Rakes On The River: Collaborative Sand Art
with Brighton Denevan

Making Our Mark in Labyrinth Canyon

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Green River, Utah
October 18-25th, 2026

7 days in a remote canyon setting, 45 miles of flat water paddling,
Minimum 10 participants, maximum 19 participants.

Guides:   Brighton Denevan, Andy Pankakes, and Lauren Bond

Pricing:
Per person: $3295

The deposit and cost of The River’s Path Canoe Adventures are non-refundable. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance through our partner Outward Travel to protect your investment.

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Join Brighton Denevan in creating sweeping sand art along the riverbanks—an unforgettable, hands-on creative adventure shaped by place, movement, and moment.

Labyrinth Canyon is a place where time loosens its grip. The river moves slowly here, braiding silence, stone, and sky into long, open beaches that feel both ancient and fleeting. It is on these sands that we’ll gather to create art together, laugh, connect, and reconnect with the joy that playing in the sand gave us as children. This journey is guided by Brighton Denevan, a sand artist whose work emerges from deep listening rather than assertion. His large-scale designs are created by walking, raking, and responding to the subtle contours of place — gestures that are precise, meditative, and meant to disappear. Over the course of the trip, Brighton will guide participants in creating ephemeral earthworks together, offering simple tools and gentle direction while leaving space for intuition, rhythm, and play.

Our passage through the canyon is held by Lauren Bond, a river guide with years of lived relationship to Labyrinth Canyon. Her steady presence, attention to detail, and reverence for the river create the conditions for a journey that is both seamless and deeply grounded. Under her guidance, logistics fade into the background, allowing the group to fully inhabit the experience.

We’re also joined by musician Andy Pankakes, whose warm, unhurried “breakfast music” drifts easily into the landscape. Andy will compose an original song inspired by the voyage, and together we’ll translate sound into form — creating sand designs that echo lyrics, rhythm, and mood. These collaborations will be documented from above, offering a rare perspective on art made in communion with place.

This is an invitation into a rare kind of making — one rooted in presence rather than permanence, collaboration rather than authorship. A week of moving slowly through a remote and breathtaking canyon, sharing meals, music, stories, and creative acts that belong fully to the moment.

“Brighton’s art is not static. It is ritual. Process and impermanence in perfect balance. Through drone footage and photography, Denevan captures these fleeting installations before they dissolve. These images become visual poems—aerial echoes of a human gesture folding into the rhythms of nature.”

– from “Brighton Denevan’s Land Art”, E. Ness, ArtMag, March 2025

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Meet the Guides

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Brighton Denevan

Sand Artist

I create large scale designs on the landscape, typically beaches, using simple tools and documenting with the latest drone technology. A rake is the primary implement of choice, though snow shoes, shovels and smaller fine detailing implements are used from time to time. I document these creations using a drone, capturing the steps of the process, sometimes catching the wash-away as the canvas is refreshed by the incoming tide. Snow, fire, and light designs are things I’ve briefly experimented with but would like to explore more in the future. I’ve always been fascinated by the natural world, spending great amounts of time in nature and working in gardens and on farms. Exploring the intersection of technology and nature, the precise and the organic, is the focus of my work.

For most of my life, my canvas was an 8.5 x 11” piece of paper. However, I watched my dad draw in the sand for almost 30 years and in 2020, I decided to pick up a rake and try transferring my art to a much larger canvas–the land(scape)! Since then I’ve produced over 1,000 projects, not only creating the compositions but also tackling the aerial photo/ video documentation/ storytelling. I’ve been flying drones for over 7 years and I am a commercially licensed UAV Pilot. 

I’ve been hired for marketing campaigns, events, music videos, real estate, farms/ vineyards, video editing, etc. and  use my aerial photography to help people get their story out to the world via video. I also have created precisely mapped logos and requested designs, using grids and graphs. One of my favorite things to do is execute a specific design that’s requested by the client and incorporate it into my own original design, mixing the commercially viable, ephemeral beach billboard, and the artistic esoteric whimsy.  

