Manila, Utah.

Autumn is upon us, and I’ve saved this gallery of fall color images from our excursion to Flaming Gorge last year. These images were taken on October 16, 2023, and reflect scenes we captured when we rediscovered this beautiful byway. It’s a 45-minute drive from Green River, Wyoming, to Manila, Utah. At Manila, join Highway 44 as it winds through Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area. The highway between Manila and U.S. 191 is the Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway. I wrote about that highway here.

One side trip we didn’t take in 2022 is close to Manila. The Sheep Creek Geological Loop, Utah Highway 218, is a 13-mile (21 km) highway that winds through tight corners alongside towering rock formations. It offers fantastic views of the canyon and Sheep Creek, especially in Autumn.

The Uinta Fault is a massive geologic feature visible along the loop. The fault line separates contrasting rock types, with red sandstone on one side and gray limestone on the other.

Our first stop was a parking lot that led to a small picnic area. Our attraction was a sign indicating available restrooms, a worthy stop before starting on the byway we were unfamiliar with until just minutes before. As it turned out, the restroom is an outhouse some distance away from the picnic area, and no sign indicates where it is located. I decided to explore a trail that led north along Sheep Creek, and after a longer walk than I had expected, the outhouse came into view.

The loop road winds through the dramatic landscape, featuring millions of years of geological history through the tilted and folded rock layers. Along the fault, an exciting display of unique rock formations, including towering monoliths and fractured and jumbled rock, can be seen.

A few interpretive signs scattered throughout the loop explain the various geological features. The Sheep Creek Geological Loop is a well-maintained paved road accessible to most vehicles. However, during winter months, the road can be closed due to snow.

Off the main loop are turnoffs for Sheep Creek and Browne Lake, both popular fishing spots. Spirit Lake can also be reached via a spur road. Campgrounds, picnic areas, and trailheads are scattered throughout the area.

The area is home to Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk, and various bird species. We were lucky to spot a small group of bighorn near a parking area.

Highway 218 reconnects to Highway 44 further south along the Flaming Gorge-Uintas National Scenic Byway. You can turn back north to complete the loop on the main highway, or you can continue south along the road toward U.S. Highway 191 and the dam and reservoir near Dutch John, Utah.

Along the way, we stopped at Cart Creek Bridge for photos. Regular readers may remember the story and pictures of this stop from a February post here. We continued south to visit the reservoir and dam, then followed U.S. Highway 101 from Dutch John to Rock Springs, Wyoming. From there, we completed our loop back to Green River on I-80, where we started.

On our side trip along the Sheep Creek Geological Loop and the Flaming Gorge Scenic Byway, we saw so many beautiful views that I put a much larger gallery of autumn images on my Flickr site to share with you, dear reader. You can find the entire gallery in 2K HD here.

John Steiner