We will be driving our own vehicle with a trailer fully rigged with 2 rafts to put on quickly and do a couple of overnights on the ABC stretch. We have someone lined up to drive our vehicle down to Swinging Bridge however where do leave it so it doesn't get pestered and after we put on A? It seems like paid shuttles are popular on this stretch but we would like to avoid that. Our person who will be shuttling for us will be floating the first 2 days and we will go on for a 3rd. Is there a parking lot somewhere?
Also, do we need any kind of permit/license to use the Swinging Bridge takeout? I know Colorado has recently went to a pay to use system with their Colorado Wildlife properties and are requiring a fishing license by all over 18, does that affect this ramp?
Any other general tips? We are newbies to this stretch.
When you drive down to the ramp at the dam there is a parking lot just prior to the Forest service guard shack that will be chatting with you, you'll need a access pass to launch. The ramp will most likely be extremely busy with fishing guides and church groups launching rafts depending on the time of day, I'd be very ready to get the boats in the water quickly, there will be a ramp ranger that will be hurrying you along, if you put in after 1100 it will be much less of a scene.... After you put your boats in go park above the guard shack, very rarely does that lot fill up, there's a nice trail behind the dumpster to walk back down to your boats.... Swinging bridge is a primitive ramp, I have never had any issues parking down there, no fishing license required unless you're fishing, which I would recommend. Mosquitoes can be a problem on the C section, I'd bring deet and a head net.
Have fun!
The ramp below the dam is tight, crowded and only has room for 3-4 vehicles at a time. There is no public parking space, just the ramp and enough room for one vehicle and trailer to maneuver. And it is very busy with guides trying to launch before 10:00 AM. They literally want you on and off the ramp in 15 minutes or less. There is almost no room for staging and rigging. If it is really busy they may not allow you to rig at the ramp at all (your supposed to rig at the upper lot)
I avoid all this by parking a vehicle at one of the lower ramps at Little Hole. There is ample room and no crowd. We launch a near empty boat at the dam, float the 11 miles to little hole, pull over for lunch and load the boats at our leisure.
If you don't have a trailer you can hire a shuttle where they meet you at the upper parking lot with a flatbed trailer, they run you down to they ramp and launch your fully rigged boat.
Note: the bridge at swinging bridge can be very low at high water. Low enough a tall rowers seat might not make it.
Green River Sections A,B and C are all within Utah. As a result they are not effected by the Colorado rule change for State Wildlife Areas.
You will need Utah fishing licence for the fisher persons in the group.
You will need a parking pass to use the ramps.
You will need to stop at ALL boat inspection sites along the way for an invasive species check. The first time through they might actually look at the boat (make sure it is clean and dry) the subsequent stops they will just look at the previous paperwork and wave you through. These are usually placed at the Welcome centers as you cross state lines.
If you are floating far enough the James Jarvie Historic site is worth the stop.
Couple points for clarification, Swinging bridge is not low, you could take a sailboat underneath it. The low bridge is Taylor Flat bridge which is at the end of the B section just below Indian crossing ramp. At high water this bridge is extremely dangerous, at the flows the op will be floating this bridge won't be an issue. Also, Swinging bridge IS in Colorado. If you don't have fishing gear no fishing license required.
I just floated the ABC through Lodore last week and had an incredible trip; I would add the upper stretch every time to a Lodore trip. Can you tell me what level the Taylor Flat Bridge is prohibitive ? Can you still get under at the usual mid-summer 2400 CFS flows ?
Thank you everyone for your responses! We just got home and had a great trip! What a beautiful stretch of the Green!
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