Red Fleet State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Fleet State Park |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
|
|
Red Fleet Dam and Reservoir
|
|
 Red Fleet State Park
Location in Utah
Red Fleet State Park
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Uintah, Utah, United States |
| Area | 1,963 acres (7.94 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,500 ft (1,700 m) |
| Established | 1988 |
| Visitors | 31882 (in 2011) |
| Operator | Utah State Parks |
Red Fleet State Park is a fun place in Utah, United States. It's a state park known for its large lake, called a reservoir, which is about 750 acres big. The park is also famous for its amazing dinosaur footprints! You can find it about 10 miles north of Vernal.
Contents
Exploring Red Fleet State Park
Red Fleet State Park is located in northeastern Utah. It sits at an elevation of about 5,500 feet. The park is just south of the Uinta Mountains.
The weather here is usually dry. Summers are hot, and winters can be very cold.
Why "Red Fleet"?
The park gets its name from cool red sandstone formations. These rocks look like a "fleet" of ships sailing on the water. They are made of Navajo Sandstone.
Plants and Animals
Even though it's a dry area, many plants and animals live here.
Park Plants
You can find juniper trees and different kinds of cacti. There's also lots of sagebrush.
Park Animals
Look closely, and you might spot some wildlife! Animals like badgers, bobcats, coyotes, deer, and rabbits live in the park.
Park Birds
Many birds fly over Red Fleet State Park. These include large birds like golden eagles, hawks, vultures, owls, and osprey. You might also see colorful bluebirds.
Fun Things to Do
Red Fleet State Park has many things for visitors to enjoy all year long.
Park Facilities
You can relax on the sand beach or launch your boat from the ramp. There are restrooms available. If you have an RV, there are 29 campsites. The park also has a picnic area. You can find places to dispose of sewage and clean fish.
Dinosaur Footprints
One of the most exciting things at the park is the fossil trackway! Scientists recently found dinosaur footprints here. These footprints are about 200 million years old. It's like stepping back in time!
Nearby Adventures
There are many other cool places to visit close to Red Fleet State Park. You can explore Dinosaur National Monument, which is famous for its dinosaur bones. The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is great for outdoor fun.
Other nearby state parks include Steinaker and Utah Field House of Natural History. You can also go rafting or fishing on the Green River.
Red Fleet Dam: The Big Wall
The Red Fleet Dam is a large structure that holds back the water to create the reservoir. It's an embankment dam made of earth. The dam is about 161 feet high and 1,670 feet long.
Big Bush Creek feeds water into the reservoir. The dam was built in 1980 as part of a water project.
