See all 2 routes on Green River
Utah | Northeastern Utah
Green River
Flaming Gorge Dam / Spillway Boat Launch to Little Hole
Check current paddling conditions for this Green River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Safety
Route safety
Advanced routeThis route has hazards that can create serious consequences if missed or misjudged. Paddle only with appropriate skill, equipment, and current local information.
Safety details
Treat Section A as cold, swift Class I-II tailwater rather than a casual float; Recreation.gov requires a worn life jacket plus a bail bucket, throw line, and spare oar or paddle for launching.
- Check USGS 09234500 and the current Flaming Gorge release schedule immediately before launching. Reclamation says the 2026 release plan can fluctuate hourly and change with river conditions or forecasts.
- The 1,000 cfs value is only a conservative runnable minimum, not an ideal range or high-water clearance. During elevated releases, Reclamation warns that the below-dam river can run colder, higher, and swifter.
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge note
Minimum 1,000 cfs · Green River near Greendale, UT
Gauge context
Use the Green River near Greendale gauge as the direct tailwater check. American Whitewater showed this reach runnable around 1,000 cfs; Paddle Today treats 1,000 cfs as a conservative minimum and does not claim an ideal or high-water band.
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Spillway Boat Launch below Flaming Gorge Dam and take out seven miles downstream at Little Hole for the Green River A Section. This is a cold, dam-release tailwater with Class I-II rapids, clear water, heavy fishing traffic, and federal fee-area rules.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Spillway Boat Launch Area below Flaming Gorge DamBoth endpoints are Ashley National Forest / Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area boat-launch facilities with published coordinates and fee/pass requirements.
Take-out
Little Hole Boat Launch AreaSpillway can be very busy with commercial drift boats and has a long, steep stair/carry between parking and the launch area. Do not block the ramp while rigging.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Both endpoints are Ashley National Forest / Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area boat-launch facilities with published coordinates and fee/pass requirements.
- Spillway can be very busy with commercial drift boats and has a long, steep stair/carry between parking and the launch area. Do not block the ramp while rigging.
- Little Hole has multiple ramps, restrooms, picnic areas, and potable water seasonally, but busy fishing days can make landing and loading slow.
- Utah DWR stream-access guidance was rechecked for this run. Stay with the public launches, trail corridor, and legal public stops; do not assume private-bank access away from the managed corridor.
Watch for
- Cold tailwater and release changes from Flaming Gorge Dam; the river can rise quickly and push harder even near shore.
- Required river-running safety gear: wearable PFD where required, no inflatable PFDs in those required-wear sections, bailer, throw rope, and spare oar or paddle.
- Class I-II wave trains and swift current that are friendly for prepared paddlers but not a lazy tube float.
- Commercial dory and guide traffic, anglers wading from shore, and congestion at both ramps.
- No camping, fires, or horse use on Section A; mountain biking on the Little Hole trail is seasonally restricted.
- New Zealand mudsnail decontamination guidance applies to boats, wading boots, and river gear.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.

Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Green River near Greendale, UT |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 1,000 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Flaming Gorge-to-Lodore runnable-flow context on the Greendale gauge |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Live gaugeUSGS 09234500 at 1,520 cfs / 9.01 ft
USGS legacy current conditions showed discharge and gage height at 07:30 MDT on May 30, 2026 for Green River near Greendale, UT, operated immediately below Flaming Gorge Dam.
- Route shapeSection A, 7 miles
Recreation.gov describes Section A as beginning just below Flaming Gorge Dam and proceeding seven miles through a narrow canyon to Little Hole, with Class I-II rapids.
- Endpoint coordinates40.90885, -109.422256 to 40.910719, -109.315144
Ashley National Forest publishes latitude/longitude for both Spillway Boat Launch Area and Little Hole Boat Launch Area.
- Access and feesFlaming Gorge recreation use pass
The BLM/Forest Service Green River brochure says a Flaming Gorge Use Pass is required at Spillway and Little Hole, while Recreation.gov lists the route as non-motorized river running with required launch gear.
- Safety rulesPFD, bailer, throw rope, spare oar/paddle
The BLM/Forest Service brochure and Recreation.gov warn that the river can rise without warning and require or recommend river-running safety equipment; inflatable PFDs are not allowed where PFD wear is required.
- Current dam-release caution2026 hourly release fluctuations
The Bureau of Reclamation says Flaming Gorge releases can fluctuate hourly, the release plan can change with conditions or forecasts, and elevated releases can make the Green River below the dam colder, higher, and swifter.
- No campingNo camping on Section A
The BLM/Forest Service brochure states that River Section A has no camping, and the Little Hole trail guidance also prohibits camping and fires along the Spillway-to-Little-Hole trail section.
- Threshold postureMinimum-only at 1,000 cfs
American Whitewater tied the reach to the Greendale gauge and showed the broader Flaming Gorge-to-Lodore reach runnable at 1,000 cfs during review. The app uses that as a conservative floor and does not infer an ideal range.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- USGS 09234500 Green River near Greendale current conditions
- Ashley National Forest Spillway Boat Launch Area
- Ashley National Forest Little Hole Boat Launch Area
- Recreation.gov Green River Float-In Campsites
- BLM / Forest Service Floating the Green River brochure
- American Whitewater Green River Flaming Gorge to Lodore
- Bureau of Reclamation Flaming Gorge water operations
- Utah DWR stream access guidance
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
More level reports needed
Only a low-water floor is known.
We can tell when this route is likely too low, but we do not yet have enough reports to define a best range. If you paddled it recently, send a condition report with how the level felt.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Green River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Green River?
Paddle Today watches Green River near Greendale, UT and uses 1,000 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Green River route start and end?
This route starts at Spillway Boat Launch Area below Flaming Gorge Dam and ends at Little Hole Boat Launch Area, about About 7.0 mi on the water.
Is this Green River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.