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Andy Pankakes

Musician

Over the course of the last decade, Andy Pankakes has become a staple of the Santa Cruz music scene.  From his early projects to his 100% Pure Maple record and through his current series of collaborations and projects, he has developed a personal sound and style that seamlessly blends elements of funk, soul, jazz, punk and folk.  Throughout his musical ambitions Andy has maintained a poignant and purposeful voice, calling his listeners to be In The Moment, to Do Their Thing, and to feel a little Special sometimes.  His shows are characterized  by exuberance, audience participation, and a truly endearing and memorable personality and style.

Andy is a lover of Nature, and frequents the forests, rivers and beaches in his local Santa Cruz area. He’s been known to lead many a campfire jam and group participation is always encouraged. Popular Classics, Originals and spontaneous creations improvised on the spot can all be expected. As a team, Brighton and Andy have created one music video so far featuring Andy’s Music and they are excited to further explore this multimedia collaboration of recorded ephemeral art forms.

Recent career highlights include opening up for a sold out show at the Catalyst Club with Peter Cat Recording Co and the creation of his own Breakfast Themed event, Pankake Fest. 2024 saw the release of his debut album, “100% Pure Maple,” featuring Tammi Brown, Dan Robbins, Eddie Mendenhall and Javier Torres, who are among the creme de la creme of Bay Area session players. In 2025 he released the “Too Many Songs,” ep, a throwback to the angst of the 90’s, with a good dose of lighthearted humor thrown in.

Check out Andy Pankakes syrup video

Lauren Bond

Lead Guide

Lauren Bond has always belonged to the river. From a childhood of following streams to the deep kinship she has found in Labyrinth Canyon and the St. Vrain as an adult, her life has been guided and shaped by the water.

In 2004, she floated through Labyrinth Canyon for the first time. She didn’t yet know what she wanted to with her life, but she knew this was the place. Today, she can confidently say that this is, indeed, the place. She has been on over 60 journeys through Labyrinth Canyon, and she has no doubt that this canyon brings a magic of its own, far beyond what she can offer herself. This collaboration with the river emerged when she followed the wisdom shared by waterfalls, trees, birds, and a very sweet porcupine. There is no place else she would rather be.

Lauren holds an MA in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University, and is a certified Transformational Wilderness Guide through the Earth Based Institute. Lauren worked as a naturalist, river guide, wilderness guide, and environmental educator before she started leading her own river journeys with The River’s Path in 2010.

JOIN US ON THE RIVER!

Let The River’s Path guide you on your next river canoe adventure and help you create memories that will last a lifetime. Explore the path of a river, embrace the river’s way, and discover the magic that awaits you on the water.

What to Expect — Overnight Canoe Trip on The Green River

While the exact itinerary will change based on the theme of the trip, some things are common for all trips down through Labyrinth Canyon.

We’ll canoe a total of 45 miles down the Green River between the steep canyon walls of Labyrinth Canyon in Utah. The trip begins at Ruby Ranch (located just south of I-70) to Mineral Bottom (located near Canyonlands National Park). Four to five days of paddling will be interspersed with layovers at wilderness campsites along the canyon. Paddle days are usually 7-15 miles each or about 3-5 hours of gentle paddling. The river’s current is slow and there are no rapids. 

Each night, we will camp on sandy beaches or in groves of oak and cottonwood. After we work together to unload the canoes and set up camp, you will have time to swim, wander, nap, and journal before we prepare dinner. We will have several layover days built into the journey. During layovers, we can explore more of the side canyons. We can also go deeper into the offerings our facilitators have prepared for us.

The River’s Path has partnered with Outward Travel to help you plan and book all the parts of your trip before and after your canoe adventure. They can help you book flights and find a place to stay. They can assist you as well in purchasing the right travel insurance and other things to see and do around Moab or the American Southwest. We recommend working with them. They care about ensuring you have a meaningful experience just as much as we do. They will help you with all the logistics so you don’t have to worry about the details. Please reach out to Jeof for more information at 720-828-7665 or go@outward.travel.

If you’d like to arrange your own travel, please plan to fly into Canyonlands Field Airport in Moab, Utah (the airport code is CNY). Connections are available from Denver and Salt Lake City a few times daily. The River’s Path highly recommends you arrive at least one day before the trip begins. Then, fly home at least one day after the trip ends with a stay in Moab before and after the trip.

