Dinosaur National Monument & Fantasy Canyon

[IntrepidXJ]

Saturday, October 24, 2009

On Saturday monring, Amanda and I set off early and headed north through the Book Cliffs. Our destination this weekend was Dinosaur national Monument. This area has been on our to-do list for quite a while, but after visiting the park it makes me wonder why we didn't head up there sooner. We will definitely be spending more time up there in the future :)

After a quick stop in Rangely to top off my tank, we made our way to the Colorado Visitors Center just outside of Dinosaur, CO. We looked around and got an official map (I can never have enough maps) of the park before heading further east on US 40 to our starting point off the pavement.

We took a left onto Wolf Creek Road and made our way into Dinosaur National Monument.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166827-2/IMG_0427.jpg

we followed the road across the Yampa Bench until we reached the spur to Wagon Wheel Point. This point offered great views down into the Yampa River canyon.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166830-2/IMG_0429.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166833-2/IMG_0446.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166845-2/IMG_0461.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166848-2/IMG_0462.jpg

Our next stop was the Harding Hole Overlook

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166851-2/IMG_0465.jpg

This overlook had a great view over gooseneck of the Yampa with the river winding it's way into the distance.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166890-2/IMG_0476_7_8.jpg

Along the Yampa Bench Road
http://myxj.net/g2/d/166860-2/IMG_0486.jpg

[IntrepidXJ]

Castle Park Overlook was the final overlook along this stretch of road.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166863-2/IMG_0489.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166866-2/IMG_0495.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166869-2/IMG_0497.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166872-2/IMG_0499.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166878-2/IMG_0510.jpg

Soon we reached the turnoff to Echo Park and made our way down the canyon to the Yampa.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166777-2/IMG_0515.jpg

Amanda spotted the Picaso Face

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166782-2/IMG_0521.jpg

[IntrepidXJ]

Then we stopped to check out the very cool Whispering Cave that sat at the base of a sheer cliff face.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166785-2/IMG_0522.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166893-2/IMG_0534_5_6.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166896-2/IMG_0537_8_9.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166899-2/IMG_0540_1_2.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166902-2/IMG_0546_7_8.jpg

[IntrepidXJ]

Finally we reached Echo Park (Pats Hole) and Steamboat Rock.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166803-2/IMG_0557.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166812-2/IMG_0567.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166818-2/IMG_0570.jpg

We stopped at the old Chew Ranch on our way back to the Yampa Bench Road

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166821-2/IMG_0583.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166824-2/IMG_0585.jpg

After we made it back to the Yampa Bench Road, we continued on until we reached the paved Harpers Corner Drive. We took this road out to Harpers Corner where we took the short hike at the end. On the way back we stopped at a few of the overlooks along the way. We took a right onto the gravel Blue Mountain Road and headed southwest into Utah where we eventually met up with US 40 again.

Our next stop was at the Utah 'temporary' Visitors Center where we actually got to see a few read dinosaur bones. We had a nice chat with the ranger there, who gave us a lot of great information for future trips this way. We were thinking about hiking to some more dinosaur bones near the closed Dinosaur Quarry, but the weather got worse and it started to rain, so we cancelled that idea. Instead, we took the paved auto tour though this part of the park that lies to the south of Split Mountain.

It was starting to get late and we were hungry by the time we finished the auto tour, so we made our way to Vernal for the evening, where we had hotel reservations for the night.

To be continued....

[Scott P]

I was there this weekend too, but at Deerlodge.

Next time you go to Echo Park, let me know and I can tell you where some fantastic petroglyph panels are. They aren't the same ones where you took the photo of the stiped wall, but are more hidden (but easy to get to). There are big horn sheep petroglpyphs, only they are life sized. I've never seen any others like it on the Colorado Plateau.

[IntrepidXJ]

Next time you go to Echo Park, let me know and I can tell you where some fantastic petroglyph panels are. They aren't the same ones where you took the photo of the stiped wall, but are more hidden (but easy to get to). There are big horn sheep petroglpyphs, only they are life sized. I've never seen any others like it on the Colorado Plateau.

I'll definitely have to take you up on that. I know we will be going back again!

[IntrepidXJ]

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Sunday morning after some breakfast, we headed northeast out of Vernal on the Jones Hole Road. After a few miles we turned off to follow the Island Park Road to Rainbow Park and Island Park.

Shortly after entering Dinosaur National Monument again, we stopped near McKee Spring to check out a number of petroglyph panels along the road.

