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VERNAL — An environmental group has published unique views of the Yampa River gathered using Google's Street View Trekker camera.
American Rivers, a non-profit organization focused on restoring and protecting waterways, took the camera on a rafting trip down the Yampa last June.
"Supported by the outfitter O.A.R.S. and in partnership with Friends of the Yampa, American Rivers staff used the Street View Trekker camera on a four-day float on the Yampa through Dinosaur National Monument," a statement on the group's website reads. "Trip members also wore the Street View Trekker to capture popular side hikes, including Bull Canyon Trail with its dramatic overlook."
The Yampa River flows out of the Rocky Mountains and joins the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument, a short distance from the Utah border. It is recognized as one of the last free-flowing rivers in the western United States.
The Yampa also plays a key role in filling Utah's Lake Powell. Its waters join the Colorado River in Canyonlands National Park, flow through the Glen Canyon Dam and eventually are captured in Lake Mead.
Unlike some stretches of river in the western United States, the Yampa remains relatively untouched in part because of its remote location and challenging geography.
"Drought and increased demand are putting further strain on Colorado Basin water supplies, and with proposals for new dams and trans-basin diversions, the future of the Yampa hangs in the balance," the American Rivers website reads.
In March, 2014, Google and American Rivers published first-person views of a river run on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
