It's safe to say that of all the counties in Utah, Daggett is the most unmatched when it comes to wilderness.
For starters, the entire population of the county is less than a thousand people. There are really only two towns — Manila and Dutch John, both on or near the shores of Flaming Gorge.
It's a fact, too, that most of the land within the boundaries is public — 90 percent — which leaves little space for any new communities.
What you know
Despite being tucked away in the northeastern-most corner of the state, and regarded as one of the smaller counties in size, Daggett is one of the most frequently visited areas of the state, mainly because of Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the popular Green River.
The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is consistently ranked in the top five in visitation. For thousands of years the Green River carved its course through the colorful rock formations of the area to form the deep canyons that now serve as a geographic marvel to all visitors.
The 90-mile reservoir, with more than 350 miles of shoreline, stretching across the Wyoming-Utah state line, attracts tourists from all over the world. The Flaming Gorge Dam was completed in 1964 as a power production and flood-control project.
It was John Wesley Powell, on his first trip down the Green and Colorado rivers, who named many local landmarks in the area, including Flaming Gorge, Horseshoe Canyon, Red Canyon, the Gates of Lodore, all names that attest to the dramatic scenery.
These days the area is a recreation paradise for travelers. The reservoir offers summer activities such as water skiing, swimming and fishing. In areas around the reservoir there are biking, hiking and ATV trails, along with ample opportunities to view wildlife.
The land, too, is rich in history, dating back to the very beginning of the earth all the way to early visits by pioneers and mountain men. Paleo Indians, Fremont culture people and Ute and Shoshoni Indians have all called the area home.
The town of Vernal, about 43 miles south, sits on the most modern formation known to geologists — the Mancos Formation, while the reservoir lies atop the earliest — the Uinta Mountain Group. A billion years in the making and 30 miles separates them.
The drive from Vernal to Flaming Gorge is, of course, a race through time. It's called "Drive Through the Ages," and there is a special brochure available at locations in Vernal that tells of the formations, groups and ages.
There is, too, the "Wheel of Time" drive, a 10-mile self-guided tour that covers some of the same ground. It starts at Manila and goes over the Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area. Most of the route is paved, but there are a couple of gravel sections. To help on the self-guided tour, the U.S. Forest Service has placed coded signs along the route that can be easily read from a moving car. The codes match up with a special interpretive "wheel" available in Vernal. At the end of the tour — Palisades Memorial Park — visitors can continue on the loop to Sheep Creek Bay or retrace their path. There are two camping areas along the way. This, too, is a recommended mountain bike tour.
Back in 1880, a stopping-off point for anyone in the area of the Green River was Brown's Park. That was when Scotsman John Jarvie operated a store, post office and river ferry.
Visitors included everyone from the local farmer to the famed Wild Bunch. Now it is a historical site managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Standing today are several buildings, including a stone house, dugout, blacksmith shop and corrals. The ranch is open daily, May through October.
The Green River below the Flaming Gorge Dam has one of the highest concentrations of fish in the country. The number of 20,000 fish per mile is often bantered about. Fishermen can see them holding in the current, some only inches from shore.
Fishing on the Green is not only good in the summer but also the winter. People are surprised at the quality of fishing offered off-season. There are days when temperatures are in the 50s and it's sunny and the skies are blue. This is a time of year, too, when there are fewer fishermen along the banks.
Which, of course, is why the seven-mile section of the Green River below the dam has attracted the attention of fishermen the world over.
This section of river is also popular in the summer with rafters who launch at the dam site and pull out downstream at Little Hole. Along the route it's not uncommon to run into a family of river otters.
One of the more popular scenic byways is Flaming Gorge/Uinta. This is a "Y-shape" drive with the three points being Vernal, Manila and the Utah/Wyoming border past Dutch John. The drive covers 67 miles through some of Utah's most scenic and diverse country.
There are four backways routes: Red Cloud/Dry Fork Loop, Sheep Creek/Spirit Lake Loop, Jones Hole Road and Brown's Park Road.
What you don't know
A stop at the reservoir should include a visit to the Visitors Center located near the Flaming Gorge Dam. Along with information and artifacts of the area, free guided tours of the dam are available.
Many of the legends, like Butch Cassidy, Jim Bridger and Queen Anne Bassett, were forged in this country.
