Firehole Canyon / Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Wyoming

Art Gallery of Time
“Major John Wesley Powell named the Flaming Gorge and tributaries such as Little Firehole Canyon for the brilliant red sandstone exposed in the canyon walls. Embarking from what is now Green River, Wyoming in specially designed river dory boats, Powell completed two voyages down the Green and Colorado Rivers through the Grand Canyon. The first in 1869, was largely exploratory. The second, in 1871, collected scientific data and produced the first maps of the upper Colorado drainage system. Powell’s works formed the basis for much of what geologists now know about the region. The Green River through Flaming Gorge is a classic example of a superimposed stream – it flows across the eastern end of the Uinta Mountains, rather than draining away from the mountains, Geologists believe that when the last major regional erosion cycle began several million years ago, an extensive landscape nearly level with the present crest of the Uintas dominated southern Wyoming. As erosion removed softer rock, the river level was gradually lowered, cutting a precipitous canyon into the resistant core of the Uintas. The result is the spectacular Red Canyon of the Green River, which chronicles earth history. Rocks in the very near area are young, only about 49 million years old. Travelling down tributary canyons, such as Little Firehole, and continuing downstream towards Flaming Gorge dam, older rock formations contains a wide variety of fossils, ranging from dinosaurs to primitive sea life. Near Flaming Gorge Dam, the dark red sandstones and shales of the pre-Cambrian Uinta core form the near vertical canyon walls. These rocks are nearly 1.1 billion years old.” [marker along the highway outside of Flaming Gorge firehole campground] 

DIRECTIONS: In Rock Springs, WY, at intersection of Business Loop I80 (Dewar Dr.) and I80, take I80 west 2.8 miles to exit 99 (US Rt. 191 south). Turn left onto Rt. 191 and go 13.9 miles to Firehole Can. sign (County Rt. 33). Turn right at sign onto Rt. 33 and go 9.9 miles to Firehole sign. Turn right at sign and go 0.5 miles to campground.