Desolation Canyon: Difference between revisions

Desolation Canyon
Desolation Canyon
	Desolation Canyon and the Green River,; August 2013
Floor elevation	4,318 feet (1,316 m)
Long-axis direction	North-South
Geology
Type	River valley
Geography
Location	Green River in Carbon, Emery, Grand, and Uintah counties in Eastern Utah, United States
Population centers	None (hence the name)
Borders on	East Tavaputs Plateau (eastern); West Tavaputs Plateau (western)
Coordinates	39°25′00″N 110°00′40″W / 39.41667°N 110.01111°W
Traversed by	None
Rivers	Green River
	Desolation Canyon
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	U.S. National Historic Landmark
	Desolation Canyon Location of Desolation Canyon within Utah Desolation Canyon Desolation Canyon (the United States)
Location	Green River in Carbon, Emery, Grand, and Uintah counties in Eastern Utah, United States
Nearest city	East Carbon, Utah
Coordinates	39°25′00″N 110°00′40″W / 39.41667°N 110.01111°W
NRHP reference No.	68000057
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	November 24, 1968
Designated NHL	November 24, 1968

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Desolation Canyon^[1] is a remote canyon on the Green River in eastern Utah, United States that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It is said to be one of the most remote areas in the contiguous United States.^[4]

Description

The canyon begins in southwestern Uintah County and then meanders roughly south along (and becomes) the county line between Uintah and Carbon counties (including the entire eastern border of Carbon County). Continuing its southerly meander, it then becomes the county line between Emery and Grand counties, until it reaches its mouth in the Roan Cliffs. (The Green River continues flowing south through Gray Canyon.) Desolation Canyon is situated between the West Tavaputs Plateau on the west and the East Tavaputs Plateau on the east. At its deepest point, a relief of over 5,000 feet (1,500 m) exists from river level to the unseen rim of the Tavaputs Plateau.^[5]

History

Over the last few thousand years, different groups of humans have occupied the area and left their traces behind. Fremont and Ute pictographs and petroglyphs are abundant in Desolation Canyon and its numerous tributary canyons, such as Nine Mile and Range Creek. Fremont granaries, as well as several abandoned homesteaders' ranches, testify to the agricultural potential of riparian alluvial fans, which are larger in Desolation Canyon than in any other canyon of the Colorado - Green river system.

The canyon was traversed by John Wesley Powell in 1869 as part of an expedition that was sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution. Originally homesteaded by the Seamount family in 1914,^[5] Rock Creek Ranch is still used as a horse pasture by the ranches' contemporary owners, which makes it the last property in the canyon still commercially in use. Desolation Canyon was added to the NRHP and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968 as part of the centennial celebration of the Powell expedition.^[3]^[6]

Recreation

An undated BLM photograph of a boat on the Green River within Desolation Canyon

Each year during the spring, summer, and fall months, many boaters make the 83-mile (134 km) trip through Desolation and Gray canyons from Sand Wash to Swasey's Rapid, just upstream of the city of Green River. This section is managed by the Price office of the Bureau of Land Management, which issues permits. An additional permit must be obtained to camp or hike on the eastern side of the river, which is part of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation for most of the canyon's length. As of spring 2015, the Utes are no longer offering permits to non-tribal members. Over 60 named class two and three rapids challenge boaters, and the gradual increase in size and difficulty of rapids make it an ideal place for beginner to intermediate boaters to develop their skills. At high water (over 20,000 cubic feet per second [570 m³/s]), Joe Hutch Canyon Rapid (Cow Swim) approaches a class IV difficulty. Rapids in the canyon are big enough to swamp an open canoe at any water level.

References

^ ^a ^b "Desolation Canyon". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
^ ^a ^b "Desolation Canyon". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
^ Smart, Tom (January 25, 2007). "Desolation Canyon: Horseback adventure turns into frightening journey". Deseret News. Salt Lake City: Deseret Digital Media. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
^ ^a ^b Orme, Terry (August 5, 2004). "Rock Creek's hidden ranch". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City: Huntsman Family Investments, LLC. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
^ "Desolation Gray - Green River Permit, UT". recreation.gov.

