Mission

View the expansive watershed with Friends of the Yampa and YRAP to work to mitigate threats and safeguard the wild river for nearby communities, recreation, wildlife, and future generations.

The Yampa is one of the wildest rivers in the Colorado River watershed, flowing 250 un-dammed miles from the Flat Tops to where it joins the Green River at the iconic Steamboat Rock, with only a small percentage of water diverted out of the river for local agriculture or stored in reservoirs, the two largest of which are used for environmental releases to maintain in-stream flows and protect endangered species habitat. The Yampa supports a thriving and growing recreation economy, offering exciting opportunities for boaters, anglers, residents and visitors to enjoy the quiet beauty of the river.

We flew above the Yampa River from Hayden all the way to Dinosaur National Monument. We soared past the iconic Steamboat Rock and back toward the headwaters in the Flat Tops, past agricultural lands and famous rapids, and back to the Hayden Airport, gaining a big-picture perspective of the expansive watershed and its many uses. Climate change and increased water demands pose threats to the Yampa and its healthy, intact ecosystem.

Click for photos from the flight. Click for geo-referenced flight photos.