Also see our Flaming Gorge fishing articles.

91 miles of spectacular scenery and unparalleled recreational opportunity

Fishing, Boating, Hiking, Camping, Exploring

The Flaming Gorge area has a rich heritage. The area was home to Native Americans, mountain men, pioneers and outlaws. Both John C. Fremont and John Wesley Powell explored the area during their scientific studies of the West. In 1869, Powell explored down the Green River and gave names to many locations: Flaming Gorge, Horseshoe Canyon, Red Canyon, the Gates of Lodore – these names have endured because they reflect the majesty of this spectacular country. The legends of Butch Cassidy, Jim Bridger and Queen Anne Bassett were forged in this country. Flaming Gorge Reservoir was created in 1962 by impoundment of the Green River behind Flaming Gorge Dam. It is 91 miles long and covers some 2,000 acres. It was designated a Natural Recreation Area in 1968. Contrasts in scenery are amazing, ranging from the rugged Uinta Mountains to the expansive Wyoming desert. Fishing, boating water skiing and jet skiing are primary activities at Flaming Gorge; hiking backpacking, mountain biking, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are growing in popularity during their respective seasons.

Fishing is good year-round. Most angling activity takes place during the summer months, but some of the best fishing actually occurs during the spring and fall. Ice fishing is also good at the reservoir. The northern portion usually freezes solid during the winter. It can be a great adventure fishing for monster lake trout through a hole in the ice. Below Sheep Creek the reservoir often does not develop sufficient ice to support fishing. Boat ramps normally become usable in April, and stay open into November. Water temperatures are cool, even during the summer. Swimming and skiing is generally pleasant from June through September.

Best Flaming Gorge area adventures

• Fishing for monster lake trout from a boat or through the ice.
• Float the Green River and fish for trophy rainbows and browns.
• Raft the whitewater through Dinosaur National Park.
• Mountain Bike one of the area’s many loops.
• Kayak for miles through Flaming Gorge.
• Backpack into remote wilderness-area lakes.
• Snowmobile on virgin powder around the edges of the high Uintas.

Best Map

Flaming Gorge Reservoir, published by American Adventures Association (AAA). Available at most area tackle and sporting goods stores.

Phone numbers

• US Forest Service Flaming Gorge Ranger District: (435) 784-3445.
• Utah’s Dinosaur Travel Region: (800) 477-5558. www.dinoland.com
• Dinosaur National Monument: (435) 789-8277.
• Utah Division of Wildlife Resources NE Region: (435) 789-3103.

Visitor Centers

• Flaming Gorge Dam Visitor Center. Open year-round. Offers some handicapped-accessible facilities, including campsites, picnic sites and fishing platforms. (435) 885-3135
• Red Canyon Visitors Center. (435) 889-3713

Marinas

• Cedar Springs (near dam): Boat rental, restrooms. (435) 889-3795.
• Lucerne Valley (near Utah/Wyoming Border): Boat rental, restrooms, camping, store. (888) 820-9225
• Buckboard (uplake): Boat rental, restrooms, camping, showers, store. (307) 875-6927.

Boat Ramps (Ramps not associated with a marina or campground offer restrooms but no other service.)

• Cedar Springs
• Lucerne Valley
• Buckboard
• Sheep Creek Bay
• Firehole Canyon
• Antelope Flat
• Mustang Ridge.

Green River raft ramps are available just below the dam, at Little Hole and at Browns Park. (Raft rental and shuttle services can be arranged through the Flaming Gorge lodge and from several other businesses around the dam.)

Campgrounds

(The Forest Service manages most public campgrounds around Flaming Gorge, and in the nearby Uinta Mountains. Group sites and individual sites can be reserved by calling (888) 820-9225.)

• Firehole Canyon (RV sanitary station)
• Antelope Flat (Group sites, RV sanitary station)
• Mustang Ridge (RV sanitary station)
• Dripping Springs (Above the Green River, group sites)
• Cedar Springs/Deer Run (RV sanitary station)
• Firefighters Memorial/Greendale (Group sites, RV sanitary station)
• Green Lake/Canyon Rim (RV sanitary station)
• Lucerne Valley (Group sites, RV sanitary station)
• Buckboard Crossing (RV sanitary station)
• Hideout Boat Camp (Boat access only)
• BLM campgrounds are available at Bridge Hollow and Indian Crossing in Browns Park

Lodging, Restaurants, etc.

In nearby communities

• Rock Springs, Wyoming, near the top of the reservoir, 63 miles from the dam.
• Green River, Wyoming, near the top of the reservoir, 83 miles from the dam.
• Manila, Utah – Just five miles from the Lucerne Marina, 33 miles from the dam.
• Vernal, Utah, 41 miles from the dam.

Nearby Attractions

Green River below the dam. Considered one of the best tailwater trout fisheries in the world. Best fished by floating, but also offers good opportunity for walk-in anglers. Check the current Utah proclamation for special regulations. Any lodge or visitor center in the area can provide detailed information. Guided trips can be arranged through Salt Lake and Vernal area fly shops or through the lodges and marinas.

