Pedal to Big Views
Within Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area are a number of great mountain bike routes, including the easy, three-mile Bear Canyon-Bootleg Trail and the more difficult, 15-mile loop of Death Valley Trail, both of which offer spectacular views. For a more challenging run through the forest, try the 19-mile Elk Park Loop on for size. It follows dirt roads and single-track trails up into the forested slopes of the Uinta Mountains. The going gets steep in stretches, but the views along the way of the Uintas and the Flaming Gorge area are worth every exertion.

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Cruise the Fiery Shore
It isn't called Flaming Gorge for nothing. Surrounding the man-made lake on the Utah side are magnificent canyons so fiery red that if viewed from overhead in a plane you'd swear a terrible fire is burning right to the water's edge. On the Wyoming side, wide-open badlands spill to the horizon. From any point along the lake, the scenery is truly spectacular, and there is no better way to explore it than by boat. Quiet boaters might catch a glimpse of nesting ospreys, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelopes, and pelicans. Grab a map of the lake, since fluctuating water levels can close off some areas.

Lure a Trophy
Flaming Gorge Reservoir is world famous for the record-breaking and trophy-size fish hauled from its waters in both summer and winter. Anglers pursue lake trout (Mackinaw), kokanee salmon, smallmouth bass, and other cold-water fishes. The ultimate prize are giant lake trout, which are difficult to hook and in high demand with other anglers.

Drive through Fire
If you have ever wanted to touch a rainbow, drive along U.S. 191 and Utah 44 in the Utah section of Flaming Gorge NRA for dramatic viewpoints all along the route. Try to arrive at the Red Canyon Overlook toward sunset and catch the huge cliffs aglow with vibrant colors. Or direct your steering wheel to super-narrow Sheep Creek Canyon. This mostly paved 11-mile loop road plays out like a geology lesson as it wiggles through intricate rock carvings made by the uplifting of the Uinta Mountains millions of years ago.

Hike with the Eagles
Clamber high above the Green River on the seven-mile Little Hole National Recreation Trail, and watch the waterway recede until it's nothing more than a thin vein of life flowing through an arid landscape. Bring binoculars because the trail is particularly good for bird-watchers who may spot an osprey in the summer and bald eagles in the winter. A free hiking trail brochure is available at the visitor centers. If you encounter any mountain bikers, remind them you have right of way.

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