Labyrinth Canyon rafting: 45 miles without a rapid.
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The short answer
Labyrinth Canyon has no rapids, and that is the point. Four to six days of Class I flatwater on the Green River through a deep meandering sandstone canyon, with long quiet days, huge sandbar camps and a night sky the Park Service rates among the darkest anywhere it manages. Most outfitters take children from around 5.
Book it if you want wilderness and silence. If you want the same length of trip with whitewater in it, take Desolation Canyon instead.
- Difficulty
- Class I, flatwater
- Duration
- 4 to 6 days
- Distance
- 45 miles from Ruby Ranch
- Minimum age
- Often 5
- Season
- March to October
- Typical price
- $1,100 to $1,600
Labyrinth at a glance.
| Difficulty | Class I. Flatwater with current. No rapids anywhere on the run |
|---|---|
| Duration | Typically 4 to 6 days. The BLM asks private boaters to allow three to four days as a bare minimum, and guided trips run longer so there is time to hike |
| Distance | 45 river miles from Ruby Ranch to Mineral Bottom, or 68 from the town of Green River |
| Where | Green River town or Ruby Ranch down to Mineral Bottom, above the confluence with the Colorado |
| Minimum age | Often 5, among the lowest of any multi day river trip in Utah |
| Craft | Rafts, canoes or inflatable kayaks depending on the outfitter and the group |
| Season | Roughly March through October, the longest window of any multi day trip here |
| Typical price | $1,100 to $1,600 per person. Outfitters set their own rates and adjust them seasonally, so confirm the current price when you book |
| Included | Guides, boats and safety gear, every meal, camping equipment, permits and shuttle |
| Permit | A free Bureau of Land Management permit with no quota. Continuing below Mineral Bottom into Canyonlands needs a separate National Park Service permit |
| Not ideal for | Anyone who needs stimulation, or who will be bored without whitewater |
A river that doubles back on itself.
Powell named this canyon in 1869 for the way the Green River winds through it, folding back on its own course again and again as it cuts down through the sandstone. The most striking example is Bowknot Bend, where the river travels about seven and a half miles around a loop and returns to a point roughly 1,200 feet from where it began, separated only by a narrow saddle of rock. Walk up the saddle and the river is below you on both sides.
The walls are Wingate and Navajo sandstone, roughly a thousand feet from water to rim and often sheer, and because the river moves slowly you spend a long time inside each bend watching the light move across the rock. This is the trip people describe afterwards in terms of quiet rather than in terms of events.
There is human history along the way too. Denis Julien, a French trapper, carved his name and the date into the canyon wall in 1836, and his inscriptions are among the oldest European marks in this part of Utah.
Why no rapids is a feature
On a whitewater trip the river sets the schedule and the rapids dominate the day. Here nothing does. You drift, you paddle when you feel like it, you pull over whenever a side canyon looks interesting. Groups often go long stretches without talking, which is not awkward so much as the reason people come.
It also means the trip works for a much wider group. Grandparents, five year olds and people who are genuinely afraid of whitewater can all do this comfortably, which is rarely true of a six day river trip. If you are weighing it up for a family, our guide to rafting with children covers the practical side.
The night sky
This stretch of the Green sits far from any significant light source, and the canyon walls block what little there is. Mineral Bottom, where most trips take out, sits on the edge of Canyonlands National Park, which the International Dark-Sky Association certified as a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park in 2015 — its highest rating, and one it gives for “the darkest of dark skies.” The Milky Way is the main event. If astronomy is any part of the appeal, ask your outfitter to time the trip around the new moon.
Slow, and deliberately so.
The rhythm
Late starts are normal, because there is no rush. Three to five hours of drifting broken by hikes into side canyons, then camp by early afternoon with hours of daylight left for swimming, reading and doing nothing.
What you paddle
Some outfitters run oar rafts where guides do the work. Others offer canoes or inflatable kayaks so you can paddle yourself, which many people prefer on flatwater. Ask which is on offer, since it changes the trip considerably.
Camp
Large sandbar beaches, tents you pitch yourself, a portable toilet system carried in and out, and no showers. Meals are cooked on the beach. The camps on this stretch are among the most spacious on any Utah river.
Heat
July and August get genuinely hot with little shade on the water. Spring and autumn are more comfortable and the light is better, which is why our seasonal guide points most people there.
Labyrinth versus the other multi day trips.
| Comparison | Labyrinth | Desolation | San Juan | Cataract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | I, flatwater | II to III | I to III | IV to V |
| Days | 4 to 6 | 5 to 6 | 2 to 5 | 1 to 5 |
| Minimum age | Often 5 | Often 8 | Often 5 to 8 | 12 to 15 |
| Season | March to October | May to September | April to October | May to September |
| The draw | Silence and night skies | Rapids, hiking and history | Cliff dwellings and rock art | The biggest water in Utah |
| Physical demand | Lowest of any multi day trip | Moderate | Low to moderate | High |
| Read more | You are here | Desolation | San Juan | Cataract |
Prices sit at the lower end of the multi day range because there is no whitewater logistics overhead. Our cost breakdown shows where the money goes on a trip of this length.
Who floats Labyrinth.
Book it if
You want wilderness without whitewater. You are travelling with a mixed age group and need something everyone can do. Photography or stargazing is part of the appeal. Or you are frankly exhausted and want a week where nothing is required of you.
Skip it if
You want rapids. There are none, and people who book expecting some leave disappointed. Desolation is the same kind of trip with whitewater in it, and Cataract is the opposite end entirely.
Related trips
Labyrinth Canyon FAQs.
Are there really no rapids in Labyrinth Canyon?
None. The BLM describes the whole run as an easy flatwater stretch suitable for canoes, kayaks and rafts of all types, which is why it works for young children, older travellers and anyone genuinely nervous about whitewater. If that sounds dull, it is the wrong trip and Desolation Canyon is the right one.
How long is Labyrinth Canyon?
Forty five river miles from Ruby Ranch to the Mineral Bottom boat ramp, or 68 miles if you launch at the town of Green River. Guided trips normally run the 45 mile version over four to six days, which leaves time to hike side canyons rather than paddle all day.
Can you canoe Labyrinth Canyon instead of rafting?
Yes, and many people do. Some outfitters run this as a canoe or inflatable kayak trip rather than an oar raft trip, which suits flatwater well and gives you something to do. Ask which craft your operator uses, because paddling yourself for five days is a different experience from being rowed.
What is Bowknot Bend?
A meander where the Green River travels about seven and a half miles around a loop and comes back to within roughly 1,200 feet of itself, separated by a narrow saddle. Powell named it in 1869. You can walk up the saddle and look down at the river on both sides, and it is usually a scheduled stop.
How young can children be?
Many outfitters take children from around 5 on this stretch, which is lower than almost any other multi day river trip in Utah. The absence of rapids is the reason. Confirm with your specific operator, and be realistic about whether a small child will manage five nights of camping.
When is the best time to go?
Spring and autumn. April, May, September and October give comfortable temperatures and the best light on the canyon walls. July and August are hot with very little shade on the water, and while the trip still runs, it is noticeably less pleasant. Time it around the new moon if the night sky matters to you.
Do I need a permit for Labyrinth Canyon?
Not if you book through a commercial outfitter, since they hold it. Private trips need a Bureau of Land Management permit, which is free and not limited by a quota — you download the form and email it back. Continuing below Mineral Bottom into Canyonlands National Park requires a separate National Park Service permit.
Days that ask nothing of you.
Labyrinth has the longest season of any multi day trip here, so dates are easier to find than on the whitewater runs. Spring and autumn still book up.