You will receive a detailed email once you book your trip with The River’s Path.

The deposit and cost of The River’s Path canoe adventures are non-refundable. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance. Your travel insurance can cover non-refundable travel costs in case you fall ill, have severe travel delays or problems, if the airlines lose your luggage, and other problems that can arise. Some travel insurance policies even allow you to cancel for any reason, or if you are forced to cancel due to work requirements.

The River’s Path will provide all of your river gear (canoe, canoe seat, life jacket, & paddle). We also provide dry bags for your belongings. Plus, food and drinks for the trip, kitchen gear for food preparation, and coolers to keep everything cold. 

We ask that participants bring personal items. Please refer to our Personal Packing List.

Hopefully, you have arranged travel to the hotel. Please be sure to contact our travel partner, Outward Travel, to help you make these arrangements. You may reach them out at 720-828-7665 or go@outward.travel. We will send out a group text so that all the participants can reach each other and coordinate carpooling. This will also enable meeting up for lunch or dinner near the hotel or just arranging brief introductions. We have found that some of our participants like to get to know each other before embarking on the river.

The River’s Path guided canoe trips take place deep in the wilderness without electricity or cellular service. In case of an emergency, a rescue boat or helicopter will evacuate the participants. If you need to have medical equipment that uses electricity or need to stay in contact with someone at home, please inform our team. Your canoe guides will have a texting device available. We can make a plan so you can use your medical device. Please contact Lauren Bond at 303-859-7174 or lauren@theriverspath.org to discuss your special needs.

Temperature changes quickly and can be unexpected. So it is important to bring items from the packing list in case of any drastic changes. Rain and thunderstorms can pop up at any point. Temperatures for each month vary. It ranges from the high 60s and low 30s for March to the high 100s and lows in the 70s for August. Please see the NOAA graph for Labyrinth Canyon’s monthly weather averages.

The section of the Green River we will be on is considered a Class I river with no rapids. This is a flat water trip.

Each canoe accommodates two people. The canoe will have two Crazy Creek camp chairs with backrests. Canoes will carry all of the personal gear and camp supplies.

The River’s Path will supply 2 dry bags, one large and one small, to keep personal gear. For the group gear, we will provide canoes, paddles, life jackets, canoe seat-backs, camp chairs, and a full kitchen setup. Our supplies include food for the entire trip, a shade canopy, and a river toilet with a privacy shelter. 

Please note that you will need to bring your own personal camp gear. This includes a tent, tarps, a sleeping bag, and anything else that you need for the canoe trip. However, we highly recommend that you approach this with a minimalist mentality. Everything you bring, along with your canoe partner, must fit on your canoe. Kindly refer to our packing list. We have a few tents, sleeping bags, and pads available for rent. Let us know if you need to borrow some gear!

While many adventurists kayak the Green River, the amount of gear, supplies, and coolers of fresh food on our journey requires canoes. We prefer canoes anyway.

The River’s Path will provide food and drinks for all meals and snacks. We can accommodate most diets including vegetarian, vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free. The water is too muddy for most portable water filtration devices. We will pack all drinking water. 

If you have other needs or concerns, contact the canoe camping guide, Lauren Bond at 303-859-7174 or lauren@theriverspath.org.

It’s important to note that this is a collaborative experience. Our goal is to form a strong community and have an even more powerful, life-changing, and memorable experience. Hence, all the participants must participate and share in camp responsibilities. Everyone helps with setting up and taking down camp. We will unload and load canoes together. Moreover, we cook our meals and clean up together. 

Please note also that each individual must bring their own tent, sleeping bag, pad, and other items on the packing list. Those who will use a hammock must provide an appropriate setup for that. If you are extremely sensitive to bug bites, consider packing long-sleeved shirts and pants. Bring some bug lotion and head netting as well. We run our trips in the spring and fall to minimize the presence of mosquitoes. However, there is always the possibility that we will encounter a few!

During your trip through the Labyrinth Canyon, you will find a slow meandering river with steep colorful canyon walls. Plus, you will have a chance to explore amazing side canyons and maybe evidence of ancient civilizations. You will enjoy watching the stunning sunsets and stargazing. The hushed serenity will help you relax and fall in love with this place. No matter where you look, you will indulge your eyes with unforgettable and awe-inspiring colors. You will experience all these while you recharge your soul with the sounds of nature.

