Ginormous canyon complex north of Green River, UT?

Thank you, 4runnerguy. It sounds like you know the area well. It also sounds like there may be some wonderful, unexpected places to discover back on there.

Most of the Tavaputs Plateau and Book Cliffs in that area are difficult to get into and remote. Desolation and Gray Cyns are accessed by river. Nine Mile is famous and easy to drive through and see, most do it from the Price end.

I've flown over and explored some of that country and believe me, it's canyon after canyon with knife-ridged tops. There's a reason it's not well-known. Get Redtail Aviation out of Price/Moab to take you flightseeing, it's cool country.

Naio wrote:
Does it have a name? And why had I never heard of it, even when I was camping around Green River?

Of course the cliffs immediately north of Green River are the Book and Road Cliffs. Behind them the Green River cuts through and forms the East and West Tavaputs Plateaus.

Naio wrote:
I just found it on google maps, last winter, looking at the terrain view. It is huge! Why isn't it famous like the GC?

It is a large area, but even the Green River Canyon is mostly around 1000' =/- deep here. Not nearly as many spectacular cliffs as other places. The Mesa Verde Formation mostly erodes into soft steps. And while there are some reds and desert varnish, many of the rocks here and tans and browns. There are thousands of square miles of Mesa Verde canyons in CO and UT, so may not seem so spectacular. Have you taken CO 139 from Rangely to Loma? Similar topography and there are petroglyphs along that road also. However, it would be fun to do a Green River trip through the canyon. One can take day long guided trips on the Yampa coming out near Dinosaur NM that might be more scenic.

Naio wrote:
Is that 'cause it's mostly Indian land? And some BLM... which looks fascinating. Their website for Nine Mile Canyon pictographs, for example.

The Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation is on the east side of the Green River in places. Some of the more interesting terrain (say up in the aspen around Wagon Road Ridge 39.221425, -109.770707) is on the reservation.

Nine Mile Canyon is an interesting visit. We went in from the Vernal side. We got a brochure (like this one) from the Utah Visitors Center in Jensen. You can also print out this guide and this guide and this guide with some pictures.

Naio wrote:
I figure if anyone knows this stuff, it's RVnetters :B

Nine Mile Canyon is the only part of the immediate area around the Green River where we've spent any time.

agesilaus wrote:
Desolation Canyon is just the Green River section

The Green River extends well beyond Desolation Canyon.

Desolation Canyon is just the Green River section

Google maps shows roads along many of the canyon floors, and some of the ridgelines.

Do y'all think Desolation Canyon refers to the whole area, or just the Green River part? The Green goes roughly north-south, and crosses an even bigger (wider and longer) east-west canyon, which seems to be mainly the Range and Florence creeks.


Googling Desolation Canyon seems to pretty much just bring up rafting info, except for agesilaus' excellent 4x4 find.

KRumm wrote:
It looks like BLM land and it is a reservation of the UteTribe... A 7 day Ute Tribal Permit can be purchased here: http://www.uitfwd.com/Doc/desolationCanyonPermit.html

Anyone know of any good boon docking or camping sites along the river canyon?

There is at least one company doing rafting trips on the canyon:

LINK

And someone wrote a book about a rafting trip on it:

Book

KRumm wrote:
Anyone know of any good boon docking or camping sites along the river canyon?

Tons. But you will need to either boat or backpack in.

Thanks, folks!

It looks like BLM land and it is a reservation of the UteTribe... A 7 day Ute Tribal Permit can be purchased here: http://www.uitfwd.com/Doc/desolationCanyonPermit.html

Anyone know of any good boon docking or camping sites along the river canyon?