Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway

The blue waters of Flaming Gorge glimmer in the afternoon sunshine, and mountains rise in the distance.

Flanked by interpretive signs, two youngsters stand on the overlook before the great wall of the Flaming Gorge Dam.

Bighorn sheep graze around the flagpole at Flaming Gorge's Red Canyon Visitor Center.

A glimpse from Flaming Gorge-Uinta Scenic Byway reveals dense conifer stands.

A boat leaves a white wake on the green waters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Red Canyon.

A motorboat enters narrow Red Canyon on Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Two motorboats pass each other in a narrow lake inlet below Red Canyon Overlook on Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Reeds ring tiny West Green Lake near Red Canyon Visitors Center and Overlook.

Green deciduous trees line Sheep Creek Canyon Loop near Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway while geological formations loom in the background.

A father helps a young boy land a fish from the shore of a lake in the Ashley National Forest

A mother helps her daughter with her fishing pole on the shore of a lake in the Flaming Gorge area of northeastern Utah.

A large speckled trout is hooked and reeled in close to the boat of a successful angler.

A large rainbow trout is hooked on a fishing line in the clear green waters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Framed by pine trees, the still waters of West Greens Lake reflect the trees and mountains of Ashley National Forest.

From the safety of this overlook at the Red Canyon Visitor Center, sightseers survey the Gorge.

Two boats race along the blue waters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, flanked by the brilliant red walls of Red Canyon.

Large, antique horse-drawn farming equipment sits beneath a dead tree on the Swett Ranch.

Fields and forests surround the Swett Ranch in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

Two youngsters look down into the gray waters and red cliffs of Flaming Gorge's Red Canyon on a stormy day.

The coyote is almost undetectable with its camouflaging coat.

A safe once used by the Parcel Post Bank is displayed in the lobby.

Twisted sandstone formations are visible along the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway north of Vernal, Utah.

A dogwood dominates the foreground in this glimpse of Flaming Gorge from the Sheep Creek viewpoint.

Volunteers are happy to greet visitors to Swett Ranch in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

A bridge delicately arches over the smooth blue waters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

The first cabin built by young homesteader Oscar Swett was a one-room log cabin. The furnishings here are similar to those he would have had. The USFS has papered one wall with pages from the Sears Catalog, like he did long ago. He lived with his young family here for several years.

A breathtaking view is captured looking west from a pullout along the Flaming Gorge - Uintas Scenic Byway.

A plaque explaining historical facts is displayed on the red brick wall of the Parcel Post Bank in Vernal, Utah.

In this popular view of Red Canyon, water lines are visible, showing obvious signs of several years of drought.

The sandstone outcroppings of The Navajo Formation line the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway.

Farming tools hang on the shady side of a shed (possibly the smokehouse) on the Swett Ranch in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

A byway traveler stands near a giant rock wall of The Navajo Formation along the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway.

Located far from the ranch buildings in case of fire, the blacksmith forge at Swett Ranch is built on bare rock amidst a green field and trees.

A plank bridge crosses over the small stream and leads to one of the log cabins at Swett Ranch.

Red Canyon Lodge has books about the history of Flaming Gorge.

This view shows Flaming Gorge as seen from the Canyon Overlook Trail.

Sarahi stands by some petroglyphs and pictographs in Dinosaur National Monument.

This view of Creek Bridge can be seen from Highway 91.

Farm implements hang on the bedroom wall inside the second home that Oscar Swett built for his growing family, a two-room log cabin with an attic. It has a planked floor and electricity.

Visitor reads about the colored dinosaur outside the Dinosaur National Monument Visitor Center.

Beautiful red hills rise above Sheep Creek Bay on the Flaming Gorge - Uintas Scenic Byway.

The granary at Swett Ranch in Flaming Gorge stands amidst forest and mountains in Ashley National Forest.

A log fence outlines a green pasture in Manila. Two ranches or farms surrounded by trees are on the horizon.

Low rolling hills line either side of Hole-In-The-Wall Canyon on the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway.

A motorboat pulls a swimmer (tuber?) behind on the blue waters of Steinaker Reservoir.

Some of the oldest rocks in the world are displayed in the tilted and tortured rock layers of Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area just across from the Flash Flood Memorial rest area.

The sloping sides of a mountain in Sheep Creek Canyon of Ashley National Forest show geologic layers from millenia ago.

The security of the rocks make great homes for these harmless lizards.

A fractured rock wall lines Hole-In-The Wall Canyon on the Flaming Gorge - Uintas Scenic Byway.

