Uintah County – Dinosaurs, Canyons, and Exceptional Nature Experiences

Uintah County combines impressive landscapes with dinosaur fossils and cultural evidence from the history of the region’s first peoples. In the wider area around Vernal, the county is known as “Dinosaurland.” Three state parks, Dinosaur National Monument, and numerous access points to Ashley National Forest shape this expansive area for outdoor experiences. When choosing a vacation rental or vacation home, it is therefore worth considering in advance whether your trip will focus primarily on fossils, hiking, river adventures, culture, or mountain biking.

Dinosaur Fossils to See and Touch

The Quarry Exhibit Hall displays a wall with approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones. Visitors can also touch real dinosaur fossils there that are 150 million years old. The Dinosaur Trackway Trailhead in the surrounding area offers another way to explore the history of the Earth. Several dinosaur tracks from the Jurassic period are exposed there in Nugget Sandstone and can be seen at a well-preserved site.

The Dinosaur Trackway Trail in the surrounding area is about one mile long and marked with cairns and interpretive signs. On the Utah side of Dinosaur National Monument, there are also developed hiking trails near the visitor centers and along Cub Creek Road. In many areas of the monument, hiking off marked trails is permitted. Those who want to combine different ways of exploring can therefore choose between a short trail with interpretive information and freer exploration.

River, Canyons, and Trails of Varying Lengths

For an active day, one-day rafting trips from Rainbow Park travel 9 miles along the Green River through Class I to III rapids. The Island Park Trail, by contrast, is about 8 miles each way, strenuous, and not regularly maintained. These differences are important for trip planning: While the river and rapids shape the character of the day during a rafting trip, the Island Park Trail requires different timing and route planning.

In the surrounding area, the Jones Hole Trail leads 4 miles, or 8 miles round trip, from the Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery to the Green River. The small, scenic Ely Creek Falls is also nearby. It can be reached by following Ely Creek for about a quarter mile from a point approximately 2 miles from the fish hatchery. Daniels Canyon is a canyon running from east to west with high, sheer walls. The Daniels Canyon Wilderness Study Area is located in Uintah County and offers views of Dinosaur National Monument.

Petroglyphs, Museum, and Mountain Bike Loops

The McKee Spring Petroglyphs include large, human-like depictions from the Fremont culture. Several petroglyph panels can be seen along a roughly quarter-mile loop trail. The Museum of Uintah County offers a cultural complement. It preserves and presents the heritage of the Uinta Basin from the time of the first peoples to the present day. The “First Peoples” exhibit includes traditional clothing, tools, pottery, and beadwork. Guided tours, workshops, themed art exhibitions, and additional exhibits are also part of the offering.

Those who prefer to explore the landscape by bicycle will find the McCoy Flats Mountain Bike Trail System in the surrounding area, with 35 miles of interconnected mountain bike loops for riders of all experience levels. McCoy Flats has a main parking area made of compacted gravel for 25 to 30 vehicles, maps at the trailheads, and interpretive signs at the main trailhead. The Ashley Gorge Via Ferrata near Vernal is a public climbing route with permanently installed steel cables, rungs, ladders, footholds, and bridges as climbing aids. The Goblin City Trail is an existing non-motorized hiking trail in Uintah County, Utah.

Which Accommodation Location Suits Your Trip?

For a trip focused on dinosaurs and culture, a vacation rental can serve as a base for days spent visiting exhibits and fossil sites. Those planning rafting, longer hikes, or mountain bike loops, however, should consider their preferred daily activities and the respective access points when searching for accommodation. A more relaxed itinerary can place natural attractions such as the Jones Hole Trail, Ely Creek Falls, or the canyons at the center of the trip. For further orientation, you can also visit the page on Vernal.

Additional destinations for regional orientation: Duchesne County, San Juan County, Carbon, Garfield, Beaver County, Davis, and Kane County.

For the broader travel overview: Utah.