Last Updated: July 18, 2026
Flaming Gorge was named by John Wesley Powell during his expedition down the Green River in 1869 because of the spectacular red sandstone cliffs that are adjacent to the river.
Visitor Information — Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
Address: Flaming Gorge Visitor Center, 25 W Flaming Gorge Way, Dutch John, UT 84023
Open: Year-round; visitor center hours vary seasonally — call ahead in winter
Phone: (435) 784-3445
Entry Fee: $15/vehicle (day use); $6/person on foot or bicycle; America the Beautiful Annual Pass accepted
Website: fs.usda.gov/ashley
Visitor Information — Dinosaur National Monument
Address: Quarry Exhibit Hall, 11625 E 1500 S, Jensen, UT 84035
Open: Year-round; Quarry Exhibit Hall open daily 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (seasonal variations apply)
Phone: (435) 781-7700
Entry Fee: $25/vehicle (7-day pass); America the Beautiful Annual Pass accepted
Website: nps.gov/dino
Boulder, WY
From West Yellowstone, Montana we traveled southeast through Yellowstone to Boulder, WY. The fall colors were scenic and the fire haze had slightly improved.
We stayed at the Highline Trail RV Park. They had full service and decent wifi. Seems like there were a lot of guests either hunting or fishing.
Flaming Gorge, UT
The area is known as a National Recreation Area. There is spectacular trout fishing and water recreation activities.
The Flaming Gorge dam is used to create hydroelectric power utilizing three turbines.
The colors were stunning with numerous scenic overlooks. We chose not to hike as the woods and trails were filled with elk hunters.
Pine Forest RV Park, Flaming Gorge, Utah
Pine Forest had full service and decent wifi. We pulled into our site facing the sunsets.
The best part were all the dog-friendly hiking trails giving Jake the dog the chance to explore some off leash.
Sometimes the open range cows would graze in front of the motorhome, giving Jake the dog hours of endless entertainment.
We had lunch at the Flaming Gorge Restaurant. Amazing burgers and guns welcome! You have to love the west!
Exploring the area we came across pronghorn and prairie dogs. That got Jake the dog all excited.
Sheep Creek Scenic Byway, Flaming Gorge
A beautiful drive through a scenic narrow canyon filled with fall colors. We were careful not to hike. Driving through this area we came across numerous hunters camping with occasional gunshots heard nearby. We stopped at a truck that was loading out their bull elk from the morning’s hunt.
Dinosaur National Monument, Utah
The monument is located on the border between Utah and Colorado. The quarry was named a Monument in 1915 by Woodrow Wilson.
The Quarry Exhibit Hall is filled with exposed bones.
In the Monument there were numerous petroglyphs.
The drive through Dinosaur National Monument with its colorful rock and fall foliage was beautiful.
Josie Bassett Morris lived here starting in the early 1900s and raised cattle and farmed. She lived in this cabin until 1964 when she passed away at age 90.
The Green River cuts through the park. It’s a popular river rafting destination. The Green River is a major tributary to the Colorado River.
Practical Tips for Visiting Flaming Gorge NRA and Dinosaur National Monument
Drive the Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Loop. This 13-mile paved loop off Highway 44 is the single best thing to do in Flaming Gorge that most visitors skip entirely. The canyon walls expose half a billion years of geological history, the creek runs beside the road the whole way, and fall color here is extraordinary — gold aspen and cottonwood against deep red sandstone.
Budget a full day for each destination. Flaming Gorge and Dinosaur National Monument are about 90 minutes apart and each deserves its own day. Trying to do both in one day means rushing through both. We based at Pine Forest RV Park in Dutch John for Flaming Gorge and day-tripped to Dinosaur NM from there — it’s a workable plan for RVers who don’t want to break camp.
Start at the Quarry Exhibit Hall first thing in the morning. The actual dinosaur bones embedded in the rock face are the centerpiece of Dinosaur National Monument, and the hall can get crowded midday. Arriving when it opens at 9 AM gives you the wall of bones nearly to yourself. During peak season the NPS runs a shuttle from the visitor center — it’s the only access to the Quarry, so plan accordingly.
