A 60-year-old Tennessee man thought he’d give the strong river currents a try near Echo Park in Dinosaur National Monument on Tuesday with terrifying results. The tourist, who did not have a rafting permit, decided to hop in the water with a “cheap Walmart inner tube” which was quickly sucked out from under him. He had walked a few yards up from his campground and hopped in. Steamboat Today reports that he was thankfully wearing a life jacket and was eventually able to swim to the steep shoreline. The man’s wife watched the series of events and alerted park staff who were able to use a rope to get the man to safety. “These are really strong rivers,” shares Dan Johnson of Dinosaur National Monument Visitor Services. “We don’t want any kind of accident to happen. Part of the reason we have the rules and regulations in place is to enhance people’s safety.” Permits are required for all river trips.