The first panel we spotted
http://myxj.net/g2/d/166952-2/IMG_0592.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166958-2/IMG_0595.jpg

A few more hundred feet down the road we hiked up to rock face above the road here. There were a number of petroglyphs here.
http://myxj.net/g2/d/166961-2/IMG_0597.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166967-2/IMG_0599.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166973-2/IMG_0605.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166976-2/IMG_0611.jpg

[IntrepidXJ]

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166982-2/IMG_0620.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166991-2/IMG_0631.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166997-2/IMG_0636.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167024-2/IMG_0669.jpg

After checking out all the petroglyphs, we continued on down the road to Rainbow Park, just to the north of Split Mountain.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166906-2/IMG_0672.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166910-2/IMG_0674.jpg

[IntrepidXJ]

We then headed down to Island Park.
http://myxj.net/g2/d/166913-2/IMG_0678.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166916-2/IMG_0685.jpg

Ruple Ranch
http://myxj.net/g2/d/166925-2/IMG_0691.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166934-2/IMG_0698.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166937-2/IMG_0703.jpg

Afterwards we headed back back to Vernal to top off my tank before starting on our way back home. On our way back, we did stop at Fantasy Canyon, but I still need to go through those photos, so you'll have to wait a little longer for the rest of this trip report!

[accadacca]

Very cool. We floated that section of the river this year: http://www.bogley.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17170

I recognized some of your pictures. We connected from the Yampa. :popcorn:

[IntrepidXJ]

Sunday, October 25, 2009

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167110-2/IMG_0718.jpg

After leaving Dinosaur National Monument and a quick stop in Vernal we headed south on our way home. However, we did have one more stopped planned at Fantasy Canyon along the way. This was a cool area, however we ended up getting there at a bad time.....most of the photos I took were shooting into the sun, so they didn;t turn out as well as I would have liked. We will have to head back another time to get some better shots. Here's some of the better ones I got....

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167113-2/IMG_0723.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167116-2/IMG_0730.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167125-2/IMG_0762.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167044-2/IMG_0835.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167050-2/IMG_0844.jpg

[IntrepidXJ]

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167059-2/IMG_0859.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167080-2/IMG_0882.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167083-2/IMG_0888.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167086-2/IMG_0895.jpg

View into the main canyon from above
http://myxj.net/g2/d/167089-2/IMG_0904.jpg

Stairway up
http://myxj.net/g2/d/167092-2/IMG_0906.jpg

[IntrepidXJ]

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167095-2/IMG_0914.jpg

Amanda took these last few.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167098-2/IMG_0917.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167101-2/IMG_0920.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167104-2/IMG_0922.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/167107-2/IMG_0923.jpg

After leaving Fantasy Canyon we headed east to Bonanza, UT where we turned south and made our way home through the Book Cliffs and staying off the pavement. We made a quick stop at the old townsite of Dragon along the way.

[DaveOU812]

Can I just tell you how happy I am that your a member of this forum? All of your TRs are awesome and always give me new ideas of things to do.

:hail2thechief:

[IntrepidXJ]

Can I just tell you how happy I am that your a member of this forum? All of your TRs are awesome and always give me new ideas of things to do.

:hail2thechief:

Thanks :mrgreen:

[trackrunner]

this thread is full of win

:hail2thechief: :hail2thechief: :hail2thechief:

[offpiste]

Randy great TR as usual, it has been years since I have been to that area reminds me I need get back out there!

[Sombeech]

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166896-2/IMG_0537_8_9.jpg





:haha:





http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3639/3547446761_8d27b47cb5_o.jpg

[Sombeech]

By the way, this is right where the Green and Yampa confluence. The Green is just a tiny sliver compared to the Yampa.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/166803-2/IMG_0557.jpg

[Scott P]

The Green is just a tiny sliver compared to the Yampa.

The Green is smaller than the Yampa during spring runoff beacuse the Green is dam controlled. This time of year however, the Yampa is much smaller than the Yampa, in fact you can wade across the Yampa easily. Right now the Yampa is about knee deep. In late August/early September the Yampa is only ankle deep with a few knee deep sections. Here is a photo of how deep the Yampa is at that time of year:

http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/225732.JPG

The Yampa is bigger than the Green during spring runoff, but much smaller than the Green the rest of the year.

[Alex]

Cool TR man, since our Yampa trip, I went back to Dino land about 5 times now. Love that area.

[Cirrus2000]

Finally got around to clicking on this one - don't know how I've been missing it for the last week. Excellent TR - thanks for sharing all those great pics! Gotta visit this area soon!

[Alex]

The Green is just a tiny sliver compared to the Yampa.

The Green is smaller than the Yampa during spring runoff beacuse the Green is dam controlled. This time of year however, the Yampa is much smaller than the Yampa, in fact you can wade across the Yampa easily. Right now the Yampa is about knee deep. In late August/early September the Yampa is only ankle deep with a few knee deep sections. Here is a photo of how deep the Yampa is at that time of year:

The Yampa is bigger than the Green during spring runoff, but much smaller than the Green the rest of the year.

We caught Yampa at 14,000 cfs, it was a big run off this spring. Green really looked small compare to Yampa at that level. If it wasn't for the Flaming Gorge dam, Green would have been one big river. It drains most of Utah and Wyoming.

[Scott P]

We caught Yampa at 14,000 cfs, it was a big run off this spring. Green really looked small compare to Yampa at that level.

True. I've seen it at such levels. By late August the river usually drops to 90 cfs. Right now it's around 400 cfs. Green at Jensen is 2454.

[Alex]

Green has been runnable all year long, that's awesome.

[tmartenst]

Awesome TR. Haven't been near there yet. Looks like I'll have to.