![]() NPS On May 24, 1869 he began a journey for the ages as he led a company of men down the Green and Colorado rivers from Green River, Wyoming to St. Thomas, Nevada. They were not the first people to explore the Green and Colorado River canyons, but they were the first to float them in their entirety. Twice. On the first trip, in 1869, his men suffered through perilous rapids, losing an entire boat and a third of their supplies, rotten food, fires in camp, and fist-fights among the men. In the Grand Canyon, three men abandoned the expedition, fearing they could not survive the dangers of the river much longer and having lost faith in Powell’s leadership. They attempted to hike out of the Canyon but were never seen again. ![]() NPS/E.O. Beaman ![]() Library of Congress Powell’s success on his journeys opened a huge area of the west to exploration and settlement. Many other explorers and river runners followed in his footsteps, leaving their marks on the history of the area. He also foresaw the difficulty of settling in the west, saying the land was mostly unsuitable for agricultural development, except for through careful use of scant water sources. Although he is sometimes a controversial figure, Powell represents a romantic vision of exploration of the unknown. This is something that visitors to Dinosaur still feel as they explore the same beautiful country he traveled through long ago. ![]() USGS Photo Archive/ E. O. Beaman |
Last updated: September 25, 2019