Flaming Gorge

Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Sweetwater County, WY and Daggett County, UT

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Flaming Gorge Reservoir is a 42,020-acre reservoir on the Green River stretching 91 miles from northeastern Utah into southwestern Wyoming, created by the 502-foot-high Flaming Gorge Dam constructed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation between 1958 and 1964 as part of the Colorado River Storage Project. Named by explorer John Wesley Powell in 1869 after viewing the sun reflecting off the brilliant red canyon walls during his historic expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers, this dramatic reservoir features 375 miles of serpentine shoreline winding through diverse landscapes ranging from colorful narrow canyons surrounded by ponderosa pine and juniper forests in Utah to wide expanses bordered by high sagebrush deserts and stark badlands in Wyoming. The reservoir reaches an impressive maximum depth of 436 feet with waters maintained at an elevation of approximately 6,040 feet above sea level, creating a stunning contrast between deep blue water and towering red rock cliffs that rise 1,400 feet above the lake at Red Canyon Overlook. The dam serves critical functions including flood control, hydroelectric power generation producing 500 million kilowatt-hours annually to serve about 50,000 households across seven western states, water storage for irrigation and municipal use, and habitat preservation for diverse wildlife including deer, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, golden eagles, and one of the largest wintering concentrations of bald eagles in the nation. President John F. Kennedy attended the dam's partial dedication in 1963, with First Lady Lady Bird Johnson completing the official dedication ceremony in August 1964, launching an era of recreation and tourism that now attracts over two million visitors annually to the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area established by Congress in October 1968.

Flaming Gorge Reservoir has earned international recognition as one of the premier trophy trout fisheries in North America, producing state and world record catches of lake trout exceeding 50 pounds, German brown trout, and rainbow trout in the reservoir's cool, clear waters that average 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit during summer months. The reservoir supports exceptional populations of Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Smallmouth Bass, and Burbot, while the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam has been designated a Blue Ribbon Trout Fishery where anglers pursue trophy-sized rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout in the crystal-clear, cold tailwater flowing through spectacular canyon scenery. The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, encompassing over 207,000 acres managed by the Ashley National Forest, offers extensive recreational facilities including three full-service marinas at Cedar Springs, Lucerne Valley, and Buckboard with boat rentals, fuel docks, and supplies, over 600 developed camping and picnic sites in more than twenty campgrounds ranging from primitive walk-in sites to full-hookup RV facilities, multiple public boat ramps providing access throughout the reservoir, and numerous boat-in camping sites accessible only by watercraft for those seeking more remote experiences. Beyond water activities, visitors can explore over 100 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails including the scenic five-mile Canyon Rim Trail accessible from multiple trailheads, drive the spectacular Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Loop showcasing 600 million years of geological history through colorful rock formations and fossils, visit the Red Canyon Visitor Center and Overlook perched 1,400 feet above the turquoise waters with breathtaking panoramic views, tour the Flaming Gorge Dam Visitor Center year-round with free guided tours of the powerplant and dam interior, and experience world-class scuba diving in depths reaching over 130 feet. The charming gateway communities of Manila in Utah and Dutch John near the dam provide lodging, dining, supplies, and small-town hospitality, while the scenic Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway connects to Vernal, Utah approximately 40 miles south and Green River, Wyoming just 10 miles north, offering access to additional attractions including Dinosaur National Monument, the High Uintas Wilderness Area with Utah's highest peak Kings Peak at 13,528 feet, and Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge along the Green River corridor.

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