The southern entrance to this scenic park, adjacent to the Utah border, heads north from the town of Dinosaur, travels through Colorado, crosses over into Utah, and then back into Colorado to end at Harper’s point. The views possible from this road are truly incomparable, and remind one of the Grand Canyon. Greater Sage-Grouse can be found with some regularity along the southern portions of this road, and Sage Thrasher and Sage Sparrow are both possible. At Harper’s Corner there is a nature trail through excellent PJ, where one can find Juniper Titmouse, Pinyon Jay, and all the other PJ regulars. On the Utah side of the road a dirt road heads east into Colorado and down to the bottom of the canyon in Echo Park and Steamboat Rock. This road passes through lots more PJ and sagebrush, and into small but excellent riparian groves along Pool Creek on the way down to the river. Where the road hits the Green River are more riparian groves, and cliffs with White-throated Swifts, Canyon and Rock Wrens, and possibly Black Phoebes. Even if you don’t see many birds here, this road is worth driving for the scenery, pictographs, and neat Whistling Cave.
Dinosaur
Fossils, Canyons, and Wildlife
Almost everywhere in this dry landscape is evidence of the ancient past. The colorful sandstone in this region encases some of America’s richest and most famous fossil beds, the namesake of Dinosaur National Monument and its nearest town. Echo Canyon is Colorado’s answer to the Grand Canyon – broad and braided, carved out of thousands of layers of sedimentary rock by the Green River. On top of the fossil-bearing rock is a mosaic of thriving modern animal and plant communities. On this trail you may find characteristic species of the northern Great Basin, such as white-tailed prairie-dogs and Greater Sage-Grouse, alongside creatures of the southwestern junipers, including Gray Vireos, Scott’s Orioles, and even the rare and elusive ringtail. Along the river bottoms, Lazuli Buntings mingle with the occasional Indigo, and Gray Catbirds vie for song perches with Yellow-breasted Chats and Blue Grosbeaks. Few places can cater so well to both a paleontologist’s and a naturalist’s tastes.
Dinosaur National Monument (Harper’s Corner and Echo Park)
Admission: National Parks fee
Ownership: National Park Service
Dinosaur National Monument (Yampa Bench Road)
Admission: National Parks fee
Ownership: National Park Service
Dinosaur National Monument (Yampa Bench Road)
Billed as a 4×4 only road, much of this remote and spectacularly gorgeous byway can be passable in a passenger vehicle with care. If there is any doubt, though, ask at the visitor’s center in Dinosaur. The road passes through a variety of pinyon-juniper, montane shrubland, and semi-desert shrubland, with birds like Green-tailed Towhee, Plumebous Vireo, Virginia’s Warbler, and Canyon Wren. Dusky Grouse is possible along the higher portions of the road, and Golden Eagle can be found with some regularity. Scattered viewpoints on the Yampa River Canyon are truly spectacular, and unlike other areas in the park you often have them completely to yourself.
Martin Gap
Just east of the town of Dinosaur a dramatic stone ‘reef’ rises out of the desert floor, separating the flatter semi-desert flats to the south from the rising and beautiful terrain that slopes up to the Yampa Canyon. Though it appears nearly impregnible, there is an opening at Martin Gap. A rough road enters this area, though you can also park nearer the highway and walk. Extensive sage flats on the southern side of the reef should be checked for Sage Sparrow and Sage Thrasher, while the thick pinyon-juniper woodland on the north side have Pinyon and Western Scrub-Jays, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Plumbeous Vireo, and Juniper Titmouse, among others. Canyon walls throughout have Canyon and Rock Wrens, and there is an outside chance of Northern Pygmy-Owl.
Mormon Gap
Just outside of Rangeley, this area of sparse pinyon-juniper and desert habitat is a good place to look for species such as Say’s Phoebe, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, and Loggerhead Shrike. Rarer species possible include Scott’s Oriole and Burrowing Owl in one of the White-tailed Prairie-Dog colonies.
Kenney Reservoir
The only large body of water on this trail, Kenney Reservoir can be good for waterfowl and may have a few terns and gulls. Scoping the west end of the lake (where there is deeper water) may give you a loon or grebes in migration, as well as diving ducks. Towards the northern/easter end the water becomes shallower, and dabblers dominate the waterfowl mix, and shorebirds are posible during periods of low water. The easternmost portion of the lake, a Watchable Wildlife Area, has some marshy land with the possibility of Yellow-headed Blackbird or rails, and maybe an Ibis or herons.
Stadtman Mesa
A beautiful area of pristine pinyon-juniper woodland, Stadtman Mesa is a good location to search for the typical suite of ‘PJ’ birds, including Pinyon Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and more. Rocky areas may have Rock and Canyon Wrens. At night listen for Common Poorwill, and, with a good deal of luck, Northern Pygmy-Owl.
Canyon Pintado
An area of historical importance managed by the BLM, the ‘pintado’ in the name refers to the abundant Native American petroglyphs that dot the area. A number of pullouts, with interpretive signs, dot the area long C-139. These are all fun to look at, but the best spot for birding is the Cow Canyon site, which involves driving a couple of miles off the highway and into semi-desert shrubland and pinyon-juniper woodland. Watch especially for Black-throated Sparrow, Pinyon Jay, Juniper Titmouse, and the usual suite of dry country birds. Canyon Wrens and White-throated Swifts are common on the canyon walls, and lizards and snakes are common during the summer.
Douglas Creek
Douglas Creek is an island of riparian in the middle of pinyon-juniper woodland. Though privately owned, you can bird some of it from the road, and listen for birds hard to find in the area such as Yellow-breasted Chat, Bullock’s Oriole, Downy Woodpecker, and others. The pinyon-juniper forest, especially further up the creek, is in public property and can be a good spot to find Pinyon Jay, Canyon Wren, and Plumbeous Vireo. Chukars are a possibility in any area with more exposed rock.
Douglas Pass
Douglas Pass offers the only high elevation access on this trail. Luckily the road over the pass covers a wide variety of habitats, with an associated wide variety of birds. Pinyon-juniper woodland on both slopes plays host to Juniper Titmouse, Black-throated Gray Warblers, Ash-throated Flycatcher, and at night Common Poorwill, and Long-eared and Northern Saw-whet Owls. Higher up, where the forest turns to mixed conifer and aspen, look for Williamson’s and Red-naped Sapsuckers, Dusky Grouse, Green-tailed Towhee, Hermit Thrush, and Flammulated Owls at night.
Baxter Pass
Driving this remote road from Vernal, Utah to Loma can take a long time, but with a bit of luck can be well worth the effort. The lower portions of this road, near the Mesa County line, are probably the best place outside of Coal Canyon to get Chukar, and possibly even better for just seeing them out in the open. The extensive pinyon-juniper woodland on this portion of the road has some Scott’s Orioles, and Gray Vireo is a distinct possibility. Keep an eye out for other PJ birds, as well as foothill scrub birds (such as Green-tailed Towhee and Virginia’s Warbler) higher up on the pass.