Utah, Flaming Gorge National Recitation Area, July 29 - Aug 5, 2013

Flaming Gorge National Rec Area - Lucerne Campground near Manila, UT.  Both of us only remember traveling through this area so it has been one of those places we wanted to return and stay a while.  We're sure glad we did as we really enjoyed our outings in the region.  It's been a fun summer exploring parts of Wyoming and Northern Utah.

Great campsite you can't see it from this photo but we had a great view of the reservoir.

This trip we have seen so many osprey, this is a young one in a nest within the campground.  

The view of the Gorge were just amazing.  So many different colors.

Another view of the canyon and reservoir,  as you can see totally different colors

This area must have had a fire in recent years.

We are on the other side of the bay from the campground.  You can see out camper  and truck on the right hand side of the picture.  Pretty good zoom lens.

Another view on our drive to Dutch John.

The dam.

Looking across at the bridge.

Double rainbow taken from our campsite.

Kay and the dogs enjoying an early evening campfire.

One of the local osprey flying right in front of the camper.

Took the dogs to the beach to play in the water but it sure was muddy.  They needed a bath afterwards.

The boat ramp at Sheep Creek Bay where Marty launched the kayak to fish.  It was about 15 miles from our campsite.

Marty getting ready to launch.  He caught one fish this week and that one wasn't big enough to keep.

This picture was also taken at Sheep Creek Bay.  It was so hard to decide what photos to put in this blog as we had so many of beautiful scenery.

We both liked this photo because of the way the colors reflected in the water.

A large family of ducks Marty was able to capture in this photo.

We took a drive through Sheep Creek Canyon it was amazingly beautiful.  So many different types of rock formations.  Much of the road was gravel but well maintained.  Awesome drive.

Hornet nest we found.  

We brought along a picnic lunch and found this nice area to stop and enjoy it.

Marty enjoying the creek.

We spotted a long horn sheep as we were almost out of the canyon.  He just hung around and posed for us.

As you can see they have him tagged around the neck.

An unusual plant.  Looks like cockle burrs but not sure what it is.

Had to get at least one flower picture in here.  Again not sure what it is but kind of pretty.

It had been many years since either one of us had been to Dinosaur National Monument and who knows when we'll get back this way again.  We decided to make the 70 mile drive over to Vernal Utah and on up to the monument.

The Monument visitor center 

Kay making her way up to the enclosed quarry viewing area.  

They've remodeled the building protecting the quarry viewing area in the last few years to make it more structurally sound.

These next few pictures are of the "Wall of Bones".  It's so amazing to see these ancient bones and so glad they are protected for future generations to come and see.

The was a skeleton of a tiny alligator.  It was only 4 or 5 inches long and thought to be full grown.

Lots of flowers and butterflies outside the visitor center.

Got to have a least one bee picture.  

If you look close there is a lizard in this picture.

From the visitor center we drove on to see petroglyphs.

This one was different than any we've ever seen before looks like a vase or pot of flowers maybe.  

Steps up to one of the petroglyph areas.

We have seen such diverse geological formations throughout this whole area.

View of the Green River.

Marty got pictures of  another bee.

Rafters just getting back from a river run.  The section of river above here is beyond what we'd do as it has class III and IV rapids.  Just below the dam at Flaming Gorge was access to water that we could have kayaked but we didn't  this trip because access to the river would have meant quite a drive to take both vehicles so we'd have a shuttle.

At the end of this scenic drive was Josie Basset's cabin.  It was built in 1913.  She must have been some woman to live out here alone so far from anything.  

One of the many beautiful sunsets we've seen this trip.