Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)

Flaming Gorge Reservoir
with namesake red sandstone cliffs.
Map showing the location of Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
Location Sweetwater County, Wyoming / Daggett County, Utah, USA
Nearest city Green River, Wyoming
Coordinates 40°54′52″N 109°25′17″W / 40.91444°N 109.42139°W / 40.91444; -109.42139Coordinates: 40°54′52″N 109°25′17″W / 40.91444°N 109.42139°W / 40.91444; -109.42139
Area 207,363 acres (839.17 km2)
Established October 1, 1968
Governing body United States Forest Service

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is a United States National Recreation Area located in the states of Wyoming and Utah. The recreation centerpiece of the area is the 91 miles (146 km) long Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

History

The area was given the name "Flaming Gorge" by John Wesley Powell during his 1869 expedition down the Green River, due to the spectacular, gorgeous red sandstone cliffs that surround this part of the river.

The Flaming Gorge reservoir was created by the 1964 construction of the Flaming Gorge Dam across the Green River.

Uses

Power

Flaming Gorge Dam is used to generate hydroelectric power. Three turbines and generators at the base of the dam have the capacity to produce 50,650 kilowatts of electrical power each.

Recreation

Flaming Gorge National Recreation area is administered by the Ashley National Forest.

Activities in the recreation area include camping, hiking, boating and fishing on the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, and rafting on the portion of the Green River downstream from Flaming Gorge Dam.

Flaming Gorge panorama

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.




This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, May 02, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.