I hadn't planned to stop where I did, but as I entered Flaming Gorge Recreation area at Sheep's Creek Canyon and saw how beautiful it was, and that there was a scenic loop road, I changed my mind.
I saw this campground with sites right beside the creek and the lovely backdrop of cliffs, I decided to spend a night here.
Thistle and I walked a short interpretive trail along the creek before we set off in the car to do the loop.
Thistle says it tastes like sheep... There are supposed to be salmon running up the creek to their spawning grounds about now, but we didn't see any.
Our first stop on the loop was a picnic area by Navajo Cliffs where this robin mooned me. First time I've taken a butt shot of a robin.
Anyway, this is the view of Navajo Cliffs which are composed of Navajo limestone, the sign says.
The first part of the road is gravel, but becomes a paved road farther on.
There are many interesting rock formations in Sheep Creek Canyon, and signs tell their age and geologic composition, but I did not record all of that.
This was an interesting stop about an early homesteader. Note his association with gangsters of the era. That information popped up later when I drove up to the top of Dowd Mountain and hiked some of the "Hideout Trail."
The graves of Dowd and two of his children.
View from the gravesite.
Continuing on...colorful cliffs.
I kept searching the rocks formations for Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep that live in the canyon.
But I found them here in the green fields. They are smart and know where the tender grasses are.
These were females and their babies.
The setting...can you see the sheep in the field?
Continuing up the canyon, the road follows Sheep's Creek.
Entering the official geological area.
There are caves up there.
Caused by erosion I imagine.
Notice the mineral stains streaking down the cliffs.
A tall tree between tall cliffs. Probably had to grow tall to reach the sunlight.
A sign said Tower Rock, but didn't say which one.
My guess is this is Tower Rock.
But these are good candidates too.
Driving through here makes you feel kind of small.
On and on the canyon continues.
With more and more rock formations.
My friend, Anita, taught me to recognize mine tailings in the deserts of Arizona. Looks like mining took place here too.
The entrance is barred off.
This big spring gushing into Sheep Creek is named, Big Spring.
Appropriately.
And there's more...
We are starting to climb into the Uinta Mountains. Notice the forces must have that created this.
View from the Palisades Picnic area.
And a memorial to campers who lost their lives in a flash flood in 1965. There is no campground here now...maybe that's why.
Another view of the Palisades from higher up.
Red sandstone cliffs.
I think I remember reading about a fault line here and the collision of two tectonic plates that caused the upheaval in different directions....or something like that.
Notice how the stone curves..
We are climbing towards the top of the canyon.
And I am seeing more and more fall colors in the higher elevations.
One more overlook and we leave the "official" geologic area.
The road below.
But there are still more cliffs ahead.
Still climbing...
On the plateau at the top the aspens are beginning to turn.
Soon the hillsides will be a blaze of yellow.
A ranger post.
Near the end of the loop this view just before descending back into Flaming Gorge.
This stop was called Devil's Hole. This is where I read about the large continental plate breaking up and being pulled in three different directions roughly 1.1 billion years ago resulting in the landscape we have seen today. There's more, but you get the idea.
Just another view from the road.
Descending into Flaming Gorge.
Look, there's my campground!
Can you see my RV? Three other campers came in later, so I wasn't alone, although I wouldn't mind it if I was.
View of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The campground I was originally headed for is down there at Sheep's Creek Bay. I will go there next and kayak in that amazing place.
Sheep's Creek Bay
The road down.
Another view of the campground. $6 for that view.
The colors were what inspired John Wesley Powell to name this Flaming Gorge.
