Utah | Northeastern Utah

Green River

Flaming Gorge Dam / Spillway Boat Launch to Little Hole

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Difficulty moderate Section A is generally Class I-II, but it is cold, swift dam-release water with required safety gear, heavy commercial dory traffic, busy ramps, and limited quick exits. It is hidden from default casual discovery because American Whitewater is the numeric threshold source and the route is swift tailwater rather than a simple flatwater float.
Permits Check posted rules Private boaters do not need a route-specific river permit for Section A, but a Flaming Gorge recreation use pass is required at Spillway and Little Hole. Commercial outfitters have separate permit requirements.
Camping Day trip No camping is allowed on Section A between Spillway and Little Hole. Treat this as a day trip and use only designated downstream camps if you intentionally continue into Section B with the proper plan and required toilet system.
Season Jan-Dec Flaming Gorge Dam gives this tailwater year-round release support, but daily release changes can raise the river quickly. Check current dam-release/gauge conditions, weather, and cold-water gear even in summer.

Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.

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Access, shuttle, and map

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.

Start

Put-in

Spillway Boat Launch Area below Flaming Gorge Dam Open map

Both endpoints are Ashley National Forest / Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area boat-launch facilities with published coordinates and fee/pass requirements.

Finish

Take-out

Little Hole Boat Launch Area Open map

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.

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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.

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge site Green River near Greendale, UT
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Ideal range Needs paddler reports
Known low-water floor 1,000 cfs
High threshold Not calibrated yet
Data confidence behind the range Official and local sources
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Main source behind this score American Whitewater Flaming Gorge-to-Lodore runnable-flow context on the Greendale gauge
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What 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 gauge USGS 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.

    Source

  • Route shape Section 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.

    Source

  • Endpoint coordinates 40.90885, -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.

    Source

  • Access and fees Flaming 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.

    Source

  • Safety rules PFD, 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.

    Source

  • No camping No 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.

    Source

  • Threshold posture Minimum-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.

    Source

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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.