External links

Desolation & Gray canyons river information on blm.gov
Desolation Canyon River Access, Rapids and Points of Interest at RiverBrain

[gnis-1] "Desolation Canyon". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.

[nris-2] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.

[nhlsum-3] "Desolation Canyon". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved April 2, 2008.

[4] Smart, Tom (January 25, 2007). "Desolation Canyon: Horseback adventure turns into frightening journey". Deseret News. Salt Lake City: Deseret Digital Media. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.

[rock_creek-5] Orme, Terry (August 5, 2004). "Rock Creek's hidden ranch". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City: Huntsman Family Investments, LLC. Retrieved January 27, 2018.

[6] "Desolation Gray - Green River Permit, UT". recreation.gov.

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[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Canyon in Utah, United States}}
 {{for|the TV film|Desolation Canyon (film)}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
-{{Infobox NRHP | name =Desolation Canyon
-  | nrhp_type = nhl
+{{Infobox valley
-  | image = DesolationCanyonBLM.jpg
-  | caption = BLM photo of Desolation Canyon
+ | name = Desolation Canyon
+ | other_name =
-  | location= [[Green River (Colorado River)]]
+ | photo = File:My Public Lands Magazine, Summer 2014 (13973363934).jpg
-  | locmapin = Utah#USA
-  | area =
+ | photo_size =
-  | built =
+ | photo_alt =
+ | photo_caption = Desolation Canyon and the [[Green River (Colorado River tributary)|Green River]],<br />August 2013
-| architect=
+ | map =
-| architecture=
+ | map_size =
-| designated_nrhp_type= November 24, 1968<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=809&ResourceType=Site
+ | map_alt =
-|title=Desolation Canyon |accessdate=2008-04-02|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
+ | map_caption =
- | added = November 24, 1968<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>
+ | location = [[Green River (Colorado River tributary)|Green River]] in [[Carbon County, Utah|Carbon]], [[Emery County, Utah|Emery]], [[Grand County, Utah|Grand]], and [[Uintah County, Utah|Uintah]] counties in Eastern [[Utah]], [[United States]]
- | governing_body = BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
- | refnum=68000057
+ | relief =
+ | label =
+ | label_position =
+ | coordinates = {{coord|39|25|00|N|110|00|40|W|region:US-UT|display=inline,title}}
+ | coordinates_ref =
+ | elevation = {{convert|4318|ft|m}}
+ | elevation_ref = <ref name="gnis"/>
+ | direction = North-South
+ | length =
+ | width =
+ | area =
+ | depth =
+ | type = River valley
+ | age =
+ | boundaries = [[East Tavaputs Plateau]] (eastern)<br />[[West Tavaputs Plateau]] (western)
+ | region =
+ | source =
+ | topo =
+ | towns = None (hence the name)
+ | traversed = None
+ | watercourses = [[Green River (Colorado River tributary)|Green River]]
+ | footnotes =
+ {{Infobox NRHP
+| embed                = yes
+| name                 = Desolation Canyon
+| nrhp_type            = nhl
+| image                =
+| alt                  =
+| caption              =
+| location             = [[Green River (Colorado River tributary)|Green River]] in [[Carbon County, Utah|Carbon]], [[Emery County, Utah|Emery]], [[Grand County, Utah|Grand]], and [[Uintah County, Utah|Uintah]] counties in Eastern [[Utah]], [[United States]]
+| nearest_city         = [[East Carbon, Utah|East Carbon]], Utah
+| locmapin             = Utah#USA
+| map_label            = Desolation Canyon
+| map_alt              =
+| map_caption          = Location of Desolation Canyon within [[Utah]]
+| coordinates          = {{coord|39|25|00|N|110|00|40|W|display=inline}}
+| built                =
+| architect            =
+| architecture         =
+| designated_nrhp_type = November 24, 1968<ref name="nhlsum"/>
+| added                = November 24, 1968<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref>
+| visitation_num       =
+| visitation_year      =
+| visitation_ref       =
+| website              = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} -->
+| refnum               = 68000057
+}}
 }}
-'''Desolation Canyon''' is a remote [[canyon]] on the [[Green River (Colorado River)|Green River]] in the eastern part of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Utah]].  It was traversed by [[John Wesley Powell]] in 1869 as part of an [[Exploration|expedition]] that was [[sponsor (commercial)|sponsored]] by the [[Smithsonian Institution]]. At its deepest point, a relief of over 5,000 feet exists from river level to the unseen rim of the Tavaputs plateau. It is said to be one of the most remote areas in the lower 48.