Check for elk hunting season before you hike. October is prime elk season in both the Flaming Gorge area and portions of Dinosaur NM. We heard shots nearby on the trails and encountered hunters loading elk at trailheads. If you’re venturing off the main paved drives in October, wear blaze orange — or stick to the boardwalks and developed overlooks where hunting is prohibited.
Bring binoculars for wildlife. Pronghorn antelope appear regularly in the sagebrush flats around Flaming Gorge, and prairie dog towns are easy to spot from the car. We also saw mule deer along the canyon roads. The open terrain makes spotting easy — binoculars let you appreciate them from a respectful distance without disturbing the animals.
Don’t skip Josie’s Cabin at Dinosaur NM. Most visitors focus only on the Quarry and miss this site entirely, but the story of a woman who lived completely alone in a remote Utah canyon until age 90 is remarkable. The canyon around the cabin is shaded and peaceful, with apple trees she planted still growing beside the creek — a complete contrast to the open desert elsewhere in the monument.
Fill up on fuel before entering Flaming Gorge. Options are limited once you’re inside the NRA. Dutch John has a small store, but the nearest full-service towns are Manila, UT to the west or Vernal, UT to the south. For RVers, Pine Forest RV Park offers full hookups, reliable wifi, and a great central location for exploring both the reservoir area and the Sheep Creek Byway.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area?
Flaming Gorge NRA is a 207,363-acre federal recreation area in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming, managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of Ashley National Forest. It centers on Flaming Gorge Reservoir, a 91-mile-long impoundment of the Green River created by Flaming Gorge Dam in 1964. The area is famous for trophy trout fishing, water sports, dramatic red canyon scenery, and the Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Loop.
Why is it called Flaming Gorge?
Explorer and geologist John Wesley Powell named it Flaming Gorge during his 1869 expedition down the Green River because of the brilliant red and orange sandstone cliffs that glow like fire — especially at sunrise and sunset. Powell’s expedition was the first recorded passage of the Green River through this canyon system, and the name he gave it has stuck for over 150 years.
Is Flaming Gorge worth visiting?
Absolutely. Flaming Gorge is one of the most underrated destinations in the American West — it draws a fraction of the crowds of nearby Arches or Zion, but delivers stunning canyon scenery, world-class trout fishing, outstanding fall foliage, and wildlife including pronghorn, mule deer, and prairie dogs. Fall is arguably the best time to visit, when aspens and cottonwoods turn gold against the red rock along the Sheep Creek Byway.
What is Dinosaur National Monument famous for?
Dinosaur National Monument sits on the Utah-Colorado border and is famous for the Carnegie Quarry, where more than 1,500 dinosaur bones remain embedded in their original sandstone formation — visible in the Quarry Exhibit Hall. The monument also features ancient Fremont culture petroglyphs, the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers (a destination for multi-day whitewater rafting), and dramatic canyon scenery along the Harpers Corner and Echo Park drives.
Can you see actual dinosaur bones at Dinosaur National Monument?
Yes — and it’s extraordinary. The Quarry Exhibit Hall was built directly over the fossil-bearing sandstone face, allowing visitors to walk right up to more than 1,500 bones still in the rock exactly where they were deposited roughly 149 million years ago. Dinosaurs represented include Allosaurus, Diplodocus, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Camarasaurus. The exhibit is unlike anything else in the national park system.
What are the petroglyphs at Dinosaur National Monument?
The petroglyphs at Dinosaur National Monument were carved by the Fremont people, who lived in this region from approximately 600 to 1300 AD. The images include abstract human figures, bighorn sheep, animals, and geometric shapes. The best sites include petroglyphs along Cub Creek Road, accessible by car. Many figures feature the broad-shouldered, trapezoidal body style that is the hallmark of Fremont rock art.
Can you visit both Flaming Gorge and Dinosaur National Monument in one trip?
Yes — they pair naturally together and we highly recommend combining them. Pine Forest RV Park in Dutch John is about 90 miles west of the Dinosaur NM Quarry Exhibit Hall in Jensen, UT, making it an easy day trip between the two. Vernal, UT sits between them and makes a convenient hub for either camping or a hotel stay. Allow at least two to three days total to do both destinations justice.
