Guides: Heather Hendrie, Sami Bierman, Erin Farrell, Sarrah Claman & Lauren Bond,
Pricing: $3200 (price includes two additional nights of hotel accommodation in Moab before and after the river trip)
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.
This cost includes:
- Five nights and six days of professional guided canoeing and wilderness camping in Utah’s desert, including all river and camping gear and transportation from Moab to and from the river
- Three nourishing meals a day and healthy snacks while on the river
- Professionally facilitated therapeutic groups led by two licensed clinical mental health counselors
- Daily guided workshops and practices in mindfulness, yoga, and artistic creativity
- Two nights of hotel accommodation at the Sleep Inn in Moab on May 4th and May 10th, before and after the canoe camping portion of the trip.
- Celebration dinner in Moab on the last night of the trip
- Group intention setting Zoom call prior to the trip
- Group check-in accountability Zoom call after the trip
- Professional photos- enjoy a digital cleanse and still have photos to remember your adventure!
- Art supplies to create with while on the river
- A complimentary Desert Bloom goody bag with fun surprise items!
This does not include:
- Your transportation from where you live to and from Moab, Utah
- Your food on May 4th or May 11th
- Trip cancellation/travel insurance
In the gentle embrace of nature’s rhythm, we extend a heartfelt invitation to immerse yourself in a 6-day therapeutic canoe trip designed for women-aligned folk. Beneath towering canyon walls, we will navigate the traditional Land and Waters of the Ute, Diné, and Timpanogos Peoples with the leadership of clinical therapists, naturalists, and professional river guides. Within the container of a safe and supportive community, this trip will cultivate a sense of joy, delight, play, peace, and flourishing.
Our intention is to guide you away from the relentless demands of the modern clock and calendar, rooted in consumptive, capitalist culture, and guide you seamlessly into the natural ebb and flow of Kairos time – a time where nature’s processes unfold at their own pace.
We will spend five nights and six days together on the river. Our time will include daily therapeutic group facilitation, guided creativity and art workshops, journaling and mindfulness practices, movement, yoga, singing and music, and child-like play. We will camp along the quiet banks of the river every night and share in nourishing meals and conversations. Each day has a new theme for contemplation and discussion and brings ample opportunities for paddling, hiking, and exploring the gifts of the canyon. Intentional quiet spaces for self-reflection and rest will weave together with unstructured time and flexibility to flow and adapt to the rhythms of the river.
We are delighted and honored to paddle beside you as you reconnect to yourself and return to what matters most to you. Come explore, play, and thrive with us!
Meet the Guides
Heather Hendrie
Desert Bloom River Trip
Heather’s travels have taken her from her birthplace at the confluence of the Speed and Eramosa Rivers, to the confluence of the Elbow and the Bow, then via Boulder Creek, to the Squamish, the Mamquam, and to her current home now by The River of Golden Dreams. A wilderness therapist, writer, sister, daughter, and aunt, Heather is passionate about de-stigmatizing mental health, and promoting thriving and joy. She can most frequently be found in the forest.
Sami Bierman
Desert Bloom River Trip
Sami is a sister, artist, river guide, and curious listener. She is deeply passionate about fostering meaningful connections between people and the natural world. The river is her favorite place to tune into our own rhythms and pace, and to feel connected to something larger than ourselves. Dancing, swimming, singing, and painting beside rivers is where she feels most alive. Sami currently calls the mountains of Fernie, British Columbia her home.
Erin Farrell
Desert Bloom River Trip
Erin is a somatic psychotherapist who supports others in listening to their bodies, intuitions, and the callings of their hearts to grow into their most authentic lives. Though she started as a city girl, Erin’s own journey of authenticity has led her into muddy rivers, through hushed pine forests, and up and down craggy mountain trails. Her first trip on the Green River, in 2011, opened her eyes to the wisdom of wildness and awakened a yearning for more of what she (not so poetically) calls “This” – the sacred, the present moment, the being-not-doing, the connection, the awe.
Sarrah Claman
Desert Bloom River Trip
Sarrah was raised by the wisdom of rivers through a childhood spent exploring rivers and lakes of Temagami by canoe. From the coastal rivers of BC to the currents of the Main Salmon, rivers continue to weave a foundation of profound joy, connection, and curiosity for Sarrah. As a student midwife, artist, and guide, rivers offer her a space to pause and listen, returning to self, reconnecting to the rhythms of the natural world, and basking in the laughter, wisdom, and joy always present in these spaces. Sarrah is currently living in Southern Baja, Mexico and is filled with wonder and excitement as she builds her relationship with the warm waters of the Pacific.
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 through 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 has no rapids and hardly any current. It is muddy and shallow (except for high water in May and June)
While in camp, in addition to our theme program activity, we may swim, take short hikes or explore side canyons. After we all pitch in during camp setup, we’ll have plenty of free time to relax, enjoy our surroundings and have the opportunity to get to know each other as we experience the beauty around us. Then we’ll come together each evening around the campfire.
The River’s Path guided overnight canoe trips involve staying deep in the wilderness with no electricity or cellular reception, and in case of an emergency, evacuation will be done via rescue boat or helicopter. If you need to have medically necessary equipment that uses electricity or need to stay in contact with someone at home, the guides will have a texting device available. Please contact Lauren Bond at 303-859-7174 or lauren@theriverspath.org to discuss.
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 can range 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 monthly weather averages.
The section of the Green River we will be on is considered a Class I river with no rapids. This is essentially a flat water trip.
Each canoe accommodates two people and they include 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, for your personal gear.
Group gear provided includes: canoes, paddles, life jackets, canoe seat backs, camp chairs, full kitchen setup. Supplies provided include: all food, shade canopy and river toilet with a privacy shelter.
Your personal camp gear that you are responsible for includes: tent, tarps, sleeping bag, and anything else you need that is not provided. That being said, we highly recommend you approach this with a minimalist mentality. Everything you bring, along with your canoe partner, must fit on your canoe. We will supply you with a complete packing list.
While many adventurists kayak the Green River, the amount of gear, supplies, and coolers of fresh food on our journey requires canoes.
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, so we will pack all drinking water.
If you have other needs or concerns, contact the trip guide, Lauren Bond at 303-859-7174 or lauren@theriverspath.org
It’s important to note that this is a collaborative experience. To form a strong community and have an even more powerful, life changing, memorable experience, each individual in the group will participate and share in camp responsibilities. Everyone helps with setting up and taking down camp, unloading and loading canoes, cooking meals and cleaning up. Each individual must bring their own tent, sleeping bag and pad, as well as other items on the packing list. Those using a hammock must provide an appropriate setup for that.
During your trip through the Labyrinth Canyon you’ll find a slow meandering river with steep colorful canyon walls, amazing side canyons (and maybe evidence of ancient civilizations), incredible stars, unforgettable sunsets, and a hushed serenity you’ll find no place else. No matter where you look you’ll see the unforgettable and awe inspiring colors and sounds of nature.
You might consider long sleeved shirts and pants, bug lotion and head netting if you are extremely sensitive to bug bites. Birds like golden eagles, peregrine falcons, canyon wrens, screech owls, and more can be seen along with small animals like beavers and larger ones like desert bighorn sheep and deer.