Flaming Gorge's Red Canyon: The Rim Walk & The Sheep Surprise

Flaming Gorge's Red Canyon:
The Rim Walk & The Sheep Surprise

Explore More: Adventure Hub > Utah Hidden Gems

I absolutely LOVE Red Canyon. It’s one of those places where the earth just opens up beneath your feet. Walking out on the rim trails leads you to epic drop-off views of a deep, dramatic canyon. The contrast of the flaming red walls against the vibrant, emerald-green waters of the river 1,700 feet below is a color palette you won’t find anywhere else in Utah.

⚠️ Wait! Which "Red Canyon" is this?

Utah has a "Red Canyon" problem! There are at least two famous ones, plus Red Ledges, and it gets confusing.

• The "Other" One: If you are near Bryce Canyon (Southern Utah), that's the Dixie National Forest one.
• THIS One: This is Red Canyon at Flaming Gorge (Northeastern Utah/Wyoming border), located in the Ashley National Forest.

Tip: If you type just "Red Canyon" into Google Maps from Salt Lake City, it usually sends you south. Make sure you type "Red Canyon Visitor Center, Dutch John" to find this gem!

🌟 The Golden Nugget: The Silent Herd

My favorite experience here happened one quiet evening in the parking lot. I was letting my camera run a sunset time-lapse, hoping to catch the changing light.

I knew there was a herd of Big Horn Sheep that lived in the park, but we had only seen them once before. As I stood by my car organizing gear, I felt a presence. I turned around, and the whole herd was standing just 10 feet behind me.

I wanted to grab my camera so bad, but it was locked in the time-lapse! LOL. So, I just froze. I held still and enjoyed the moment, breathing in the same air as these majestic creatures. When I finally moved, they calmly trotted past me... and disappeared right off the edge of the cliff! It was shocking that they had a route down that sheer canyon wall to the water, but they did.

📹 Evidence: The "Guilty" Time-Lapse!
(I've set this video to start at 4:50 so you can see exactly what my camera was doing while I was staring at the sheep!)  

🎥 360° Video Challenge

Can you spot them? If you spin this video around and look closely, you can actually catch a glimpse of the Big Horn Sheep heading right down the steep canyon wall!

(Not on VR? Use your mouse to click and drag the view!)

📸 Views from the Edge

❤️ Hubby on the Rim

🧗‍♂️ The Steep Walls

🌊 The Green River Below

🗺️ The Rim Trail Guide

Don't just park and leave! The Red Canyon Rim Trail is the star of the show here. It stretches for about 5 miles, but you don't have to do the whole thing.

• The "Easy" Walk: From the Visitor Center, take the paved path to the main overlook. It's accessible and offers the classic "Calendar Shot" of the gorge.
• The Adventure Hike: If you follow the Rim Trail south, the crowds disappear. You walk through Ponderosa pines with constant views of the 1,700-foot drop. This is where we saw the sheep!
• Safety Warning: ⚠️ Watch your kids! The cliffs are real, and many rock ledges that look safe are actually undercut and unstable. Keep little ones close.

🏕️ Where to Camp

Red Canyon Campground: Right next to the rim! It has a lovely private lake (Greens Lake) nearby for fishing.

🏛️ The Visitor Center

Don't skip it! The building actually hangs over the cliff edge with a massive glass wall. It offers a "Million Dollar View" even if it's raining outside.

🗓️ Best Time to Visit

Late Spring to Early Fall. The road is high elevation and often closes in winter due to snow.

🐏 Wildlife Watch

Look for Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. They are often right in the parking lot or on the canyon walls.

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If you love deep canyons and epic views, you MUST check out my other favorite spot:

🏞️ Island in the Sky: Canyonlands

Click here to explore the "Grand Canyon" of Utah!

Happy Hiking,
Shauna from VRGetaway