Yampa River
🏞 National Park
Routt / Moffat Co. · 250 mi · Class I–IV
1,060CFS/ 3.21 ft
Optimal→Stable
Water temp: 56°F
Optimal: 1000–6000 CFS · USGS #09251000
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USGS Gauge
Dinosaur National Monument (lower canyon) · Undammed free-flowing
The last major free-flowing (undammed) river in the Colorado system. Flows through Steamboat Springs into Dinosaur National Monument, where it joins the Green River in one of the most spectacular remote canyons in the American West.
Trip sections
Steamboat Springs — Class II, urban float
Deerlodge to Echo Park — Class I–IV, Dinosaur NM, 3–5 days
Echo Park to Split Mountain — Class IV, Green River junction
Permit Required
⚠This river requires a permit for overnight trips
Dinosaur NM River Permit — Yampa
Managed by: National Park Service — Dinosaur National Monument
Type: Lottery
Required for: Overnight trips
Application Window
Opens: December 1
Closes: January 31
Results announced: Early February
Season & Logistics
May 1 – July 10
Group size: 1–25 people
Snowmelt-driven; the Yampa typically runs May through early July and is often unrunnable in low-snowpack years. The NPS administers a single annual lottery covering both Yampa and Lodore Canyon launches. Yampa is the more competitive of the two because of the short season. Cost is a per-person/per-night fee — current schedule on the NPS site.
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Commercial trips available
Multiple licensed outfitters run 4–5 day Yampa trips during the spring window. See outfitters below.
Last verified: 2025 · Permit rules change annually — always confirm with the managing agency before applying.
Outfitters
Adrift Adventures
Dinosaur NM multi-day Yampa trips
OARS
Premium Yampa/Dinosaur expeditions
72-Hour Flow Forecast
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10-Year Flow Patterns
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Data Quality
River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and trip sections may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level. If you spot an error, use the Improve This River button at the top of the page — your local knowledge is what makes this atlas accurate.