Escalante Canyon to Dominguez Canyon on Gunnison River Rapid Classification: I and II Length: 13.2 miles Time on the river: 4-6 hours Average Gradient: 7.3 feet per mile, about 100 feet total Shuttle time from Grand Junction (getting to and from the river): 1 hour on each end of the trip When: May through August Price: $55 per person (what's included?) Trip Dates and Reservations

The Gunnison River, between the Escalante and Dominguez Canyons, offers a very scenic and gentle float. The river flows through beautiful slickrock canyon country interspersed with small ranches and fruit orchards.

This day trip takes about 4-6 hours without much paddling and can be shortened to about 3 hours if we paddle all the way. Trip time varies depending on streamflow and winds.

Attractions:

• About two miles downstream of the Escalante put-in is a large cave about a half mile from the river on river left.
• Another mile downstream is a class II rapid. At high water a whirlpool about 100 yards in diameter forms at the top of the rapid.
• The river passes through fruit orchards on the bottom of the canyon. In the fruit orchard section there is a small boulder dam with a clear chute on river left.
• About 9 miles downstream from the put-in at Escalante is an abandoned two-story log cabin on river left.
• Petroglyphs can be found by hiking up Dominguez Creek canyon.

Cottonwood stands in the area hold Great Blue Heron rookeries and the area is an April breeding ground for Canada Geese. 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. If you are lucky and stay alert you might be able to spot beavers.

Accessibility:

Trip Schedule

9:00 am: meeting in front of the CDA's office in Fruita. How to get there from Grand Junction: take I-70 West take Fruita exit turn left over the interstate drive about 1/4 mile turn right past McDonald's and pull into the Dinosaur Museum parking lot on the left we are in the green rail car at the end of the parking lot

9:15 am: driving in CDA van to Escalante river access (42 miles) 10:15 am - 10:45 am: unloading and setting up gear for the trip 11:00 am - 3:30 pm: river float 3:30 pm - 5 pm: take out at Bridgeport river access, loading up the gear and driving back to Fruita 5:00 pm: end of the adventure

Related information:

• Current Flow

Sources:

• Bureau of Land Management, Uncompahgre Field Office, Colorado.
• Colorado Discover Ability first-hand experiences.
• Photos: Colorado Discover Ability