Paddle: Jordan River Draper to South Jordan

This 4-mile water trail adventure features two relatively new concrete boat ramps on the Jordan River. Our itinerary is to put-in at Rotary Park in Draper on one new boat ramp, and then navigate north to Shields Lane Trailhead in South Jordan and take-out on the other ramp. This section of the Jordan River has a lot of diversity and ranges from narrow twisting close-in sections to broad open areas, and provides some wonderful vistas of the Wasatch Mountains along the way. The river corridor has greened-up nicely, and with blue skies, this can be a very scenic paddle. We will float past the confluence of Midas, Willow and Dry Creeks, paddle past vertical river banks, and navigate under several bridges. The Jordan River through this area is a smooth flowing flat water river; principal navigation hazards include a few rocky spots, overhanging tree branches, river debris and some shallow areas.

This activity is appropriate for boating enthusiasts who can supply their own equipment, and who can safely maneuver their boat in current to avoid navigation obstacles. Please check your equipment for serviceability and to ensure your boat is free of aquatic nuisance/invasive species; everyone will need to wear a PFD for this event. Boaters are responsible for their safety on the water. In the past, this has been about a 90-minute paddle plus shuttle time.

Meet Elliott at 9:00am the Shields Lane Trailhead located immediately west of the Jordan River on the south side of 9800 South. (This is Sego Lilly if coming from the east.) Shields Lane is our take-out location. At this site, we’ll familiarize everyone with the take-out, organize a vehicle shuttle, and then caravan to the put-in location.