Spanning two states, Utah and Wyoming, the 91 mile-long Flaming Gorge NRA is incredibly scenic (map). From spectacular canyons to forests and arid desert, the Green River in the Flaming Gorge offers abundant recreation and fishing opportunities. Although we didn’t fish or boat, we greatly enjoyed spending several days along the Flaming Gorge, hiking, camping, and swimming. Here are 5 beautiful spots along the Flaming Gorge to explore.
The Red Canyon
The Red Canyon of the Flaming Gorge is spectacular! The sheer red cliffs and the winding Green River deep in the canyon are absolutely stunning. The trailhead for the Canyon Rim Trail starts right by the Visitor Center at the Red Canyon Overlook. The trail is about 4.5 miles long but you can do a shorter hike through the nearby campgrounds.
We camped at the Red Canyon Campground with commanding views of the Gorge. We were fortunate to see several bighorn sheep essentially right in the campground.
Sheep Creek Overlook
Definitely drive to the Sheep Creek Overlook. The area offers a lovely view of the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area from above.
Sheep Creek Geologic Loop
This 10 mile-long scenic byway will take you through a pretty canyon. I was particularly impressed by the craggy sandstone walls towering on both sides of the road. You can see the Uinta Fault in the twisted rock layers of the mountains.
Sunny Cove
If you’re ready to relax on a beach, I think Sunny Cove will satisfy that desire. Drive past the dam and continue until you see a sign for Sunny Cove. There is a nice little beach there and the beautiful waters of the Flaming Gorge will certainly refresh you on a hot day.
Firehole Canyon, WY
While the previous 4 sights were located in Utah, Firehole Canyon is actually in Wyoming. The landscape here is quite different than what you see around the Red Canyon of the Flaming Gorge. For one, the canyon walls are much lower and the red walls are now brown and yellowish. However, you have a view of interestingly eroded Chimney Rocks. These rocks resemble the famous Chimney Rock or one might say, the rock formations of Monument Valley. There is an established campground here. However, if you drive towards the beach, you’ll see a few dispersed camping sites on road 169, right on the Green River. That’s exactly where we decided to camp. There was a herd of beautiful pronghorn antelope grazing nearby and fish were literally jumping out in the river. It was absolutely terrific. The nearby beach and the Green River offered a pleasant respite from the summer heat.
