Colorado's Million Years Highway

     Colorado has many scenic highways. There's the Million Dollar Highway which I posted about last week, and there's the Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway. Here's my contribution to the list of scenic highways -- The Million Years Highway.

     From Fruita (just north of Grand Junction, Colorado) to the Echo Park Campground at the Dinosaur National Monument is 134 miles of a geologist's dream! Rocks galore from millions of years ago.

I began this road trip late afternoon yesterday.

The afternoon's setting sun enhanced the rocks' colors. 

Had the road almost to myself.

Pulled over frequently to take a photo.

Couldn't believe how beautiful this road was!

I was climbing gradually on Colorado State Hwy 139.

This rock looked like Swiss Cheese.

And this rock formation looked like a Medieval Fortress Wall.

Finally got to the top (Douglass Pass), then downhill to the town of Dinosaur.

Another Medieval Fortress Wall! it looks man-made, but it's not.

     I arrived last evening at the Dinosaur National Monument Visitor's Center just as the sun set (photo below). The Center is the gateway to the canyons and Echo Park (confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers).  It's not an information center about the dinosaur fossils (will explain later).

Spent the night in front of Plug Hat Butte.

Next morning at 6 AM, I was back on the road. At that hour, the Evening Primroses were still open.

And there was a bit of Alpine Glow!

The paved Park Road is about 30 miles long.

Very expansive views.

The Park Road briefly enters Utah; those are snowy Unita Mountain peaks in photo below.

Then back into Colorado.

At the end of the paved road, this dirt road beckoned me.

     A sign there told me, "The dirt road stretching out below you winds for thirteen miles to Echo Park, near the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers at the heart of Dinosaur National Monument's canyon country. Towering sandstone walls, prehistoric rock art, the "air-conditioned" Whispering Cave, and secluded camping await you if you are willing to venture off the paved road. Experience one of the monument's most stunningly beautiful sites where the last free flowing river in the Colorado River system (the Yampa River) meets the historic Green River at Echo Park, the "center of the universe." 

How could I resist that challenge!

About an hour later, I made it to the Green River where rafters (lower left) were taking a break.

They call this Steamboat Rock at the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers.

     There's a campground there, but there were also lots of mosquitoes! I returned back up the dirt road because if it rained tonight, the dirt road would turn to clay and I'd be forced to wait until the road dried. This was my view of the sky (photo below) when I returned up to the paved road.

Thunderheads and distant rain!

     The actual dinosaur fossils by the way, are located at a special exhibit (includes quarry) in Utah where I intend to visit tomorrow. Click here for the explanatory website.