This
superb national landmark straddles a state border -- with
most of Lake Flaming Gorge to the north in Wyoming and
the Flaming Gorge itself below the Utah border. This is a
truly outstanding place to visit, and remains as one of
my major memories -- months after completing my tour of
the Rockies.
The
"Gorge" is the Red Canyon of the Green River which carved
this deep chasm through brilliantly colored rock layers.
The lake stretches north from the gorge for 91 miles and
is one of the nation's largest reservoirs. The lake was
created from the river as part of the huge Upper Colorado
Project, by a dam across this Colorado River
tributary.
What
to See & Do
There
are two ways to reach the recreation area. From the
south, take State Highway, from Vernal, Utah. This route
leads to the Flaming Gorge Dam and Reservoir after a
short but fascinating drive up the side of the
plateau.
Another
highway route -- south from Green River, Wyoming through
the recreation area to Vernal -- leads along Highway 530,
running near the western shore of the lake. Another
route, via Highway 191, leads south from Interstate 80
near Rock Springs, skirting the lake but providing access
to Firehole Canyon. You can do the complete circle
route within a day but I advise a more gentle exploration
of the recreation area. There are campsites and even a
lodge at Flaming Gorge and this is one natural wonder
which shouldn't be rushed through.
The
recreation area is comprised of several separate
attractions, linked by Highway 44 which runs along the
south rim of the Gorge, Highway 530 which runs north from
Manila, Utah near the west shore of the lake and Highway
191 which leads north from Vernal, past the Flaming Gorge
Dam to Firehole Canyon. To get to the recreation area
from Vernal, take Highway 191. The Hwy. 44 junction (with
access to the central part of the Gorge) is 35 miles
north of Vernal.
The
Red Gorge, seen from the dam and several rim
viewpoints, is truly magnificent. There are vistas with
parking areas at Red Canyon, with a summer information
center, campground and lodge. You can walk along the rim
for wonderful views of the red rock walls and the very
dark green river below. The flooding of the canyon has
obviously slowed the river down and raised the water
level, hut your imagination takes hold when you peer down
the steep walls .
The
section of Highway 44 running through the recreation area
provides several additional viewpoints, of the Uinta
Mountains and the forests which cover the slopes. Early
September is a perfect time to visit Flaming Gorge with
large aspen groves showing their fall yellow colors in
portions of the forest which were harvested in years
past. This is one part of the Rockies where clear cutting
has quickly generated early forest development. There are
picnic places throughout the area. The Dowd Mountain
Overlook is a particularly scenic picnic area toward the
western end of the Gorge.
A
second feature of the recreation area is the Sheep
Creek Canyon Geological Area, off Highway 44 on a
loop drive. Here, craggy rocks shove their way into the
sky, with pinnacles, oddly shaped hoodoos and tumbled
rocks. There are signs along the loop road pointing out
the geological formations. Here, too, there are picnic
sites.
To
the north of the small village of Manila, there are
several lake access roads. Lucerne Valley Road
takes you to a marina, camping, boat launch, picnic areas
and a store. Squaw Hollow Road leads to the
central part of the lake and a boat ramp. Buckboard
Crossing at the northern end of the lake has a
campground, boat ramp, dump station, and gas. On the
eastern side of the recreation area, via Hwy. 191,
Firehole Canyon is another scenic spot with a
campground, picnic tables, boat ramp and dump station.
Anglers should be aware that some of the largest mackinaw
caught in the West have come out of Flaming Gorge
Lake.
Visitors
to the Flaming Gorge Dam may take a self-guided
tour of the facility with the main information center for
the recreation area at this site, near the small Forest
Service community of Dutch John.
Below
the dam is one of the finest river-recreation areas in
the country. The first 12 miles below the dam is a blue
ribbon trout stream of wide renown. Motors are not
allowed on the stretch between the dam and Red Creek and
there is a riverside trail in this area. Rubber rafts can
be rented locally and guided raft trips are available.
Below this area, Brown's Park is a long valley
where the Green River winds through hills and wide, flat
stretches. Farther west, the river enters the canyons in
the Dinosaur
National Monument.
This section of the river offers river rafters an
exhilarating experience, through turbulent rapids and
swift moving stretches. This part of the river is best
rafted with tour guides.
Visitors
to the recreation area should consider visiting the
historic Swett Ranch, located north of the dam on
Highway 191. This early homestead was settled by Oscar
Swett and his family in 1909. Cabins were built, fields
were cleared; Oscar ran a sawmill and built a blacksmith
shop. The family prospered for many years. Then, the dam
was built in the late 1950s and Oscar, growing old, sold
the property in 1968 and died a few months later. His
widow continued to live on the ranch, which belonged to a
developer until 1970. The ranch was purchased by the
Forest Service in 1972 and it was placed on the state and
national lists of historic sites. It's a fine example of
the western homestead and is visited by thousands each
year.
The
highway route from the Hwy. 191/44 junction to Manila was
named the first National Forest Scenic Byway in 1988.
Passing by the Red Gorge and the Sheep Creek Canyon, it's
an unforgettable journey through geological time.
