On the border of Utah and Wyoming, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is filled with stunning scenery; green hills, red rock mountains and clear waters. Steep crimson-colored walls give the gorge its most appropriate name and capture the waters of the Green River into a Flaming Gorge Lake — a reservoir that extends for 91 miles. The blue-green jewel tones of the water and the flaming gorge walls are set amidst hundreds of thousands of acres of forest and hills in the Ashley National Forest.

[ad#Google Adsense]The south end of the recreation area on the Utah side is by far the most scenic, with the flaming gorge walls and forested hills and mountains. The north end of the lake widens out and is surrounded by high desert. Not very picturesque, but still good fishing.

There are plenty of activities to keep you busy in Flaming Gorge. You will find some of the best fishing in the West, well over 100 miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails, and hundreds of camp and picnic sites. It’s a boater’s paradise where you’ll see everything from river rafts to canoes, ski and fishing boats to pontoons and gigantic houseboats.

Rising 502 feet above bedrock, Flaming Gorge Dam captures the waters of the Green River to form the reservoir. The cool waters of the Flaming Gorge Lake make it an ideal habitat for trout, as well as for small mouth bass, Kokanee salmon and other cold water fish. A good number of 30 pounders are taken from the lake every season, with the record catch being 40 pounds 8 ounces. If you are looking to catch a record setter, the experts say the very best place to fish is just below the dam, where rainbow, brook, cutthroat and brown trout abound.

Five marinas along the 360 miles of lakeshore offer all kinds of opportunities to get out on the lake and enjoy. Houseboats and boat rentals are readily available, plus the Green River offers some dynamite river rafting and canoeing options. Local tour companies offer everything from horseback rides, river rafting and fishing, to scenic trips of the gorge.

The high elevation of 6,040 feet at the reservoir keeps the climate moderate, with high temperatures ranging in the 80s during the summer months. Dozens of hiking trails wind through forests, meadows and around mountain peaks. The five-miles Canyon Rim Trail is perhaps the very best place for fantastic panoramic views of the gorge. It is accessible from the Greendale Overlook, Skull Creek Campground or Greens Lake Campground. During the winter months, cross country skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing are great ways to see the gorge. Equipment is available for rent from several outfitters.

Petroglyphs (rock art) and artifacts suggest that Fremont Indians hunted game near Flaming Gorge for many centuries. Fremont is the name given to diverse groups of Native American Indians that inhabited the western Colorado Plateau and the eastern Great Basin area from 400 A.D. to 1350 A.D.. These Indians were hunter-gathers, so rarely settled in one place for very long. Since the desolate, semi-arid land inhabited by the Fremont Indians contains areas of spectacular beauty, including Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park, it is easy to see why they moved from place to place so frequently.

Rental cabins, lodges, hotels and camping spots abound in the park, so you won’t have trouble finding a place to stay. However, summer months can be busy so it is best to call ahead and make a reservation. There are a few restaurants along the gorge — including the Red Canyon Lodge Restaurant — mostly serving hearty country cooking. If you want something more exotic, you won’t find it here. Even the nearby town of Vernal only offers fast food and a few local cafes and restaurants. But the food is substantial and filling.