Located near the junction of Highways 44 and 191 is the Swett Ranch Historical Site, which represents historic Western homesteading at its best. The original cabins still exist, as do many of the old farming artifacts.
Near Brown's Park is Jarvie Historical Ranch. Restored for visitors to this old ranch are several early buildings, a stone house, dugout, blacksmith shop and corrals.
One of the central figures to this area in the outlaw era was Jarvie, a Scottish immigrant. In 1880, the 36-year-old Jarvie married the 26-year-old Nellie Barr and moved to Brown's Park, where they opened a general store/trading post on the north side of the Green River. He also operated a ferry, was the postmaster, storekeeper, moonshine maker, livestock owner, blacksmith, prospector, musician, athlete and scholar. In 1909, Jarvie was shot in the back by two thieves who ransacked his store and shipped his body down the Green River.
While many people are aware of the summer activities, still undiscovered are some of the winter opportunities, such as cross country skiing and snowmobiling.
Another unknown spot is Dowd Mountain, a scenic drive with awe-inspiring overlooks and a great hiking/biking loop trail. Located about 12 miles south of Manila off Highway 44, Dowd Mountain is often overlooked as visitors rush to Flaming Gorge locations.
Access is on a maintained dirt/gravel road from the highway that climbs about eight miles to one of Flaming Gorge's best overlooks, with views of both Utah and Wyoming portions of the lake. The area is rich in wildlife.
The mountain also features one of the best intermediate hiking/mountain biking loop trails in Flaming Gorge. The 11-mile trail is a mixture of single- and double-track with a roller-coaster downhill finish. Trail maps are available online at www.flaminggorgecountry.com.
Dowd was an early rancher noted for raising quality horses. His horses were so good, in fact, that they were reputed to be the stead of choice for Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch gang. The Dowd Ranch is said to be a secret part of the Outlaw Trail, and some stories have the Sundance Kid working for a time on the ranch.
The Henry's Fork Wetlands birding area is an enhancement project located on the Utah/Wyoming border where historic Henrys Fork flows into the Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
It is intended to improve nesting and migration habitat for ducks and other waterfowl. The project includes some 27 acres of ponds, 51 acres of shallow wetlands and 300 more acres of riparian habitat along the river only three miles from Manila. A short nature trail with interpretive signs help visitors explore the area. A brochure, with birding list, is available from the U.S. Forest Service NRA headquarters office in Manila.
A stop by many of those visiting the area is the Red Canyon Lodge, which offers lodging and dining to gorge visitors. The lodge also hosts on-site recreation opportunities, including horseback riding, paddleboats, mountain bike rentals, canoes and free fishing.
Across the road from the lodge is West Greens Lake, a scenic byway stop with paved parking, picnic sites and a short interpretive nature trail. This private lake is managed by the lodge and is privately stocked with brook trout. In 2003, the lodge worked with the DWR Habitat Council to install a fishing pier into the lake. Red Canyon Lodge offers the two catch-and-release-only lakes to all visitors at no charge.
A section of the Uinta Mountains also reaches into the county, with such destinations available as Daggett Lake, Wyman Lakes and Teepee Lakes that offer great fishing, short hikes of less than 10 miles and a great deal of summer solitude.
Each fall the kokanee salmon begin their annual spawning run up Sheep Creek. The salmon, which are silver most of their lives, turn red prior to the spawn. After the spawn the salmon will die. Visitors can easily stop and view these large salmon at the Sheep Creek viewing area, just a few miles south of Manila on Highway 44.
Red Canyon Visitors Center, located off Highway 44 at milepost 3.5, is seasonally operated. Throughout the summer season, a regular program of interpretive programs is offered for kids and adults. The overlook, open year round, is one of the most scenic in Flaming Gorge. Raptors are common soaring along the highs walls of the canyon, and Western tanagers are colorful sites in the towering ponderosa pines along the canyon edge.
Unknown to most visitors is the small herd of bighorn sheep that make a daily appearance around the center year round. The Red Canyon Rim Trail is very scenic and goes along the edge of the gorge for several miles toward Red Canyon Lodge and Swett Ranch.
If you go . . .
Well known: Flaming Gorge, Green River, Brown's Park
Unknown: Jarvie Historical Ranch, Dowd Mountain
Contact: 435-789-6932 www.dinoland.com
Next (Dec. 1): Garfield County