Flowing through BLM's Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, the Gunnison River between the towns of Delta and Grand Junction offers a very scenic and gentle float. The river flows through beautiful slick rock canyon country interspersed with small ranches and fruit orchards. Cottonwood stands in the area hold Great Blue Heron rookeries and the area is an April breeding ground for Canada Geese. Canoe, kayak, and raft floats can be made in one day or longer overnight trips.

Trip Lengths

• Delta to Whitewater - 39 miles (2 days)
• Escalante Canyon to Whitewater - 28.7 miles (1 - 2 days)
• Escalante Canyon to Dominguez Canyon - 13.2 miles (1 day)
• Dominguez Canyon to Whitewater - 14 Miles (1 Day)
• Whitewater to Grand Junction - 13.5 Miles (1 Day)

Season

• May to early October

Average Gradient

• 7.3 feet per mile, 375 foot total drop.

Difficulty

• Class I-II, including a small diversion between Escalante and Dominguez Canyons. Run on left.

Land Ownership

• half private, half public administered by the Montrose and Grand Junction BLM.

Access

• Confluence Park in Delta - Turn west off Highway 50 near City Market in Delta.
• Escalante Bridge - On County Rd. 1250 approximately 15 miles northwest of Delta. Turn West off Highway 50 at Escalante Canyon Rest Area and proceed approximately 3 miles on gravel road to put in on right.
• Dominguez Canyon (At Bridgeport) - Turn West off Highway 50 onto Bridgeport road approximately 12 miles south of town of Whitewater (look for a cattle guard approx. 1 mile north of the Mesa/Montrose County Line sign). Please do not park or trespass within the railroad right-of-way at the river.
• Whitewater - The public take-out is reached by taking Hwy. 141 west off of Hwy. 50. Turn at the first left onto Desert Rd.
• Redlands Dam - Just south of the Colorado River in Grand Junction turn south on 261/4 rd. Proceed through the cemetery; turn right on B3/4 Rd. then left on 263/8 Rd. The Boat take-out is just upstream of Redlands Dam.

Maps

Use the Delta, Roubideau, Point Creek, Dominguez, Triangle Mesa and Whitewater USGS topographic quad maps for specific details. 

Click HERE for a brochure and map of the Domingues Canyon Wilderness Study Area, including the Lower Gunnison River from Escalante to Bridgeport.

The Delta Surface Management map can be obtained from the following BLM offices:

River flow information

• Colorado Water Talk 303.831.7135 (Division 4, Station 7)
• On the Web at  Upper Colorado River Basin, Gunnison River at Delta

Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area

The stretch of river between the Escalante put-in until several miles below the Dominguez canyon take-out runs along the eastern boundary of the 66,000 acre Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area. The wilderness offers excellent opportunities for hiking. Motorized and mechanical vehicles and equipment are prohibited within the wilderness. Help us protect the natural beauty found here by leaving no trace of your visit. Avoid walking on biological soil crusts, often called "cryptobiotic" soils.  These special crusts, which often appear crinkly and dark gray, serve important ecological functions in our arid lands. Don't bust the crust.  More information about wilderness and this area is found in a separate brochure available at the Montrose and Grand Junction BLM offices.

Please make sure that you stay on public lands when hiking and camping. Respect the rights of private property owners.

Boating Regulations

 All boaters must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved "whitewater" life jacket. Canoes and rafts must carry a repair kit, a spare paddle or oar, a spare lifejacket, and an adequate first-aid kit.

Low Impact Camping Guidelines and Regulations

 In addition to following the regulations, the BLM encourages ALL visitors to further minimize their impact by practicing the following "Leave No Trace" user ethics

• Please camp in designated sites only (see map).
• Avoid trampling vegetation or creating new tent sites or trails at existing camps.
• There are no toilet or trash facilities along the river or at the put-ins/take-outs. Please pack out ALL your trash (and a little extra)!
• Save our Cottonwoods. Please use a camp stove whenever possible. Fires are limited to driftwood and charcoal fires ONLY. Fire pans are required. Ashes must be packed out.
• Keep kitchen areas clean by using floors or tarps. Wash dishes and bathe 150 ft. Away from water sources. Use biodegradable soap sparingly and not in springs and side streams. Strain dishwater and pack out residue. Dispose of dishwater in the main current of the river.
• Leave natural objects and cultural artifacts where you find them. It is illegal to remove artifacts.
• Avoid disturbing wildlife and other visitors.

Please sign-in at the Escalante register box so that emergency location is easier, and the BLM has data for adequate funding.

Human Sanitation

• Day Use Boaters - Bury waste 6" inches deep using the "cathole" method 150 ft. From water sources. Pack out toilet paper and sanitary items in a plastic bag. Urinate in the river to reduce smells and fly problems.
• Overnight Boaters - Washable, reusable toilet systems are required for all overnight boating groups including kayakers and canoeists. Urinate in the river to reduce smells and fly problems.
• Dump Station - The KOA in Clifton is the closest dump station.

River Courtesy

• Leave plenty of room for others using the put-ins and take-outs by consolidating your gear and moving the vehicles off the launch sites as quickly as possible.
• When traveling in a small group, pick small campsites and leave larger sites for larger groups.
• Motorized craft should slow and yield plenty of room to non-motorized craft.
• Respect others desire for solitude.

Wildlife

The Gunnison River is a unique thread of life through these desert canyons, providing habitat for many threatened and endangered species. Eagles nest in the cottonwoods. Brought back from the edge of extinction, Peregrine Falcons soar along the cliffs in Dominguez canyon where you might also see some of the reintroduced desert bighorn sheep.

Nesting birds may abandon areas if they feel threatened by human activity. Please view them and wildlife quietly and from a distance.

Commercial Outfitters and Shuttle Services