ELEVATION: 4400' (Loma boat launch) LOCATION: 12 miles west of Grand Junction LENGTH OF TRIP: 25 miles (Loma, CO to Westwater, UT) CLASS: I & II PERMIT: None required at this time APPROXIMATE TIME TO COMPLETE: 8 - 15 hours, depending on water levels and winds SHUTTLE TIME: 1.5 - 2 hours. Shuttle services are available from local vendors. SEASON: May - October FACILITIES: Toilets at Loma boat launch. Toilets, tables and camping available at Westwater Ranger Station, UT. DRINKING WATER: None. Plan to pack in 1 gallon per person, per day. CAMPING IN THE LOCAL AREA: No camping allowed at the Loma Boat launch or the upper parking lot. The BLM lands north of the Colorado River, between the town of Loma and Mack Ridge are also closed to camping. The closest camping available is at the Colorado River State Park (fee) just to the south of the town of Fruita or, to the north of the town of Loma is Highline State Park (fee). The closest BLM lands open to camping would be the Rabbit Valley approximately 14 miles west of the Loma boat launch, approximately a 15 minutes drive heading west on I-70. CAMPING ALONG THE RIVER: Fire pans are required for cooking. Use preexisting camp sites, stay in areas that have already been impacted, do not create any new disturbances. Pack out what you pack in. DIRECTIONS TO LOMA BOAT LAUNCH: From Grand Junction, take I-70 west to the Loma Exit (Exit #15). Cross over the interstate heading south and turn left on gravel road. Follow the road around the corner, parking area will be off to your left and the launch site is just down the hill. DIRECTIONS TO WESTWATER RANGER STATION: From Grand Junction take I-70 west, 4.5 miles inside the Utah border, take the Westwater exit, at the off ramp go left (south) for 9 miles to the Westwater Ranger Station. Shuttle services are available from local vendors. STREAMFLOW: Along this section of river you will encounter Class I and II rapids. It is recommended you check the streamflow data when planning your trip, especially during spring runoff which can vary greatly from year to year. CAUTION: We do not recommend floating the river in any type of watercraft, when the streamflow is over 30,000cfs (cubic feet per second). During spring runoff the river becomes muddy, with lots of debris. Canoes are not recommended until streamflow is below 20,000cfs and should only be attempted by highly experienced canoeists. Other canoeists should not attempt this section of the river until streamflow is below 10,000cfs. Family raft trips, specifically with small children, are best done when the river flows are down to 5,000cfs or lower. Motorized watercraft is allowed within the Colorado state boundaries. Upstream motorized travel is prohibited in the state of Utah. The Colorado-Utah border is approximately 20.5 miles down river from the Loma boat launch. ATTRACTIONS: Your trip through Ruby/Horsethief Canyons begins at Loma, Colorado and ends at Westwater, Utah. This stretch of the river runs along the northern boundary of the 75,550 acre Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness. Your trip will include beautiful red rock canyons, 1.5 billion year-old uplifted metamorphic rock known as the "Black Rocks", and an abundance of wildlife to include bald eagles, peregrine falcons and if you're lucky you might catch sight of the reintroduced desert bighorn sheep. Day hikes into one of the many side canyons provides opportunity for solitude and exploration. NOTE: The railroad runs parallel to the river for much of the trip. Trains often sound their horns, day and night. WESTWATER PERMITS: To float below Westwater a permit is required. Permits may be obtained from Moab, Utah BLM office, (435) 259-7012 between the hours of 8:00am - noon, Monday - Friday. REMINDER: Port-a-potties are required on all overnight trips. Firepans must be used for all campfires. Gas or propane stoves are strongly encouraged for camp cooking. Please be extra careful with fire in this area. Many fires have been started by careless visitors which have killed dozens of mature cottonwood trees. Use of firepans may be banned during high fire danger seasons.
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