Thanks again for all of your assistance in making this video possible. We hope you like how it turned out! Look forward to seeing each of you someday soon on the river. - Chad

Desolation Gray Canyons River PermitGo WILD on the Green River!

Desolation Canyon brings out the best in people. It breaks down social barriers by forcing us to unplug our personal gadgets and find comfort in shared adventure. Rarely do we as public servants have the opportunity to spend quality time with our land management partners and fellow river stewards in this beautiful, untrammeled environment. Add experienced river rangers and a skeleton video crew to the mix and it's a recipe for success.

"Everyone has a story. And when you're on the river you have nothing but time to share those memories. It's what Itrulylove about deso adventures!" —Chad Douglas, New Media Lead

This year, BLM-Utah extended their streak of successful video productions by producing and publishing an exciting new river stipulation and permit video for the Desolation Gray Canyons stretch of the Green River.

Inspired by the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act and rooted in personal connections to the canyon corridor, the team sought to remind young enthusiasts of the importance of wild places and the incredible responsibility we have to care for them.

Conceived by the BLM and organized by the River Management Society (RMS), the seven-day raft trip resulted in not only a quality video product, but deep, meaningful relationships with a diverse group of professional stakeholders. As a testament to the relationships forged in this endeavor, the 2014 Fall Edition of the National RMS Journal featured a three page spread on the float—all written and submitted by RMS members (pages 22-27).

Kudos to all involved in the project and a special thanks to the Price Field Office for the support they provided in this endeavor.

Interesting Facts:

  • Of the 84-mile long river segment, 66-miles are within the Desolation Canyon Wilderness Study Area – the largest in the lower 48 states.
  • At one point, Desolation Canyon is actually deeper than the Grand Canyon at Bright Angel Trail—with a vertical rise of more than 5000ft from river to Tavaputs Plateau.
  • The Desolation Canyon National Historic Landmark (NHL) extends one mile on either side of the river from Nine Mile Creek to Florence Creek. The NHL was designated by the Secretary of the Interior in 1969 as part of the centennial celebration of the 1869 exploration of the Green and Colorado Rivers by John Wesley Powell.

Point of Contact:Chad Douglas, (801-539-4089) UTSO External Affairs

Chad Douglas | Public Affairs
Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office
Office | 801-539-4089 | Email |