Good boatramps below State Bridge?

[Andy H.]

Does anyone have any information on good boatramps about a day's float below State Bridge? I'm looking for ramps that I could back a trailer down to the water and easily take out an oar rig. Either private/fee or public is fine with me.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

--Andy

[bwilcox]

There is a good takeout 13 miles downriver at the Catamount bridge. To get there take a right on the highway out of State Bridge and head that way for 5 - 8 miles where you'll then take left off the highway to get back on the Colorado River Road. You can extend the float another six miles and take out just above the Burns Rodeo hole. This takeout is more difficult with a trailer.

[Dave Frank]

ANdy, are you just day tripping or are you interested in spending the night? We are planning to do a few more family tirps before too long and that might be a good spot. Spending the night out of my kayak was great, but I do prefer the raft as a form of baggage conveyance. I only brought 3 micro brews in to the big south- and then shared them 4 ways.

Dave

[Jack Bombardier]

Catamount is an excellent takeout and a good day float from State Bridge. You're not likely to encounter anyone else along the way. However the five river miles below Catamount are really pretty, there's no road through there so except for when a train passes it feels very remote. There's a great campsite river right just past some power lines about a mile or two from Catamount.

Once you emerge from that canyon there's a takeout just before Burns next to a RR abutment. Its steep and is a better put-in than takeout but its doable. A mile below that is Rodeo Rapid, AKA Landslide Rapid. Run this river right,(which isn't all that easy to do because there are two big waves just above the bottom hole which has a nasty pointy rock in it).

Below Rodeo/Landslide is private property, but the Glenda the manager there will let you use that for access for 5 - to ten bucks or a 12 pack of Bud Light, if you are a non-commercial float.

The next 8 miles are mostly BLM and very beautiful. Again you arfe not likely to see anyone else. About 6 miles from Glendas is unmarked BLM river access you can trailer into if you're non-commercial. About 7 miles from Glenda's is an excellent BLM campsite near Bull Gulch SWA called Jack Flats. There's a big eddy, plenty of trees for cover, and good hiking up amongst the Bryce Canyon-like hoodoos.

The next river access is off of Red Dirt Creek road, you can't get a trailer down into the water but can get very close for a short carry. The last access for a good long stretch is at my place, I live on the river and do float trips from Burns (info at www.confluencecasting.com). I'll let people use my access for a reasonable price if you let me know in advance (we keep animals back there) and you're cool.

All in all, this is a very pretty section of the Colorado that pretty much flies under most people's radar. The section between my place and Cottonwood Island is very slow and can be hell with the afternoon winds. The lower section between Cottonwood Island and Dotsero sees plenty of traffic but is fairly boring. I'd recommend doing State Bridge to the campsite just below Catamount, then running the next day to Red Dirt.

[WhiteLightning]

Andy, I second the Catamount recomendation. Gentle water on that section, good fishing, if that's what you are looking for. Catamount is also a BLM camp ground. There is supposed to be a pretty scenic stretch between Catamount and Burns. There is a dirt ramp at the Pinball site a little downstream from the Burns hole which would be a few hours float below Catamount.

[WhiteLightning]

I must have posted same time as Jack. It sounds like he knows the run well. It is pretty cool to do a float without seeing hardly anyone, so long as you aren't looking for whitewater.