You will see abundant wildlife here. Commonly seen animals are birds like golden eagles, peregrine falcons, canyon wrens, and screech owls. There are also small animals like beavers and larger ones such as desert bighorn sheep and deer.

Each paddling day will consist of 3-5 hours of paddling, covering 7-15 miles per day. The entire trip will consist of 4 or 5 days of canoeing with layover days in between.

We will take breaks during each paddling day to stretch our legs, refill water, eat snacks, and swim. Bio breaks are at your discretion. There will be no formal facilities along the way. 

You can pack your lunch in the morning. Eat your snacks at your leisure. We will have a snack barrel available anytime. 

Camping. We will arrive at each campsite in the afternoon. It is a community effort to unload the canoes and set up camp. This includes the kitchen and personal gear (tents, sleeping bags, etc).

Layover days. We will spend multiple nights at some locations. This gives ample time to explore, meditate, write, swim, participate in group activities, and more.

Meals. Volunteers for dinner preparation will assist the guides. We will begin setting up around 5:30 PM. When the dinner is ready, we will eat as a group. Additional volunteers will help clean up after each meal.

Evening. Evenings will generally consist of a campfire, conversation, and program activities at the facilitator’s discretion with input from the group. Activities will be done by 9 PM. Bedtime can be any time after that.

Morning. Wakeup is generally between 6:00 AM. and 7:00 AM. Once again, volunteers will prepare for breakfast, make coffee, and provide hot water for tea. Other volunteers will prepare the lunch for the group.

On layover days, the day is relaxed. Participants can swim, hike, meditate, chat, and write. You can do whatever else you want to connect with your purpose.

On canoe days, we will collectively pack up camp and prepare lunches. We will also load the canoes and head out after breakfast.

We typically meet at the Moab Giants Museum parking lot just north of Moab at 1:30 PM on day one of the trip. Here, we will move all gear to dry bags and pack the shuttle van to carpool to our put-in (Ruby Ranch). We set up our camp for most of the trips we do at Ruby Ranch. On the next day, we usually launch on the Green River. 

Canoe Pairing. We will pair up each morning of the journey. Switching throughout the trip is highly encouraged. 

Loading the Canoe. We will make packing assignments for the trip. 2 people are in charge of a canoe regardless of which canoe they travel in.

Then, on the last day of the trip, our goal is to get to the takeout point at Mineral Bottom between 12 PM and 1:30 PM. We will work together to load gear into the trailer and van. We aim to return to your vehicles at the Moab Giants parking lot by 4:30 PM on the last day of the trip. Be aware this is subject to change depending on the trip. So don’t plan to fly out of Canyonlands Field Airport before 7 PM on the last day of the trip. Sometimes, our return gets delayed due to bad weather. We generally advise our participants that the earliest they can get to the airport is 5:30 PM. Please plan your travel accordingly. The best option is to stay in Moab and leave the day after the trip ends!

We welcome people of all skill levels and all walks of life. Even if you have never canoed, camped, or been in the wilderness before. We will teach you everything you need to know. All of our Labyrinth Canyon canoe trips are appropriate for ages 18 to 80+. If you would like to bring your minor child, contact Lauren at lauren@theriverspath.org to find out if it’s appropriate for the specific trip. 

Here are a few things to think about when considering week-long wilderness overnight canoe trips:

  • You must be comfortable living in a tent.
  • You must be ready for an adventure without electricity, showers, or wifi.
  • You must be okay with using primitive camp latrines.
  • You must be able to get in and out of the canoe unassisted.
  • You must be able to walk up and down hills and on uneven ground unassisted.
  • You must be able to get on and off the ground unassisted.
  • You must be able to carry your own gear.
  • You must be able to set up and take down your own tent. Practice before you come!
  • You must be willing to assist in carrying camp gear, setup and takedown of camp, meal preparations, and cleanup.

We will set up a Facebook Group or WhatsApp group for each trip. This will help our participants keep in touch with each other. 

We also invite you to follow the facilitators on social media. Stay in touch with them for future developments, works, and trips that you might be interested in.