Red Canyon Visitor Center, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Utah - August 2009

Flaming Gorge was another unplanned stop on our itinerary. I only knew about it because my dad mentioned it some years earlier as he was planning his own trip. I figured we might as well drive by it since we were in the neighborhood.

Once in the neighborhood, the one attraction I did want to visit was Flaming Gorge Dam. I rarely pass a big dam without trying to take a tour. We arrived five minutes too late to catch the last tour of the day. Tours ended in mid-afternoon. Darla was OK with this; she was never too excited about the prospect of descending into the bowels of anything, be it a cave or a dam.

I was interested in the dam but The Boy was still intent on seeing a bighorn sheep. We had been told at the dam that bighorn sheep were often seen on the west side of the gorge in the Red Canyon area. When we arrived at the Red Canyon visitor center – a nice stop with a beautiful view, even on a cloudy day like today – we were told that a whole group of bighorn sheep had wandered by less than a half hour earlier. They were nowhere to be seen now.

Red Canyon, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Utah - August 2009

No bighorn sheep in sight…but what a view!

Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Utah - August 2009

Our last best chance to encounter bighorn sheep was Sheep Creek Canyon. Given its name, you would think our chances were pretty good – but we’d already been to many places famous for their abundant bighorn sheep and come up empty. The Boy was anxious.

Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Utah - August 2009

Bighorn sheep at last! There were no rams but we encountered a large group of females with their young about halfway through the canyon. The Boy was very pleased.

Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Utah - August 2009

Sheep Creek Canyon made for a beautiful drive, bighorn sheep or not. For much of its length it is a very deep and narrow canyon with a creek running along the bottom and beautiful rock formations on both sides. Being off the main road, we had the place to ourselves. It was a nice exclamation point at the end of a great trip. Next stop: home.

previous image set: Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado