Lower Seeley River or "Joes" also referred to as Cottonwood River below Joe's Valley Reservoir.

Lower Seeley River - Joes- Cottonwood River Todd Fishing

Lower Seeley River 

also referred to as Cottonwood River below Joe's Valley Reservoir. 

360 Video at Joes

Lower Seeley River with its unique turquoise waters, beautiful boulders, and we can’t forget cute lizards is a delightful place to spend an afternoon. It is the river just below the massive dam for Joe's Valley Reservoir.  If you drive this road, there are lots of little pull offs with trails down to this river, and each trail has gorgeous views of the river.  Plus there is a great bouldering hiking course across the road to stretch your hiking skills (but don't forget a bouldering mat if you do that), and ATV trails to the top of the extremely tall cliffs across from the river as a cherry on top.

2D Version if you like that better

Trail Information

• Enjoying this area feels similar to me to Black Canyon.  For both areas, you drive until you see a pull off, look for the trail, check out the gorgeous views at that location, and then jump back in your car and find the next awesome spot.  If you have never done Black Canyon of the Gunnison, that is also a hike you should definitely check out!  Here is the link:

Link to Black Canyon of the Gunnision in 360

Black Canyon of the Gunnison ShaunasAdventures

• Location is about 3 hours South of SLC on the east side of Joes Valley Resevoir.  
• Trail is appropriate for 12 and up.  There are some bouldering on many of the trails, and does require you to be safe and smart around the river, but it is gorgeous. 

Fun Tiny Planet Version for you! 

Hubby Fishing the Lower Seeley River

Hubby Fishing Joes River, Utah

Cool Rectangular Slab or rock, with hubby finding a sweet spot on a large boulder to fish. 

Fishing Cottonwood River under Joe Valley Reservoir

Hubby Fishing Lower Seeley River, Utah

A Video of Joes River

Remember the best way to watch a 360 video is by grabbing your VRHeadset, and watching This video in YouTubeVR, Search ShaunasAdventures and Lower Seeley River in 360 Videos. 

2D Version of above if you like that better. 

Pictures of Lower Seeley River, Joes, or Cottonwood River 

Joes River, Utah

Panorama of Lower Seeley River, Utah 

Unique Grass that look like Grass Eels on the side of the river. 

Cottonwood River under Joes Valley River, Utah

Oliphant Mining History in the Canyon

At one of the pullouts there is an old mining Cart from the Black Diamond and Oliphant Coal Mining Company that existed here in the canyon with an nice information write up.  

Black Diamond and Oliphant Coal Mining Cart 

Black Diamond and Oliphant Coal Mining Cart with Joes River in background

Hiking and Bouldering in Canyon.  

At one of the pullouts, I watched 2 cars pull up and hike into this area with bouldering mats, and then only a few miles up the road there is a large parking lot that is just for Bouldering Trails.  If you do not know what Bouldering is, it is when you are hiking and you come to that huge rock that you have to get up and around, so you use elbows, and various wedging techniques to get up and over that big rock with out using ropes.  When practicing they often bring in a bouldering mat.  The ones I saw had straps they just put the mats on their back like a back pack.  In the below picture there is a spot where there is a waterfall during rain.  There is an ATV Trail on top of those cliffs that has trails that get you to the top looking down there.