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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'.
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Trail Reviews
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.
Open
Visited: 06/06/2021
Trail was in pretty good shape, there was some rutting due to rain that made a few parts a bit rough to travel down. Was near the cave and campground at dusk time and quite a few bats around. They like to sit on the trail, so watch out for them. Only saw 1 other vehicle on this trail from start to finish.
Open
Visited: 09/06/2019
Fun road with lots of scenic views. It’s a bumpy road but there’s only a few rocky spots where you need to place your tires. We did find very deep “moon dust” for about a mile before Echo Park Road (about miles 39-41). A recent rain would make this very difficult going. When it’s dry it’s perfectly suitable for a stock suv or a Subaru.
We camped at Echo Park, very pretty at night.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 06/09/2019
Enjoyed the trail this weekend for a nice camping weekend at Echo Park Campground. Trail is easy but scenic if you take the time to enjoy the ride. Very few other travelers out there so the trail was mostly to ourselves. Definitely took the time at the overlooks and other scenic spots along the way. The campground was pretty busy with campers but we found a nice spot and enjoyed the evening cool temperatures. Taking the Harpers Point road out back to Hwy 40 is a nice drive and drop you out on to US 40 at the visitor's center. Worth the trip.
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 05/13/2018
Traveled the road from the eastern entrance at Elk Springs to Echo Park. There are road signs now and then, but just be aware that the road changes names multiple times, although it's not difficult to keep on the main road. Check ahead of time to find out if there has been rain in the area as there are sections that would almost impassible if muddy. We drove our Subaru outback that day and had zero issues.
Great overlooks of the Yampa river and very little traffic. We probably saw less than half a dozen vehicles all day.
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