Dinosaur National Monument, 20 miles west of Vernal. Home of the word’s largest Jurassic period dinosaur quarry. More than 1,600 dinosaur bones have been exposed but left in a 160-foot-long rock wall, where they can be easily viewed. (435) 789-2775.

Utah Field House of Natural History, located in Vernal, offers displays and information about the ecology, history and prehistory of the area. (435) 789-3799.

Dinosaur Gardens, adjacent to the Field House, offers 14 life-sized replicas of prehistoric creatures. (435) 789-3799.

Dinosaur tracks at Red Fleet State Park. The park includes a reservoir with good fishing for trout, large-mouth bass and bluegill. The tracks are in a section of sandstone across the lake from the boat ramp. They can be difficult to find at times because of blowing sand and lightning conditions. Ask a ranger for directions. (435) 789-4432.

Red Clout/Dry Fork Scenic Backway. Ancient Indian rock art (petroglyphs – carved into the rock face; and pictographs – paintings on the rock) can be seen in the Dry Fork portion of the route. The 45-mile loop offers views of aspen groves, open meadows and lodgepole forests. Wildlife is often visible along the route. Access is from U.S. 191, 14 miles north of Vernal. The road surface varies from pavement to gravel. Closed during winter months. There are several fishable trout streams along the route. The rock art is contained in a 200-foot high Navajo formation sandstone cliff, and extends for several miles. Some panels are up to nine feet tall.

Jones Hole Scenic Backway. Offers the Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery, a clear, cold trout stream, and vivid ancient rock art. Jones Hole is a tributary to the Green River. The round trip is about 80 miles. From U.S. 191 in Vernal follow the signs east out of the town, up Diamond Mountain and down into the scenic canyon. Deer and elk are commonly seen along the route. Excellent hiking along the stream down to the Green River.

Lucky visitors may catch a glimpse of big horn sheep up on one of the rocky ledges.

Common Large Animals

• Mule Deer
• Pronghorn Antelope
• Rocky Mountain Elk
• Bighorn Sheep
• Moose
• Black Bear
• Cougar

Bighorn sheep can occasionally be seen while boating the lake, and from automobiles traveling the Sheep Creek Geologic Loop drive. Bear and cougar inhabit the region, but are seldom seen. It is rare for wild animals to challenge or harm humans in this area.

How to Get There

Skywest (800) 435-9417 and American Aviation (801) 537-1537 provide flights from Salt Lake to the Flaming Gorge area. (Driving is an option.)

Fishing Regulations

Utah and Wyoming have unified trout and salmon regulations. The limit for licensed anglers is six trout or kokanee in the aggregate, but no more than three may be kokanee and no more than three may be lake trout. Only one lake trout may be longer than 28 inches.

On the Utah side the bass limit is 10 fish. On the Wyoming side the bass limit is 6 fish.

Licensed Utah anglers need a Wyoming reciprocal stamp to fish on the Wyoming side. Wyoming license holders need a Utah stamp to fish on the Utah side. These licenses can be purchased at the shops and lodges on both sides of the border.

Mountain Bike Flaming Gorge

Canyon Rim

Several trails in the Flaming Gorge area provide excellent rising opportunities. One of the best is the Canyon Rim/Swett Ranch trail, above Red Canyon. It offers something for everyone, with dazzling views of the deep colorful canyon and Flaming Gorge Reservoir. This single-track trail offers out-and-back and loop options that are suitable for riders of varying experience ranging from novice to strong intermediate.

You can get on the trial at the Red Canyon Visitor’s Center, Red Canyon Lodge, or at Swett Ranch. It’s very enjoyable to simply ride along the canyon rim, without the expectation of completing a pre-defined route, and then to return the way you came. The tail is well-marked and easy to follow. It is rocky along most of its length, but not particularly difficult riding.

Serious riders can complete a 16-mile route that combines an out-and-back ride with a loop around the historic ranch.

Spectacular scenery is the trial’s primary draw. The rim is forested with ponderosa pine and other trees. In addition to views of the canyon and Flaming Gorge, the trail passes Green’s Lake. The Uinta Mountains are visible in the distance. Heavy snow covers the area during the winter. The trail is usually ridable from May through October. Shade and cool mountain breezes make it enjoyable in the summer.

Red Cloud

People looking for a long ride will enjoy the Red Cloud Loop, a 40-mile point-to-point ride that arches up into the Uinta Mountains and then comes down Dry Fork Canyon. Most of the ride is on maintained dirt roads. The final 10 miles is paved.

The contrasts in scenery along this route is incredible. The route begins along U.S. 191 north of Vernal, along the famous “Drive through the Ages,” where signs are posted to identify geologic rock formations and the life forms that inhabited the area at those times.

The ride begins at an elevation of 8,600 feet and climbs into the Uinta Mountains, with several extended up-hill sections, to 10,000 feet. It passes through a scenic forest and skirts lakes and streams, then drops between massive sandstone cliffs and sheer canyon walls into Dry Fork Canyon, and ends at an elevation of 5,990 feet.

