Colorado · National Monument trail

Harpers Corner Trail Stop 5

in Colorado

Echo Park, at the junction of the Green and Yampa Rivers, is not only the geographic heart of Dinosaur National Monument, but a key location in the area’s history. The ruggedness of the land limited exploration by routes other than by water. William H.

Ashley, a trapper looking for beaver pelts, conducted the first recorded expedition down the Green River in 1825. In the weeks that it took his party to pass through these canyons, the rapids nearly wiped out his small, hide covered bullboats. Having survived the ordeal, Ashley and his men went on to explore other areas of the American West.

Nearly half a century passed before the Green River was seriously challenged again, this time by John Wesley Powell in 1869. Powell’s group lost a wooden boat in a rapid upstream from here, which they appropriately named Disaster Falls. Echo Park, where they listened to their voices bouncing off Steamboat Rock, was a welcome rest after days of battling white water.

States: Colorado
Trail type: National Monument trail
Centroid nearest city: Salt Lake City, UT · 152 mi · ~4 hr drive
Centroid coords: 40.5270°, -109.0143°

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/harpers-corner-trail-stop-5.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 Harpers Corner Trail Stop 5 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.