Utah's Wildlife & Rivers Festival
Wildlife Through the Ages
Flaming Gorge -- Uintas National Scenic Byway
Highways 191 & 44
Vernal -- Manila -- Dutch John
Vision: As visitors drive the Flaming Gorge/Uintas National Scenic Byway, they will pass through one of the richest areas for wildlife and fossils in the West. This route offers a unique opportunity to interpret wildlife and wildlife habitats both past and present. Through the Byway theme "Wildlife Through the Ages" visitors may explore wildlife and its diversity; discover the habitats animals prefer; experience seasonal migrations; and learn when, where and how to view and photograph wildlife as they stop at the interpretive sites and nature trails developed along the Byway.
The backdrops to this unique corridor of wildlife discovery are the majestic peaks of the Uinta Mountains; forests of aspen, ponderosa, pinyon/juniper and lodgepole pine; sandstone towers and cathedrals; giant red-rock formations; cottonwood and willow-lined mountain streams; and the blazing red cliff called Flaming Gorge.
The journey begins north of Vernal among the ancient habitats of the Frontier, Morrison and Chinle formations. Dinosaur bones and tracks, sharks' teeth, fish scales and seashells common to these formations can be viewed at the Field House of Natural History State Park in Vernal, the Dinosaur Quarry in Dinosaur National Monument and in the rocks near Steinaker and Red Fleet State Parks. More modern records of wildlife are found in the rock art, trails and hunting camps left by Indians who used Brush Creek, Sheep Creek and the eastern Uinta Mountains.
As the journey continues, ancient sand and limestone formations, rich in fossils of primitive seas, shape today's habitats. Elk and deer now walk over the sands of ancient seas; hawks and eagles fly over the areas where dinosaurs walked and fish swim among the petrified remains of long forgotten forests.
Deep water and shallow wetlands, created by Steinaker and Flaming Gorge reservoirs, are seasonal homes to ospreys, loons, ducks, geese and numerous wading birds. Sagebrush flats and pinyon/juniper forests shelter wintering herds of deer and elk. Mountain meadows and forests of aspen, ponderosa and lodgepole pine provide homes for a wide variety of birds and mammals including moose, black bear, marmots, snowshoe hare, golden eagles, goshawks and red flicker woodpeckers. Clear mountain streams supply insects for dippers and habitat for salmon and trout.
As the journey nears its northern end, bighorn sheep can be seen among the rocky outcrops above Sheep Creek. The cottonwoods, willows and other riparian plants along this stream harbor more species of migrating songbirds than any other spot in Utah. The journey ends in the Hilliard Shale formations near Manila and Antelope Flat where pronghorn antelope and whitetailed jackrabbits wander through the remains of an ancient sea .
Points of Interest Near the Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway:
Green and Yampa Rivers
Driving the Byway takes a visitor up and over the Uinta Mountains; river trips take you through the Mountains' eastern edge. The Green and Yampa rivers have cut their way through over a billion years of geologic history and carved some of the most unique formations found in Navajo Sandstone, red-rock canyons, and the twisted rock strata of Split Mountain. The best views of the river can be found in Dinosaur National Monument and the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.
Dinosaur National Monument
The formation and subsequent erosion of the Uinta Mountains has exposed an incredibly rich diversity of paleontological (fossil) resources including a unique natural wall of dinosaur bones. In addition to this world famous wall displayed inside the Quarry at Dinosaur National Monument, visitors can enjoy the canyon scenery created by the Green and Yampa rivers, marvel at sculpted rock walls at the river's confluence and Split Mountain, view panels of Indian rock art, walk through historical sites like Josie's Cabin, hike mountain and canyon trails, and discover a wide variety of wildlife and wild flowers.
Sheep Creek National Geological Area
Northeastern Utah hosts one of a scant handful of nationally recognized geologic areas found in the United States. Just a few miles south of Manila is the Sheep Creek Loop, a small paved road that travels up Sheep Creek. This creek has carved its way through the mountain creating towering pinnacles and sandstone cliffs. It has also exposed evidence of the incredible forces that created the Uinta Mountains; an entire mountainside of twisted and turned stone formations. This exposure is so unique, it was named a National Geologic Area
Fishing Opportunities
Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the Green River are world-renowned trout fisheries. Many of Utah's largest trout, including the state record brown, rainbow and lake trout, have been pulled from these waters. Other “Blue-Ribbon” water candidates include the wild Strawberry and Duchesne rivers, Rock and Currant creeks, and Pelican Lake. On the Uinta Mountains, over 600 waters are managed for quality trout fishing and most provide remote, wilderness-type opportunities. These mountain lakes and streams are home to the native Colorado River cutthroat trout and mountain whitefish. Anglers can also find brook trout, splake, golden trout, brown trout, tiger trout and grayling. Numerous low and mid-elevation reservoirs also contain trout, walleye, small and largemouth bass, and bluegill fisheries. The larger reservoirs have boat ramps and most have camping facilities.
Watchable Wildlife Opportunities
Spectacular watchable wildlife opportunities exist in the region. The Uinta Mountains and Book Cliffs are home to some of the West's largest populations of elk, deer, moose, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goats, pronghorn antelope, black bear, osprey, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and roughly 350 other vertebrate species. Every year, hundreds of wintering bald eagles and thousands of migrating ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, and other waterbirds use the Green and Duchesne rivers and adjacent wetlands. The “crown jewels” are the five state and federal wildlife refuges located in these river bottoms. Another jewel is Flaming Gorge, which hosts an incredible variety of wildlife including one of the largest inland populations of osprey, peregrine falcons and an interesting colony of turkey vultures.
Hunting Opportunities
The Northeastern Region contains limited-entry hunt units for almost every big game animal found in the state. The 500,000-acre Book Cliffs area alone contains two elk and a deer unit producing world-class trophy bull elk and mule deer bucks. Not feeling lucky enough to draw a limited entry permit? General season elk and deer permits are also available. Hunting and fishing proclamations can be viewed at www.wildlife.utah.gov .
Utah Fieldhouse of Natural History Museum State Park
The New Utah Fieldhouse opened in 2004 just in time for the first Utah's Wildlife & Rivers Festival. Don't miss this unique opportunity to explore the “ancient wildlife” including the dinosaurs, fish and mammals preserved in the rocks of the Uinta Basin. The Fieldhouse recreates a dinosaur dig and then takes you through the condensed version of Wildlife Through the Ages showing visitors what lies in the rocks under the Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway.
Nine- Mile Canyon Petrogylphs
Nine-Mile Canyon is a 40-mile long art gallery of the ancient Fremont Indians. The Fremont must have found the towering sandstone cliffs irrestitable canvases for their prehistoric rock art for this canyon has one of the highest densities of images. The visitor should plan a full day to view the pictographs and petroglyphs and a guide will help to locate the artwork. Written guides to the canyon and the surrounding area are available in Duchesne, Price and many of the local towns.
