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Yampa Bench Road
Maybell,
Colorado
(Moffat County)
Last Updated:
08/31/2017
Trail Information
Highlights
The Yampa Bench Road offers amazing panoramic views in a beautiful and remote part of Colorado. The switchbacks and smooth red dirt straight-aways lead you to significant historical sites and stunning seclusion on the floor of the canyon at the confluence of the Green River and the Yampa River in Echo Park. Steamboat Rock, visible from the Echo Park Campground is the centerpiece of Dinosaur National Monument. Pictured left is the view from the Harding Hole Overlook (waypoint 11) a popular stop along the Yampa Bench Road. As you stand on the point of Harding Hole Overlook, you contemplate the time it took for the Yampa River to carve the landscape laid out before you. Listen as the canyon's resident swallows and swifts dive through the air overhead and the only other sounds you hear are the rapids, the breeze and a distant 'moooooo'.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
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Todd
Official Crew
Trail Navigation
Trail Reviews
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/04/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Drove this from West to East. The road was dry and dusty. No major issues to report along the route. Oh and the Mormon crickets are still out in force at this time.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/30/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Had to look this one up after we did it today. Came in from the nat'l monument, headed for Echo Park, and then on the way back said, "Well, it's a county road... let's see where it goes!" and turned left. Aside from having to watch our entry at the bottom of a few washes, the road was in great shape. The weather was perfect, but the hordes -- HORDES!! -- of Mormon crickets crawling everywhere and staining the pavement brown were a little unnerving. Driving the Forester with all-seasons on, no problems at all.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/10/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Crickets and mosquitoes! Drove the trail and took the southern exit through dinosaur . Really cool place to visit. One area (just after WP12) with serious mud, but it has since dried up. Could prove difficult if a lot of water comes down. The mosquitoes are terrible right now. Not sure I would camp at Echo Park, it’s pretty miserable. We ate lunch at the cave which seemed to be the only area safe.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/03/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Harder
I’ve been doing this trail yearly for 5 years and it definitely used to be easy. Right now it is so rutted up. You’ll be fine with a standard 4wd with good tires but it used to be so easy one year I saw a fwd Focus hatch out there. Just be warned if it has rained recently (like it’s been for months this year) the trail will be very muddy and rutted. I’d say it’s around a 3 now. There is one huge mud hole right before the touristy highway entrance avoiding most the trail that someone could easily be stuck in without cell service in a fairly remote area. Be prepared.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/21/2021
The road for the most part was in good shape. Expect a solid 3 hrs to complete it with no stops. Airing down is a good thing on this road. There are quite a few rocky and fairly deep in sandy areas. Most of the very steep sections are rocky and rutted a bit. There are some blind curves in very precarious places some be extra careful. We didn’t see any other vehicles. The reward at the end is worth it! Along the route, if you keep your eyes open you will find some nice dispersed camping spots before you get down into Echo Park.
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