Overview

The Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway is a showcase of intrinsic qualities. Its world-class dinosaur, fossil and archaeological resources, including rock art, are second to none. Its recreational resources alone attract people from all over the globe. The Dinosaur Diamond's scenic resources are so spectacular that two national parks and two national monuments embrace only some of them.

The Dinosaur DiamondPrehistoric Highway's complex and revealing geology attract rock hounds and geologists from afar.

Its cultural and historic traditions bring together the rich histories of prehistoric inhabitants, Native Americans, and western settlers. The combined magnitude of these resources warrant All-American Road designation under the National Scenic Byways Program. It would be difficult to find another region that embraces so much. Fortunately, many of its most precious resources are being actively protected.

The Dinosaur Diamond region is a marvel of geological, natural, and scenic resources that are intertwined with other intrinsic values of Scenic byway classification. These include all the national parks and monuments and national forests.

King's Peak - 13,528 feet elevation, the highest point in Utah
Stewart Lake Waterfowl Management Area, Utah
Utah Mountains, Utah
Nine Mile Canyon, Utah
Wedge Overlook, Utah
Little Grand Canyon
Buckhorn Draw
Needles Overlook, Utah
Anticline Overlook, Utah
Colorado River, Utah & Colorado
Yampa River, Colorado
Green River, Utah
Molan Reef, Utah
Desolation Canyon, Utah
Fisher Towers, Utah
La Sal Mountains, Utah

The following areas and images are only a very small sample of what awaits visitors within and around the 'Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway'.

San Rafael Swell

East of the Fishlake Mountains, I-70 cuts across one of the emptiest and least developed regions of Utah - a wide plateau crossed by two entrenched river systems and surrounded by a ring of upturned strata. This is the San Rafael Swell - arid, little vegetated yet often very scenic, with mesas, cliffs, buttes, springs and especially canyons; these are sometimes wide with stepped sides but often narrow and slot-like. Most is owned by the BLM and could well be a future national monument; for now though the land is open and access is unrestricted. The Swell is an oval shaped uplifted area of layered rocks - geologically termed an anticline - about 75 x 40 miles in extent, most of which has been eroded away forming the mostly flat central plateau, while the strata at the edges are left exposed and angled near vertically (the San Rafael Reef); here are found most of the spectacular canyons, especially in the southeast section.

Click Thumbnails to view image

San Rafael Swell & Castle Country Geology

BLM - San Rafael Swell Geology Study
Video Link - San Rafael Swell Introduction - courtesy of BLM San Rafael Swell Study

Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge

Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge lies along the Green River in the far northwestern corner of Colorado between Dinosaur National Monument and the Utah-Colorado state line. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this 13,455-acre Refuge serves as a nesting and resting area for migratory waterfowl. During winter months, management emphasis shifts toward providing habitat for wintering elk and deer.

Dinosaur National Monument

Dinosaur National Monument is one sight most people can't see often enough. This time capsule of Dinosaur remains is never boring and is the perfect place to take visitors when they come to stay for a few days. Created in 1915 to preserve one of the world's largest concentration of Jurassic-age dinosaur bones found in the area, the monument consists of an authentic quarry where paleontologists spent hours unearthing dinosaur bones and the remote, rugged lands adjacent to the quarry. When paleontologists quit their excavations the quarry became a life size display of 2000 relieved bones in their 200 foot long natural habitat in the side of a mountain. These embedded bones awe children, inspire sculptors, and instill thoughts of mortality in adults. Campgrounds are located near the quarry at Split Mountain and Green River.

Petroglyphs and many primitive sites in the monument are accessible by automobile. The size of some of the individual ancient drawings are remarkably large. 'Josie's Cabin, a nearby site, is popular with visitors. Children love to splash and play in the spring water that feeds a little pond. Adults like the tranquility of 'Josie's Ranch' and its cool tree-covered trails.

The area's remarkable scenic beauty can also be enjoyed on numerous trails that bring visitors into contact with this remote rugged land's abundant wildlife and interesting geology. The dramatic beauty of the monument at 'Harper's Corner', 'Echo Park', or along 'Jones Creek' can be overwhelming. The Green and Yampa Rivers both flow through the monument, giving more adventurous visitors a chance to enjoy the thrill of whitewater rafting through this national treasure. Spectacular geological formations of the colorful canyons, for example 'Mitten Park Fault', also reveal much of the Earth's history, while exposing this "Jurassic Park."

Ouray National Wildlife Refuge

The Ouray National Wildlife Refuge is used by 237 migratory birds, 57 mammals, 21 reptile, 6 amphibian and 29 fish species. The refuge is open year round during daylight hours and was created originally in 1960 as a sanctuary for migratory birds. Visitors can enjoy a nine-mile auto tour and wildlife viewing site. Fishing is allowed along the Green River on refuge lands. All state fishing regulations apply to the refuge. Fishing within refuge impoundments is not allowed, however. Razorback suckers and Colorado pikeminnow, both endangered species are in this portion of the river and MUST be returned to the river unharmed if accidently caught. Camping and open fires are NOT allowed on refuge lands. Wood cutting or gathering and possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle are also prohibited inside the refuge.