+'''Desolation Canyon'''<ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis|1427362|Desolation Canyon}}</ref> is a remote [[canyon]] on the [[Green River (Colorado River tributary)|Green River]] in eastern [[Utah]], [[United States]] that is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] (NRHP). It is said to be one of the most remote areas in the [[contiguous United States]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/650225466/Desolation-Canyon-Horseback-adventure-turns-into-frightening-journey.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219090144/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/650225466/Desolation-Canyon-Horseback-adventure-turns-into-frightening-journey.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 19, 2018|title=Desolation Canyon: Horseback adventure turns into frightening journey|last=Smart|first=Tom|newspaper=[[Deseret News]]|publisher=[[Deseret Digital Media]]|location=Salt Lake City|date=25 Jan 2007|accessdate=27 Jan 2018}}</ref>
-Desolation Canyon was declared a [[National Historic Landmark]] in 1968.<ref name="nhlsum"/>
+==Description==
-Over the last few thousand years, different groups of humans have occupied the area and left their traces behind. [[Fremont culture|Fremont]] and [[Ute Indians|Ute]] pictographs and petroglyphs are abundant in Desolation and its numerous tributary canyons, such as [[Nine Mile Canyon|Nine Mile]] and [[Range Creek]]. Fremont granaries, as well as several abandoned homesteaders' ranches, testify to the agricultural potential of riparian alluvial fans, which are larger in Desolation than in any other Canyon of the Colorado - Green river system. Originally homesteaded by the Seabolt family in the early 1900s, Rock Creek ranch is still used as a horse pasture by the ranches' contemporary owners, which makes it the last property in the canyon still commercially in use.
+The canyon begins in southwestern [[Uintah County, Utah|Uintah County]] and then meanders roughly south along (and becomes) the [[border|county line]] between Uintah and [[Carbon County, Utah|Carbon]] counties (including the entire eastern border of Carbon County). Continuing its southerly meander, it then becomes the county line between [[Emery County, Utah|Emery]] and [[Grand County, Utah|Grand]] counties, until it reaches its mouth in the [[Roan Cliffs]]. (The Green River continues flowing south through [[Gray Canyon (Utah)|Gray Canyon]].) Desolation Canyon is situated between the [[West Tavaputs Plateau]] on the west and the [[East Tavaputs Plateau]] on the east. At its deepest point, a relief of over {{convert|5000|ft|m}} exists from river level to the unseen rim of the Tavaputs Plateau.<ref name="rock creek">{{cite news|url=http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/outdoors/ci_2389245|title=Rock Creek's hidden ranch|last=Orme|first=Terry|newspaper=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]|publisher=Huntsman Family Investments, LLC|location=Salt Lake City|date=5 Aug 2004|accessdate=27 Jan 2018}}</ref>
+==History==
-During the Spring, Summer, and Fall months, many boaters each year make the 83 mile trip through Desolation and Gray Canyons from Sand Wash to Swasey's Rapid, just above [[Green River, Utah]]. This section is managed by the Price office of the Bureau of Land Management, which issues permits. An additional permit must be obtained to camp or hike on the Eastern side of the river, which is part of the Ute Reservation for most of the canyon's length. As of Spring 2015, the Utes are no longer offering permits to non-tribal members, however enforcement is effectively non-existent. Over 60 named class two and three rapids challenge boaters, and the gradual increase in size and difficulty of rapids make it an ideal place for beginner to intermediate boaters to develop their skills. At high water (over 20,000 cfs), Joe Hutch Canyon Rapid (Cow Swim) approaches a class IV difficulty. Rapids in the canyon are big enough to swamp an open canoe at any water level.
