Steamboat Springs is located in the middle of the Yampa Valley, surrounded by impressive mountain peaks. The town with a long western history is now a popular ski resort, because you can ski all year round on the highest mountains. In the summer you can, among other things, attend a rodeo or just take a lovely walk to the Fish Creek Falls. It owes its name to the many hot springs in the area. When the first furriers arrived here at the end of the 19th century, the bubbling and hissing of the hot springs reminded them of a steam train coming up.

We leave Rock Springs early, we are constantly driving above 1,400 meters today, but first we have to refuel and do some shopping at the Wallmart, so that we have some goodies for on the way at one of the many stops to take photos. As the 1st you come across a viewpoint where you have a nice overview on a 4x4 terrain, if you're lucky they are driving there and you can stop for a few photos.
The next stops are at places where you have a beautiful view over the valley, so take some unforgettable pictures.
After a little less than 95 KM you will leave Wyoming and enter Utah. The history of Utah differs considerably from that of the other states. Before the arrival of Europeans to the New World, the area was populated by Indian tribes such as the Uintah, Ouray and Utes, after whom the state is named. On July 24, 1847, the first Mormon settlers arrived in the area, far removed from other American settlements at that time. The region then belonged to Mexico, which after a war in 1848 had to cede to the United States. The settlers founded hundreds of settlements in an effort to secure land and resources for themselves. In addition, they came into conflict with Indians who traditionally populated these areas.
Only on January 4, 1896, after having been Utah for a long time, did Utah formally become the 45th state of the United States. Local leaders had been arguing for this for more than forty years, but had repeatedly encountered resistance from the federal government, which demanded, among other things, that polygamy be abolished.
One of the beaches during the Normandy Invasion in World War II, called Utah Beach, is named after this state.

The next stop is at the Flaming Gorge Dam, The Flaming Gorge Reservoir is a 146 km long reservoir created by the construction of the Flaming Gorge Dam on the Green River between 1958 and 1964. The water surface reaches a maximum height of 1840 m above sea level. The reservoir contains a maximum of 4.6 km³ of water. A little further at the Flaming Gorge Resort, you have the opportunity to eat, drink or refuel. In the meantime we drive through the Ashley National Forest. This forest with its 1,382,346 hectares of vast forests, lakes and mountains, with heights ranging from 6,000 to 13,500 feet, is wonderful to drive through, enjoying with a capital letter.

We make a short stop in Vernal and then continue to the Dinosaur National Monument, Dinosaurs once roamed here. Their fantastic remains are still visibly embedded in the rocks. Today, the mountains, desert and untamed rivers that flow into deep gorges support a range of life. Petroglyphs point to earlier cultures. Later, among others, outlaws found shelter here. We continue our way and stop again to eat and refuel in Maybell. Between the mountains we finally reach Steamboat Springs where after we have refueled we move into the hotel and let the experiences of this day pass by again.

In this 4-star route you drive on beautiful good roads, a stop at the Dinosaur National Monument is a must.

History:
The Yampa Valley was the hunting ground of the Ute Indians for hundreds of years. The Yampatika Ute and Arapaho tribes also visited the area because of the mineral or 'medicinal' sources that were considered sacred places for physical and spiritual healing.
The name Steamboat Springs probably originated around the beginning of the 19th century, when French furriers thought they heard the squeaking sound of a steamboat's steam engine. The sound turned out to be a natural mineral source, called the Steamboat Spring.

In 1874, James Crawford ventured into the Yampa Valley in search of a living environment. Impressed by the mineral water of the region, he built a hut near the current Iron Spring. Crawford spent a few of his winters in Boulder, Colorado, where he persuaded several prominent businessmen to join him in Steamboat Springs.
By 1885, five other families had settled in the area, including a newspaper man, James Hoyle, who brought his printing press to publish the Steamboat Pilot that same year. The area started to develop slowly, but increased slightly when a sawmill was established in 1883.
In 1900 it became a city, with James Crawford as the first mayor. In 1902 the city had 3 hotels, 3 stables, 3 banks, 4 general stores, 2 meat markets and other businesses, including the Steamboat Springs Service Company. This company was the first electricity company in the community.