Looks like some of you may have some experience in this area. I'm looking for 4 - 5 day canoe/camp flatwater trip in this area.

I'd want this to be fairly leisurely, but we will paddle the river and not just float down. Ideally, paddle 4 hours or so a day, set camp, do some hiking/exploring/fishing.

From looking at the map, I'm thinking I have time to either do the stretch from Crystal Geiser to Mineral Bottom. OR Mineral Bottom to the Confluence.

Any opinions on which area offers better scenary? Not just on the river itself, but some side hiking trips that may be offered, etc. Pros/Cons of each?

Also, is fishing this river worth it?

Thanks!

We did the whole stretch of the river from Crystal to the Confluence in eight days. Those were half days.

That said half days are good as there is excellent hiking.

The scenery below Crytal Geyser grows slowly..it takes about 20 miles for the first canyon to approach near the river.

The river between Mineral Springs and the Confluence is much more crowded. The scenery is spectacular however. So it is too for about 40 miles above Mineral Springs.

Thanks YC - do think the "crowding" on the lower section detracts from the experience? Also, would you think any issues w/ finding a camp site.

As with most things, the more scenic part is more crowded. I just don't want to be sharing w/ motorboats or scrambling to find a camp site when I'm completely unfamiliar with an area.

You may have to scramble anyway if the river is high. Its expected that a party will NOT claim a sandbar all for their own.

Some of them can be quite large. We had a Canyon Bocce party with six other tenters on our spacious two acre sandbar.

There is little powerboat traffic. An occasional motorized raft. In fact raft parties bound for Cataract Canyon are the single source of increased population. The last put in they can use is Mineral Bottom.

Not sure which section you are considering.....I did Sand Wash to Green River, Ut, through Grey and Desolation Canyons. Wonderful trip. Lots of side trips to interesting pictographs, abandoned cabins (Hole in the Wall Gang), Cowboy registrar etc. Water is the big issue. River is very muddy and presents probs w/ filtration...and forget fishing!! There are several springs you can tap into, but they are usually a nice hike up into the canyons....beware of rattlesnakes!!! Also...this is open range and I don't know how, but longhorns show up every once in a while....they are quite docile, but we had one take issue where we set up a tent.

Water filters just fine if allowed to settle overnight. Alum may help to clump silt.

That said the water still tasted odd so we carried some Wal Mart water for drinking.

There arent any cliff scaling longhorns on the sections the OP is considering.