+Over the last few thousand years, different groups of humans have occupied the area and left their traces behind. [[Fremont culture|Fremont]] and [[Ute Indians|Ute]] pictographs and petroglyphs are abundant in Desolation Canyon and its numerous tributary canyons, such as [[Nine Mile Canyon|Nine Mile]] and [[Range Creek]]. Fremont granaries, as well as several abandoned homesteaders' ranches, testify to the agricultural potential of riparian alluvial fans, which are larger in Desolation Canyon than in any other canyon of the Colorado - Green river system.
+The canyon was traversed by [[John Wesley Powell]] in 1869 as part of an [[Powell Geographic Expedition of 1869|expedition]] that was [[sponsor (commercial)|sponsored]] by the [[Smithsonian Institution]]. Originally homesteaded by the Seamount family in 1914,<ref name="rock creek"/> Rock Creek Ranch is still used as a horse pasture by the ranches' contemporary owners, which makes it the last property in the canyon still commercially in use. Desolation Canyon was added to the NRHP and declared a [[National Historic Landmark]] in 1968 as part of the centennial celebration of the Powell expedition.<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=809&ResourceType=Site|title=Desolation Canyon|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=[[National Park Service]]|accessdate=2 Apr 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018075746/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=809&ResourceType=Site|archive-date=18 October 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.recreation.gov/camping/Desolation_Gray_Green_River_Permit/r/campsiteSearch.do?search=site&page=siteresult&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72440#|title=Desolation Gray - Green River Permit, UT|website=recreation.gov|publisher=}}</ref>
+==Recreation==
+[[File:DesolationCanyonBLM.jpg|thumb|left|An undated [[Bureau of Land Management|BLM]] photograph of a boat on the [[Green River (Colorado River tributary)|Green River]] within Desolation Canyon]]
+Each year during the spring, summer, and fall months, many boaters make the {{convert|83|mi|km|adj=on}} trip through Desolation and Gray canyons from Sand Wash to Swasey's Rapid, just upstream of the city of [[Green River, Utah|Green River]]. This section is managed by the [[Price, Utah|Price]] office of the [[Bureau of Land Management]], which issues permits. An additional permit must be obtained to camp or hike on the eastern side of the river, which is part of the [[Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation]] for most of the canyon's length. As of spring 2015, the Utes are no longer offering permits to non-tribal members. Over 60 named class two and three rapids challenge boaters, and the gradual increase in size and difficulty of rapids make it an ideal place for beginner to intermediate boaters to develop their skills. At high water (over {{convert|20000|cuft/s|m3/s|disp=sqbr}}), Joe Hutch Canyon Rapid (Cow Swim) approaches a class IV difficulty. Rapids in the canyon are big enough to swamp an open canoe at any water level.
+==See also==
+{{stack|{{Portal|Utah|National Register of Historic Places}}}}
+* [[List of canyons and gorges in Utah]]
+* [[List of National Historic Landmarks in Utah]]
+* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Carbon County, Utah]]
+* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Emery County, Utah]]
+* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Grand County, Utah]]
+* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Uintah County, Utah]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 29: / Line 92: @@
 ==External links==
 {{commons category|Desolation Canyon}}
-* [http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/price/recreation/riverinf.html Desolation Canyon River Information] at BLM
+* [https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/passes-and-permits/lotteries/utah/desolationgray Desolation & Gray canyons river information] on blm.gov
 * [http://www.riverbrain.com/run/show?id=5&run=Desolation+Canyon Desolation Canyon River Access, Rapids and Points of Interest] at RiverBrain
 {{Colorado_River_system}}
+{{NRHP}}
-{{Registered Historic Places}}
+{{authority control}}
-{{coord|39|25|00|N|110|00|40|W|display=title}}
 [[Category:Canyons and gorges of Utah]]
-[[Category:Green River (Colorado River)]]
+[[Category:Green River (Colorado River tributary)]]
 [[Category:Landforms of Carbon County, Utah]]
 [[Category:Landforms of Emery County, Utah]]
-[[Category:Landforms of Grand County, Utah]]
+[[Category:Canyons and gorges of Grand County, Utah]]
 [[Category:Landforms of Uintah County, Utah]]
 [[Category:National Historic Landmarks in Utah]]

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