Ruby-Horsethief Canyon
Colorado River • CO, UT, AZ, NV, CA, BAJA
Length
25.0 mi
Difficulty
Class I-II
Shuttle
35 mi / 50 min
🪪 Permit required
— BLM Grand Junction Field Office
— Apply ↗
Overnight camping is available in any of the 34 designated campsites and requires a permit that can be reserved starting two months in advance. No permit is required for day use of the river.
Classic 2–3 day family flat-water float through red-rock Ruby and
Horsethief Canyons on the Colorado-Utah border. No rapids; big sandy
beaches; excellent rock-art side-hikes. BLM-designated campsites must
be reserved via recreation.gov lottery Apr 1 – Oct 31.
✓ Real river route loaded
🏕 Campsites (39)
McDonald
Mile 1.4
• ★★★
Rattlesnake
Mile 3.2
• ★★★
Beavertail 1
Mile 3.5
• ★★★★
Beavertail 2
Mile 3.6
• ★★★★
Cottonwood 1
Mile 5.9
• ★★★★★
Cottonwood 2
Mile 5.9
• ★★★★★
Cottonwood 3
Mile 6.0
• ★★★★
Cottonwood 4
Mile 6.1
• ★★★★
Cottonwood 5
Mile 6.2
• ★★★★
Salt Creek 1
Mile 8.0
• ★★★
Salt Creek 2
Mile 8.0
• ★★★
Fault Line 1
Mile 10.3
• ★★★
Fault Line 2
Mile 10.8
• ★★★
Mee Corner
Mile 13.0
• ★★★★
Mee 1
Mile 13.4
• ★★★★
Mee 2
Mile 13.5
• ★★★★
Mee 3
Mile 13.6
• ★★★★
Mee 4
Mile 13.7
• ★★★★
Mee Canyon
Mile 13.9
• ★★★★★
Dog Island
Mile 15.4
• ★★★
Split Rock
Mile 16.1
• ★★★
Black Rocks 1
Mile 16.3
• ★★★★★
Black Rocks 2
Mile 16.4
• ★★★★★
Black Rocks 3
Mile 16.5
• ★★★★
Black Rocks 4
Mile 16.7
• ★★★★
Black Rocks 5
Mile 16.8
• ★★★★
Black Rocks 6
Mile 16.9
• ★★★★
Black Rocks 7
Mile 17.1
• ★★★★
Black Rocks 8
Mile 17.1
• ★★★
Black Rocks 9
Mile 17.2
• ★★★★
Island Camp
Mile 18.4
• ★★★★
Knowles 1
Mile 18.6
• ★★★★
Knowles Overlook
Mile 19.0
• ★★★★
May Flats
Mile 20.6
• ★★★★
Beaver Tail 1
Mile 311.0
Beaver Tail 2
Mile 311.0
Bull Draw
Mile 311.0
Banjo Camp
Mile 312.7
Knowles
Mile 324.8
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