Utah
Labyrinth Canyon: Ruby Ranch to Mineral Bottom
About this paddle route
Labyrinth is the flatwater canyon of the Green above its confluence with the Colorado, and it is the rare desert river trip a beginner can paddle: no rapids at all, just current and canyon. What makes it serious is isolation. Once you launch at Ruby Ranch there is no road access until Mineral Bottom. The walls build to a thousand feet over the course of the trip, and the side canyons hold rock art and old outlaw-era inscriptions.
Flatwater the whole way and still the most committing trip here: four days of red-rock canyon with no road out, no rapids, and no resupply.
Highlights
What earns the trip
- No rapids for the entire 47 miles, so the skill barrier is low
- Canyon walls build to over a thousand feet
- Bowknot Bend, where the river loops seven miles to travel a quarter mile
- Side canyon hikes to rock art and historic inscriptions
Stops
- 1
Ruby Ranch Boat Launch
Private launch with a fee, the standard put-in.
- 2
Mineral Bottom boat ramp
The first road access below the launch, and the take-out.
When to go
Best time to go
April through May and September through October. Summer in the canyon is brutally hot.
Planner estimate for the mapped line: 3h 1m
Before you go
Know before you go
- A free permit is required, and a washable, reusable toilet system is mandatory. Everything comes out with you.
- Carry all drinking water or bring a filter capable of handling extremely silty water.
- Upstream wind can stop a loaded canoe completely. Plan for early starts.
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