INSIDER'S GUIDE:
FLAMING GORGE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA BY MONIQUE BEELEY
IN 1869, MAJOR JOHN WESLEY POWELL, on expedition down the Green River, looked in awe at this magnificent country and pronounced: “We name it Flaming Gorge.” Today, the high elevation brilliant red cliffs are scenic attractions for thousands of visitors annually. The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is a whopping 1,384,132 acres with elevations up to13,500 feet. Located in the northeast corner of Utah in Daggett County, and the southwest corner of Wyoming, the NRA is managed by the Ashley National Forest and includes the section of the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam. This rugged wildland stretches from high deserts to the alpine bowls and forested slopes of Utah's Uinta Mountains. The heart of the NRA is the 91-mile-long reservoir created by Flaming Gorge Dam, with more than 360 miles of shoreline, boat ramps, full-service lodges, and marinas.
16 DISCOVER UTAH KIDS
The NRA encompasses majestic Kings Peak (highest in Utah), Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway, and The Green River Corridor, a world-class trout fishery. Boundaries also include the fascinating Sheep Creek Geological Area and the High Uinta Wilderness. ACTIVITIES ABOUND YEAR-ROUND IN THE OUTDOOR MECCA: hiking & backpacking, canoeing, SUP & kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, rock climbing, river running, scenic byways and wildlife viewing. Winter is off-season here, and you are sure to find solitude and endless places to explore. If a cozy cabin in the-pine filled forest next to an icecovered private lake is beckoning your family, then Red Canyon Lodge is the perfect fit. Don’t be surprised to wake up to see mule deer and big horn sheep out your window in the early morning hours. Here you will truly unplug from society, as there is no wi-fi or tv’s in the cabins. The Lodge has a general store and restaurant (limited winter hours), as well as onsite snowshoe rentals.
