groups) and drove us to Mineral Bottom. As expected, the last part was quite a ride down! Here are a few bikers coming up.
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.54.02 PM.png

We were excited to get on the water. My husband and I were the least experienced boaters in the group. Sure, we had canoed & kayaked a few times here and there, but we had never really dealt with river currents before. We purposely chose this time of year rather than spring, knowing it would be less challenging than high, swift spring run-off. I don't think it would have been good for us to go without others; we definitely benefitted from our friends' guidance and instruction.

From our first day on the river to the end of our trip, we never saw a single cloud. It was HOT, but it was easy to cool off in the water and I'm glad we didn't have to contend with rain or cold. We fully expected headwinds coming up the river, but we didn't even have that. Very calm, peaceful days and nights. Beautiful scenery. I took a zillion reflection shots and other photos. Here are a couple from Day 1.

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.54.40 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.55.26 PM.png

Truck up on the White Rim Road
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.55.46 PM.png

Our first night's camp was at Fort Bottom.
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.01.14 PM.png

Putting in to shore was our first experience with something we would experience a lot - quicksandy-mud whenever we needed to stop. My shoes kept getting stuck, especially on Day 2 when I got stuck over and over again. :( I eventually decided to let other people be the ones to unload the boats and I would carry everything up to camp. I think I'm a land girl more than a river girl...

Anyway, after setting up camp at Fort Bottom, we cooled off in the water for awhile. Then a few of us hiked up to the top to see the ancient structure. We loved the scenery as we were heading up and the fabulous views from the top, made especially beautiful by the setting sun.
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.56.33 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.58.39 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.58.14 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 9.57.58 PM.png

On the way back, we checked out Walker cabin from ~1890s.
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.00.31 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.00.07 PM.png

The night skies were incredible. Because of our trip dates, we had no moon and saw a lot more than we've sometimes seen. With sunset around 7:00, we were already seeing the Milky Way before 8:00. Since there were zero clouds, we slept without our rain fly and I had a great view of the sky from inside the tent. Here are Jupiter, Orion, and so many other fun things to look at as I tossed and turned each night.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.51.57 PM.png

Here's our groover, still nice and fresh... :)
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.01.00 PM.png

On Day 2, we successfully navigated Millard's Riffles (hooray for planning ahead!) and had hoped to explore Anderson Bottom a bit (Native American remains plus slot canyon) but other boats filled up a spot to get up and we couldn't get across the quicksandy-mud at another spot. We finally gave up on that goal. We had hoped to camp at Upper Cabin camp, but people were there who clearly didn't want to share the area with us, and Lower Cabin was full with multiple groups. So we ended up making do with a beach of sorts at Tuxedo Bottom. No hiking this day and I had gotten stuck in the mud too much. My least favorite day. BUT, the scenery along the river was gorgeous, so I couldn't really complain too much!
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.53.23 PM.png

Buttes of the Cross
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.03.18 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.54.02 PM.png

Same rock but viewed from downstream
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.04.41 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.54.50 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.55.24 PM.png

Late afternoon sun made it hard to see this well. The two-story structure built into the cliff was certainly impressive!
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.06.33 PM.png

Great views from camp
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.07.22 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.07.50 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.56.38 PM.png

Morning of Day 3
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.57.50 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.58.16 PM.png

We paddled just a little bit from camp to a spot where we could get up to Turk's Head. This was more challenging than expected, as we tried a few different places (including from camp) to get through the tamarisk lining the river bank. Finally we found a spot that worked. We enjoyed the granaries, and I would have liked to explore further up there, but others in the group were hot and wanted to get back on the river. Compromise is key!
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.09.38 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.10.25 PM.png

Lots of flowering datura
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.59.22 PM.png

I will always stop for flowers
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 5.59.38 PM.png

Turks Head and Candlestick Tower
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.11.52 PM.png

We got back on the river and decided to camp at Deadhorse Canyon, only a few miles downstream. We had realized the previous evening that campsites aren't always available, especially if you arrive late in the day. We had wanted to see Newspaper Rock but hadn't been able to see it the previous day, so we claimed our camp at Deadhorse and then hiked back to see the petroglyphs. The hike was fun (a little spicy for a few in our group) and the art was fantastic!

