Northeast Utah / Northwest Colorado - Oct '24

It only took about an hour after driving south from Pinedale, Wyoming to feel like we were entering a very different landscape from the breathtaking natural resources of Montana and Wyoming, though every bit as stunning! Ashley National Forest, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Dinosaur National Monument and then Colorado National Monument are incredible each in their own right! We hiked and cycled through a landscape with a deep rich history. Crowds are gone, as these areas seem to be less frequented than the national parks. We much prefer these quieter spaces yet cannot pass up the national parks as they are remarkably beautiful and distinct. Biking the rim of the Colorado National Monument was a highlight, as was biking the road through Arches.

A geologic story of the land is constantly revealed along the way as hundreds of millions of years of erosion and the tectonic movements from miles below the surface bend and fold miles upon miles of layers of rocks. Dinosaur fossils litter the region, and many of the full skeletons found in museums across the world are from here. Multiple layers of white, yellow, tan, green, purple and red rocks clearly show these millions of years of change, still evolving today. The Green, Yampa and Colorado Rivers push and meander their way down, moving sediment in a constant journey to the sea, creating oases in their paths and a brilliant opportunity for us to dip, amidst the unseasonably hot temperatures - Fruita, Colorado was 91 degrees in early October, a new record.

We’ve seen yet more herds of elk, bighorn and pronghorn. A river otter and a mountain lion (this last seen from the van), as well as trout in the crystal clear waters of the Green also graced us with their presence. Onwards to southeast Utah!