A motorboat chugs slowly through the no-wake zone into Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

A boat approaches between the steep cliffs of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, as seen from the bridge west of the Dam.

Green grass and tall trees form a soothing scene for a picnic at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area in Utah.

A young Hispanic family reads about the Flaming Gorge Dam at the Flaming Gorge Visitor Center.

A motorboat leaves a wake as it races across the sparkling green waters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Through tall trees a single tent stands in one of the campsites at Greendale Campground in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

This view is looking east from Sheep Creek Canyon on the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway.

A backroad through a meadow in Ashley National Forest curves past a small pond on its way toward U.S. 191.

A mule deer is all ears, standing in a field of fading grasses and thick trees.

Free-range cattle graze in the National Forest surrounding the historic Stringham Cabin in Ashley National Forest on the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway.

Rolling hills stretch as far as the eye can see from the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway.

A panel placed not far from the Stringham Cabin in Ashley National Forest tells its history.

The "Drive Through the Ages" sign alongside U.S. 191 in Utah tells that fossilized squid was found in the Curtis Formation, which was formed during the Jurassic Era.

Beaver ponds sit on the east side of US-191, reflecting the landscape in their smooth pools.

A picture of a cattle drive, a common road "hazard" in this area. The cowboy on the road is swinging a lasso.

The Flaming Gorge Byway winds through desert landscape touched with autumn.

The Flaming Gorge-Uintahs Scenic Byway passes through rocky landscape and Jackson Bluff near Vernal, Utah.

Highway 91 hugs the striking exposed red and pink strata of the cut by Flaming Gorge Dam.

A woman daringly climbs a rock pillar near Sheep Creek.

You'll find informative plaques and signs like these along the self-guided tour at the Red Canyon Visitor Center at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

The heavy slope of the visitor center blends into the mountainous terrain.

These deep gorges plunge downward towards the earth, creating spectacular sights.

Jensen's Butte is one of the most breathtaking features of Flaming Gorge.

This photo provides a view of the north end of Hole-in-The-Wall Canyon on the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway.

A handful of bighorn sheep hang out near the entrance of Sheep Creek Canyon Loop just off of Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway.

An abundance of pink and white flowers grace this small park in downtown Vernal, at the end of the Flaming Gorge - Uintas Scenic Byway.

The granary at Swett Ranch rests in the fold of the hills and valleys of Ashley National Forest.

Flowers and toys grace the memorial to a flash flood that took the lives of two adults and four children in this shady area of Sheep Creek Canyon in 1965.

A plaque in Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area commemorates the lives lost to a flash flood in 1965.

Mountains and pasture surround Manila at the northern end of the Flaming Gorge - Uintas Scenic Byway in Utah.

The small agricultural and ranching town of Manila in northern Utah serves as one endpoint to the Flaming Gorge - Uintas Scenic Byway.

A volunteer stands ready to guide visitors around the inside of the modern Swett Ranch house.

The road over Flaming Gorge Dam curves as it hugs the side of the gorge.

A sign along the Swett Ranch Nature Trail describes the benefits of the fleabane blooming all around it.

The dark blue waters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir contrasts against the deep reds of the canyon's soils.

A daring photographer braves the cliffs of the gorge for a perfect picture opportunity.

A well-known site at the Flaming Gorge area, this bridge spans the reservoir's blue waters.

NSBO staff visit the Forest Service Office in Manila with Mary Ann.

A large, pink dinosaur greets visitors at the west end of Vernal.

Three giant red sandstone outcroppings jut up from the landscape, giving the appearance of a fleet of battle ships.

Adventurous travelers raft on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam.

This view overlooks the valley surrounding Vernal, Utah, with Red Fleet formations visible in midview.

The restored exterior of the Parcel Post Bank, now Zions Bank, exhibits superior workmanship and design.

A sign on U.S. 191 announces that Steinaker Dam and Reservoir is a Central Utah Project.

A ponderosa pine tree thrives in the hard rock on the edge of the deep gorge at Red Canyon Overlook.

A volunteer waits to take a visitor into the cool inside of the root cellar at Swett Ranch in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

US Hwy 191 proceeds north through a gap in a slanted ridgeline on the east side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

This map has been created in the past five years. This should be kept for our records.

A rickety-looking fence crosses before a stormy view of sagebrush and the distant reservoir from the Antelope Flats Overlook.

Drive Through The Ages is a fitting name for this road near Vernal, UT.

The interplay of colors and scenery create a surreal scene along the curving U-44.

The ridge called 'The Glades' forms a distinct line to the northeast of U.S. 191 as the road approaches Minnie's Gap.