Flaming vistas abound in tiny Daggett

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.