Trip Guides

Launch Marguerite to mile 70 (yakpack)

SA Report: More things in heaven and earth - Day Two

Trip date: 9/2/2016

Location: Labyrinth Canyon, Bureau of Land Management

Launch: Ruby Ranch - private, donation required - $5 per person, $10 per boat

Land: Mineral Bottom (47 miles downriver) - Arrangement must be made either to have a shuttle service (there are quite a few operating out of Moab) pick you (and your boats if necessary) up here at the end of the trip, or to leave your own vehicle. Outfitter offer all sorts of options, the obvious of which is to have them drop you off at the launch, and pick you back up at the landing. It's a 39.5 mile trip back to Moab from the take-out, and traveling the precipitous, narrow, rough road is going to take over an hour.

Permit/Pass: Permits must be obtained through your outfitter (or here, from the BLM) in order to paddle this section of the Green River.

Inspections: All vessels, including kayaks, entering Utah on Interstate 15 must go through inspection for quagga mussels.

Directions: From the town of Moab, take US 191 north for about 30 miles to Interstate 70. Head west on I-70 for approximately 7 miles to exit 175. Drive south on increasingly rough and rutted BLM 147 for about 14 miles to where it turns into Ruby Ranch Road. Continue, after dropping money into the donation box, for another mile or so to the launch area on the riverbank. 

Synopsis: A beautiful, peaceful and short paddle (depending upon conditions, of course) to a great camping spot - at least during low water. This sandbar sits in a spectacular location, looking downriver at the beginning of Bowknot Bend, the monoliths on either side of the Saddle at Bowknot Bend, and the huge, red cliffs flanking the river both up and down. The canyon is also wide enough at this location to allow great vision of the starry sky. Highly recommended spot.

Portage: None along this stretch (river was at fairly low water). 

Type: Point to point

Distance: 4.2 miles

Rating: Easy (factors: heat, water level and flow)

Notes: We were unsuccessful in our first attempt to locate the trail up to the Saddle at Bowknot Bend. Learn from our experience - the actual landing is downriver, just past the Saddle itself. It can be seen from some distance as a rocky, open spot uncovered by brush. At this place, you climb up and find the obvious foot-trail, which heads back upriver for a short distance before coming to a junction with the Saddle trail itself heading off to the left.

Track: Launch Marguerite to mile 70 - Canyonlands NP: AllTrails, GaiaGPS

Navigation:

  -- This is a short paddle, and requires merely floating from the sandbar at Launch Marguerite around a small bend and then paddling to the sandbar at mile 70. Our track adds about a mile of distance due to us continuing past the sandbar in order to scout out possible locations for landing and locating the trailhead for the hike up to the Saddle. We searched for a while, in the hope of hiking up for a sunset view, but could not satisfy ourselves that we'd found the correct location. Finally we decided to paddle back to our campsite and try again in the morning.

         
Campsite: Backcountry primitive        
         
  • We made camp on an isolated sandbar deposited at about mile 70, a short distance upriver from the beginning of Bowknot Bend. We found this spot to be practical, comfortable and beautiful. We avoided mud problems with launching, landing and personal relief, and had spectacular views up, down and on both sides of the river. It must be said, though, that we had complete privacy. If we had to deal with other campers, this spot would have been less hospitable.
  • This is an excellent campsite if you plan to hike to the Saddle the next day or even the evening you arrive. The landing for that trail is a quick, easy paddle about a half-mile downriver
  • There is no water source. You must pack in all you're going to need.
  • Fires are allowed only in fire pans (you must pack these in).
  • Remember to leave no trace of your presence here (except footprints). 
 

Photos: Flickr

Video: Youtube