RRFW Riverwire – Colorado River COVID-19 Update
April 20, 2020
The following is a list of closures and restrictions on the major river sections of the Colorado River basin.
Grand Canyon National Park is closed and all river trips on the Colorado River in the park including do-it-yourself and concessionaire trips are suspended until at least May 21, 2020. Grand Canyon National Park has yet to announce if they will open the river May 21, 2020. The Park is following the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on when the closure may be lifted.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is closed. The Recreation Area is following CDC guidelines on when the closure may be lifted.
The San Juan River is closed until such time as conditions allow for safe use.
Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands National Park including Stillwater, Meander and Cataract Canyons is closed to all river traffic. The Park is following CDC guidelines on when the closure may be lifted.
The Moab Daily on the Colorado River from Whites Rapid downstream to the Boundary of Canyonlands National Park is restricted to primary residents of Grand County only until May 4, 2020, at least.
Labyrinth Canyon is restricted to primary residents only, with Emery County residents allowed to camp on river right and Grand County residents allowed to camp on river left, at least until May 4, 2020.
Westwater Canyon is closed until further notice. Permits are being refunded through Rec.Gov
Ruby Horsethief is still open to groups of ten or less, but Colorado Parks and Wildlife urges the public to only go boating in your local area, and to only go boating with the people who are currently living with you. Do not invite your friends or extended family to join in during this time of social distancing.
Desolation Gray Canyon is restricted to primary residents only, with Emery County residents allowed to camp on river right. There is no camping on river left on Ute Nation land. This will be in effect until May 4, 2020 at least.
Per the Southeast Utah Health Department Order SEUD 2020-02, these restrictions will be in place on the above rivers in Emery, Carbon and Grand counties until at least May 4th. See the Southeast Utah Health Department website (https://www.seuhealth.com/) for information on what will happen May 4, 2020 on these river sections.
Dinosaur National Monument river trips in Lodore, the Yampa, Whirlpool and Split Mountain canyons are cancelled until further notice with no date considered to reevaluate the closure. The Monument is following CDC guidelines on when the closure may be lifted.
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Join RRFW's many Facebook discussion groups to stay abreast of and participate in the latest river issues.
The Colorado Basin group is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/GCRRaftersPaddlersSupsSwimmers/
The Upper basin group is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/utahrafters/
The Grand Canyon group is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/raftgc/
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Join RRFW's Yahoogroup discussion group to stay abreast of and participate in the latest river issues. It's as easy as sending a blank e-mail to
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Check out RRFW's Rafting Grand Canyon Wiki for free information on how to organize a Do-It-Yourself Grand Canyon rafting trip at https://rrfw.org/RaftingGrandCanyon/Main_Page
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