Of all the places on the Green River that have their own character, Stillwater Canyon is the one that remains in the back of my mind as a measure of the meaning of the river...the peace of the river.
                Run, River, Run - Ann Zwinger

Below Labyrinth Canyon, the river continues its journey into the heart of red rock country in Stillwater Canyon. There is little road access to the river in this section - because of this it feels more like a true wilderness than almost any other stretch of river in the region. From your initial introduction to the river at Mineral Bottom, you are surrounded by high, wide canyon walls of sandstone and shale, stepped in tiers away from the river channel. Swooping lines etched into the sandstone walls tell of wind blowing ancient dunes across an unfamiliar landscape, the shales formed in ancient streams that flowed where dinosaurs walked. The river here meanders slowly past lush bottom-lands filled with tamarisk and deep green cottonwoods. These areas are rich in bird and other animal life, including mule deer, coyote and the occasional herd of desert bighorn sheep. This stretch of river is one to take slowly - the lazy pace and peaceful water don't encourage haste. Instead, there is an extraordinary array of hiking, photography, floating and just watching to be done. River runners often spend time hiking the trail from Upheaval Bottom to Upheaval Dome, a geologic feature of unusual and controversial origin. Fort Bottom and Turk's Head are two of the more prominent ancient pueblo Indian ruins, but if you are sharp-eyed on your float downstream, you will spot other ruins tucked into protected nooks high in the sandstone walls. You'll pass the Buttes of the Cross, named by Powell on his journey through the canyon 130 years ago. With the variety of things to do and see in this stretch of river, river runners often plan one or more lay-over days to hike or just relax.

As the river carves ever deeper, below rocks from the Age of Dinosaurs and down into sediments laid down in an ancient seaway, the scenery slowly changes. The river forms a narrow and deep limestone gorge; her side canyons enter in sinuous and mysterious paths from the plateau lands above. Here is the place to look for fossils from the ancient ocean, and to imagine the world above you. One last corner and suddenly you are at the confluence of the two greatest rivers in the southwest. The rim and the intricate, exhilarating diversity of Canyonlands National Park lie 1,200 feet above you.

River runners begin their 52-mile Stillwater Canyon journey at Mineral Bottom. Only five miles downstream, the river enters Canyonlands National Park and you will need a $10.00 backcountry permit for your time spent within the park.

Canyonlands National Park 435-295-4711
To return to Moab, you need to charter a jet boat back to Moab.
Tex's Riverways 435-295-5101
Tag-A-Long Expeditions 435-259-8946
The jet boat will meet you at or just below the Confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers. From there you will travel back up the Colorado River to the Potash boat ramp, then transported by bus back to Moab.

We recommend that you take at least 4 days to complete this stretch of canyon - longer if you want to explore areas away from the river. For those who want to take a longer trip, we recommend combining this stretch with Labyrinth Canyon above - you will be able to experience 120 miles of the most beautiful wilderness flat water paddling available in the continental United States.

Red River Canoe Company is delighted to call this land home, and we invite you to come explore our backyard. We offer single and multi-day guided canoe excursions into this landscape, while outfitting you to discover your own landscapes.

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Red River Canoe Company
1371 North Highway 191
Moab, Utah 84532
800-753-8216
redriver@redrivercanoe.com

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