Colorado · National Monument trail

Gates of Lodore Trail Stop 16

in Colorado

What Powell had called “the great unknown” is now explored by thousands of people every year in rafts and kayaks. River running is very popular in Dinosaur National Monument. The monument uses a permit system both for boater safety and to reduce the impact of too many people concentrated in narrow canyons.

To some, imposition of such regulations is contradictory to the freedom of wilderness travel; to others, some control necessary to preserve the wilderness itself. How we protect our public lands, while also allowing for their use, is a continual debate. Rafters may not have been able to enjoy these wild rivers if proposed dams had been constructed within the monument boundaries.

The Echo Park Dam would have flooded the entire Canyon of Lodore and also that of the Yampa River, the Green’s major tributary. Protestors of the dam pointed out that Dinosaur National Monument had been enlarged to protect these canyons in their natural state, not as artificial reservoirs. After years of contentious debate in the 1950s and 60s, the decision was made to not build a dam within the monument boundaries.

States: Colorado
Trail type: National Monument trail
Centroid nearest city: Salt Lake City, UT · 157 mi · ~5 hr drive
Centroid coords: 40.7181°, -108.8898°

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-16.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 16 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.