Rocks along the river - always so interesting
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.11.31 PM.png

Where we camped at Deadhorse
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.16.48 PM.png

On our hike up the canyon toward Newspaper Rock
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.18.22 PM.png

Newspaper Rock
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.01.27 PM.png

Heading back to camp
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.19.08 PM.png

We loved these tiny cacti that must have just recently poked through the ground.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.02.06 PM.png

I love southern Utah, at a distance and up close...
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.19.50 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.19.28 PM.png

The mud was fun to crunch through when it was dried.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.02.26 PM.png

Because there were no clouds, the shows at sunset and sunrise were always rocks rather than colors in the sky.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.02.49 PM.png
A few minutes later
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.02.58 PM.png

A few minutes later
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.03.09 PM.png

Our boats at Deadhorse - soooo muddy there (and everywhere)
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.20.22 PM.png

On Day 4, I was hoping we'd be able to hike from Stove Camp all the way to the confluence overlook. But the group wasn't rushing and we by the time we made camp on the opposite side of the river (a large group was on the desired side - they were nice and said we could try to find space there, but our groups were both too big) and ferried across we only had time to hike to the top and come back down. I was a tiny bit disappointed, but we had some great experiences earlier that day - we watched a heron catch a huge fish and fly wiith it, and we spotted a group of bighorn sheep high on the cliffs and watched that for awhile. Plus the scenery was so beautiful.

Quite a diving board up there! And it had swallow nests that we could see as we went under.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.04.26 PM.png
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.20.46 PM.png

Lots of heron sightings, including one time when there was an enormous swarm of gnats.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.03.35 PM.pngScreen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.22.16 PM.png

On these hot days, we took advantage of shady spots along the water.
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.21.03 PM.png
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.21.43 PM.png
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.21.19 PM.png

Bighorn sheep up on the cliff (zoomed in)
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.05.48 PM.png

Along the hike up from Stove Canyon - looking upstream and across to the beach where we later set up camp
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.23.25 PM.png
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.23.07 PM.png

On the hike to the top
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.23.41 PM.png

and back down
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.06.15 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.06.31 PM.png

On Day 5, our final day paddling on the river, we really wanted to get a campsite at Upper Spanish Bottom so we could hike up to the Dollhouse. We knew that Middle and Lower Spanish Bottom were very hard to access, and luck was with us as we got to the registration and saw that there was space at Upper. Hooray! More beautiful scenery along the way, and we were excited to see the confluence with the Colorado.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.06.46 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.06.59 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.24.38 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.16.17 PM.png

I couldn't get a good photo of the confluence. We knew to stop here after passing the confluence.
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.25.02 PM.png

Approaching Spanish Bottom - excited to see the Dollhouse up above
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.25.17 PM.png

I had originally hoped to hike well beyond the Dollhouse, but it wasn't meant to be. We didn't finish staking out our camp until 2:00, so when we headed up I hoped we'd be able to see the granary as well as the Dollhouse. We did! You can only get to the Dollhouse from the river or from a very slow 4x4 road. We talked to someone who was camping up there who said it took 8 hours to drive 40 miles from Hans Flat. Arriving by river was definitely the right approach for us - and so worth it - fabulous rocks up there!
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.26.39 PM.png

Such a funny character!
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.07.40 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.26.59 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.27.30 PM.png

Oh well, not this time - hopefully another time...
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.27.53 PM.png

Pretty similar to the mural in Moab's 98 Center restaurant. :)
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.08.11 PM.png

Fun joints
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.09.54 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.28.30 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.28.50 PM.png

Phenomenal scenery on the way to the granary. I took videos but should have taken a pano.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.10.44 PM.pngScreen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.29.31 PM.png
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.29.51 PM.png
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.30.15 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.11.02 PM.png

Pretty but very pokey
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.08.30 PM.png

Heading back down - sad to leave
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.11.22 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.30.35 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.31.26 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.12.31 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.30.58 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.31.56 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.13.04 PM.png

Our final day - we were ready for Tex's to load our stuff (we couldn't believe this guy could load all the boats so effortlessly) and take us back to Moab. The jet boat ride up the Colorado was fun and beautiful!
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.13.59 PM.png

We were fascinated by the bright white ribbon we saw on the lower Green and the corresponding part along the Colorado.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.14.12 PM.png

So fun to see Dead Horse Point (top of the cliff in the middle) after having been there a week earlier.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.14.28 PM.png

Thelma & Louise point is right up there.
Screen Shot 2024-10-12 at 10.32.51 PM.png

The end. Sad to leave and return to real life at home.
Screen Shot 2024-10-10 at 6.14.43 PM.png
 
Thanks for taking the time to post that superb Trip Report, Janice ... your photos are great ... hopefully the final remnants of river mud are now washed out of your gear :)
 
A trip that has been on the list for a long time, but we never get around to it. :thumbsup::thumbsup:!
 
Thanks for taking the time to post that superb Trip Report, Janice ... your photos are great ... hopefully the final remnants of river mud are now washed out of your gear :)
No kidding about the mud - it is like glue! Regular rinsing doesn't help; this stuff needs to be scrubbed off!
 
Beautiful shots.
We put in for Labyrinth on the 26th.
Like you said, it was hot, with no wind, but perfect glass all day.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top