Flaming Gorge to Echo Park - Day 5
Mileage: 158
Day 5 (Tuesday)
We headed for Dinosaur National Moment today to camp at Echo Park in Colorado near the border of Utah along the Green River. Leaving the resort we went over the dam and around the reservoir. We saw a small herd of mule deer as we started to head away from the reservoir.
With Jim's chain back in check we headed to Sonic for a quick bite. The dry air had wreaked havoc on my sinuses. So, while the rest of the crew finished eating I ran over to CVS to pick up a nasal mister before rolling out to Dinosaur National Monument.
Did you know there is a difference in a National Park and a National Monument? The primary difference is in the reason for which they have been protected. National Parks are protected for their scenic, educational and recreational value. National Monuments are set aside to protect objects of historical, prehistoric, cultural or scientific importance.
The stars here were ridiculous! I've never seen so many stars and be this clear. Plus the Milky Way! This really is a special place to camp.
After dinner a guy from Michigan that was camped across the drive from us invited us over to share his fire. We sat around the campfire and shared stories and knowledge of the area before we started to nod off and headed for our tents.