The route can be completed as a true loop ride, starting and ending in Vernal, but it then totals a rugged 70-miles, with even more elevation change.

Serious riders will want to consult guidebooks that describe Utah rides. We recommend “The Mountain Biker’s Guide To Utah,” by Gregg Bromka. It was published in 1994 by Falcon Press.

Whitewater Float Trips

The Green River offers opportunity for world-class whitewater trips. The relatively mild float from Flaming Gorge Dam to Little Hole provides a taste of the excitement available, but the real adventures begin further down-river, and range from thrilling one-day-outings to intensely challenging multi-day runs. The Green is crowded from the dam to Little Hole, and recreational boaters sometimes clash with fishermen. Both caps need to show consideration for others. Boaters need to maintain control of rafts and ensure they do not encroach on water an angler is fishing.

The float to Little Hole can be enjoyed as a do-it-yourself project, but groups challenging real whitewater should go with a licensed guide or at least include a seasoned river veteran. Permits are required on most sections of the Green and Colorado.

You can get more information on the trips described below from a river guide or from Dinosaur National Monument: (435) 789-8277

Split Mountain Run

Located in Dinosaur National Monument, this eight-mile float provides one of the most exciting day-trips available anywhere. It features an exciting drop of 20 feet per mile and includes the Moonshine, S.O.B., Schoolboy and Inglesby rapids. It makes a great introduction to whitewater adventure.

It also serves as the final leg to both the longer trips described below.

Lodore Canyon

Considered one of the most beautiful canyons of the Green River, the river here flows between steep, red walls. Mountain Sheep, deer, river otter and other wildlife are often seen in the canyon.

In some areas the river is tranquil, in others the thundering roar of rapids herald an exiting ride. The river plunges over Disaster Falls, through Hell’s Half Mile and over Triplet Falls. The average descent in the canyon is 13 feet per mile, but the descent increases to 30 feet per mile in Hell’s Half Mile.

John Wesley Powell lost a boat in this canyon during his historic 1869 voyage.

The river season runs from mid-May to mid-September. The trip totals about 59 miles and typically takes three or four days.

Yampa River

The Yampa is the only major tributary in the Colorado River system that is not controlled by a dam. That means springtime flows are intense, an provide a thrilling ride over rapids. The waters subside as the season progresses, and the rafting season here usually ends in mid-summer.

The Yampa includes a number of intense rapids, including one called “Warm Springs,” which is rated as one of the 10 best in the U.S.

The Yampa originates in the mountains of western Colorado and flows through Dinosaur National Monument to meet the Green River in Echo Park. Then it’s down the Green, past Steamboat Rock, Whirlpool Canyon and Split Mountain. The float totals 70 miles and takes three or four days.

Lodging

Two wonderful lodges are found in Flaming Gorge Country. Both offer excellent accommodations, but are considerably different in approach and style.

Flaming Gorge Lodge (435) 889-3773

Located near the dam, this is a large establishment conveniently located along the highway. It provides easy access to the Green River raft ramp below the dam, near Cedar Springs Marina on the lake. The lodge offers condos and motel rooms. Each condo includes a fully-furnished kitchen and one bedroom, complete with a queen, single and hide-a-bed. The motel rooms contain two double beds, and offer the option of a roll-away.

A restaurant is located nearby, along with a well-stocked general store offering groceries plus camping and boating supplies. There is also a service station next door.

The Flaming Gorge Tackle Shop offers the most complete selection of fishing supplies, including a huge assortment of flies and fly-fishing equipment.

The lodge is open year-round. Other facilities and services include a liquor store, raft rentals, shuttle service, trips on the Green River, and cross-country ski rentals.

Red Canyon Lodge (435) 889-3773

Renowned for its beautiful setting, the Red Canyon Lodge was first established in 1930, and was reopened in 1991. It is located in a quiet forest on the mountain above Red Canyon. It is just 10 miles from the dam, making it a convenient place to stay when fishing the Green or boating on the lake.

The lodge and its cabins are built on the edge of East Greens Lake, a private 20-acre water stocked with spunky rainbow trout. Guests at the lodge are invited to fish that lake, and the nearby West Greens Lake. A kids fish-pond is also provided.

The lodge is open daily from April through mid-October, and on weekends from mid-January through March. It offers rustic cabins for the budget-minded, and luxury cabins for those who want to enjoy the outdoors in a civilized way.

Rustic cabins in the frontier-style do not include toilets – a central shower house offers restroom and shower facilities. Rustic cabins in the deluxe-style include restrooms. Cabins in either style are available with one or two rooms, with a queen bed in each room.

Luxury cabins offer two queen beds in the bedroom, plus a queen pull-out in the living room. All have a full bath, kitchenette and vaulted ceiling. Other services and facilities include a general store, full-service restaurant, tackle supplies, guided hunting and fishing trips, horseback riding and mountain bike rental.