The Wildlife Refuge comprises 12 miles of the Green River and encompasses 11,987 acres of land of which 3,500 are leased from the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation which adjoins the refuge on the south. The refuge is a paradise for water birds (ducks, geese, and others) in the northeast desert of Utah that receives less than 7 inches of precipitation a year.

Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. Sheer-walled canyons, towering monoliths, colorful formations, desert bighorn sheep, soaring eagles, and a spectacular road reflect the environment and history of the plateau-and-canyon country. Historic Rim Rock Drive offers 23 miles of breathtaking panoramic views and numerous overlooks. Trails lead across mesa tops and to spectacular overlooks or into backcountry canyons.

Fantasy Canyon

Fantasy Canyon proves the old saying that great things come in small packages. Only 10 acres in size, this natural wonder is indeed an area of fantasy run wild. Billed by the BLM as "Nature's China Shop" the canyon is located about 27 miles southeast of Vernal. Leave Vernal east on Highway 40 and turn right (south ) at the entrance to Naples City Office. Nearly 5000 people take self-guided tours of the canyon every year. The BLM asks visitors to stay on the trail to protect the canyon's features and remind them to drink plenty of water. Pack a picnic lunch and come spend a day in the presence of ancient legends.

The original formation dates back to about 38 to 50 million years to the Upper Eocene Epoch. During this period, the uintah Basin was occupied by a rapidly shrinking ancient body of water called Lake Uintah. The lake was filled with sediment eroded from the surrounding highlands, which rose about the same time the Rocky Mountains were being uplifted. Eventually silt and clays forged into rocks of sandstone, siltstone and sedimentary rocks yielding much of the spectacular scenery of the West. Former names for Fantasy Canyon include Hades Pit and the Devils Rockhouse. Fantasy Canyon is home to Lizards, rabbits, bobcats, mosquitos and gnats. Very little plant life exists within the area. Fossilized rhinoceros bones and turtle shells have been found within and adjacent to the site, along with widely scattered bones of mammals, which roamed the Basin during the Eocene.

The canyon lacks the brilliant colors of much of the Uintah Basin and surrounding mountains. It is made of dull gray sandstone with few variation in hue. What it lacks in color, however, is makes up for it in intricate and extremely delicate formations. Because of the extreme delicacy of the formations, they are constantly being reshaped. Eventually all the current formations will be gone due to continued erosion by weather and wind. The fantasy aspect will not be gone, however, as the same features that caused the canyon in the first place will simply reform a new fantasy area

Pariette Wetlands

Pariette is a lush oasis in the middle of the desert, and a birder`s paradise. The complex of freshwater ponds is richly inhabited by wetlands flora and fauna, and surrounded by marshes. The area is frequented by mallards, Canada geese, gadwalls, cinnamon teals, and pintails. Birdwatchers also spot herons, egrets, white-faced ibis, and American bittern within the wetland boundaries. As if that were not avian life enough, the area is also home to bald eagles, sandhill cranes, and peregrine falcons. Canoeing through the wetlands is a great way to quietly watch the birds.

To find the wetlands, go west on US 40 about 1 mile to the Sand Wash-Green River access turnoff. Turn south and follow the paved road 1.7 miles to the Nine Mile-Sand Wash junction. Go left and follow signs for about 23 more miles.

Ashley National Forest

The Ashley National Forest, with headquarters in Vernal, Utah, comprises 1.3 million acres located in the northeastern portion of Utah and southwestern portion of Wyoming. National Forest System lands are located in three major areas: the northern and southern slopes of the Uinta Mountains, the Wyoming Basin, and the Tavaputs Plateau.

The Ashley National Forest is bordered by the Uintah and Ouray Ute Indian Reservation, the Uinta and Wasatch-Cache National Forests, private property, and lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and State of Utah. Dinosaur National Monument is located approximately 10 miles east of the Forest.

The Ashley National Forest was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. Its forest and range lands are protected and managed to ensure timber, grazing, minerals, water, and outdoor recreation for the American people.

The vast Uinta Mountains watershed within the Forest boundary provides vital water supplies for power, industry, farm, and city use in Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, and California. Sheep, cattle, and horses graze under permit on over a half million acres of the Forest each season. Timber is managed in harmony with other resources to insure a continuing supply and a quality environment. Over 2.5 million visitors come to the Forest each year to participate in outstanding outdoor recreation activities, such as boating, fishing, camping, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.

Forest landscape ranges from high desert country to high mountain areas. The elevation varies from a low of 6,000 feet to a high of 13,528 feet above sea level at the summit of Kings Peak.

Topographical diversity and intensive land management has served to protect the visual quality on the Forest. The existing vegetation patterns and the geological formations further add to the aesthetic value. The Forest boundaries include places such as the Sheep Creek Geological Area, the High Uinta Wilderness area, the Green River, and the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.

Side Trips Geology Field Notes

NPS - Canyonlands National Park Geology Field Notes
NPS - Arches National Park Geology Field Notes
NPS - Capitol Reef National Park Geology Field Notes

Flora & Fauna

Video Links

Wildlife in the SanRafael Swell Region - courtesy of BLM San Rafael Swell Study

Dinosaur Diamond Partnership