Colorado · National Monument trail

Gates of Lodore Trail Stop 15

in Colorado

“At noon the sun shines in splendor on vermilion walls… and the canyon opens, like a beautiful portal, to a region of glory. This evening, as I write, the sun is going down and the shadows are settling in the canyon… and now it is a dark portal to a region of gloom, the gateway through which we are to enter on our voyage of exploration tomorrow, what shall we find?” John Wesley Powell wrote these words as he camped near here on June 7, 1869, expressing the combination of excitement and fear he and his companions often felt as they made the first full length expedition down the Green River. Since most of this canyon country was still literally a blank spot on the map, Powell and his men had the opportunity to fill in the blanks with new names.

Andy Hall, the youngster of the group, suggested the name of this canyon after recalling “The Cataract of Lodore” by the English poet Robert Southey: “All at once and all o’er, with a mighty uproar and this way the water comes down at Lodore.” These lines soon proved to be appropriate, for the first large rapid below here wrecked one of the party’s four wooden boats and earned itself the name Disaster Falls. The crew salvaged what they could, and approached the later rapids more cautiously. Powell ultimately floated all the way down the Green and Colorado Rivers through the Grand Canyon.

States: Colorado
Trail type: National Monument trail
Centroid nearest city: Salt Lake City, UT · 157 mi · ~5 hr drive
Centroid coords: 40.7184°, -108.8903°

About Dinosaur National Monument

National Monument

This trail is inside Dinosaur National Monument, a national monument managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Entrance fee: $25 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/gates-of-lodore-trail-stop-15.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Gates of Lodore Trail Stop 15 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.