A green and tree-shaded community in an otherwise dry plain, Vernal is an attractive small town with some 8,000 residents. It serves as a good base for visiting nearby Dinosaur National Monument, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area and the Uinta Mountains. It offers a decent selection of motels and has numerous small restaurants, cafes and fast food joints. It also has a small, well-done prehistory museum, a couple of movie theaters and water slides for the kids. Vernal is located along Hwys. 191/40 in the northeast corner of Utah. It is southeast of the Uinta Mountains, 20 miles west of Dinosaur National Monument and 35 miles south of Flaming Gorge.

For more information about Vernal, including a calendar of local events, restaurants, and lodging options, see This is Vernal.

Two international airports, Salt Lake City and Denver, are within driving distance of Vernal. SkyWest provides daily direct flights from Denver, Colorado (United) to the Vernal airport (Airport Code VEL). You will either need to rent a vehicle from AllSave Car Rentals (www.allsaveutah.com) or arrange for shuttle service. The Vernal City-Uintah County Airport is open to the public.

Major airlines provide daily flights from Denver and Phoenix to Grand Junction, Colorado.  Grand Junction is a scenic three-hour drive from Vernal.  American Spirit (www.americanspiritshuttle.net), (970) 523-7662) offers scheduled shuttle service between Grand Junction and Vernal.

Vernal Aviation: (435) 789-8157

We recommend flying to a major airport and renting a car.  With so much to see and do in the Vernal area, it is a good idea to have your own vehicle.

Thrifty Car Rental – (800) 847-4389 / www.thrifty.com – Available at most Airports (Guests of Sheri Griffith Expeditions can leave their vehicles at the Best Western Antlers Inn during their time on the river.)

River Runners Transport – (800) 930-7238/www.riverrunnerstransport.comCustom rental and shuttle services for river runners.

Wilkins Bus Lines, Inc.- (435) 789-2476  Car shuttles from Gates of Lodore, Deer Lodge, Vernal and SLC airport, and surrounding areas.

Greyhound – Bus service to and from Vernal is available through Greyhound Lines, Inc. (1-800-231-2222) with two full stops each day to both Roosevelt and Vernal.

Amtrak – (800) 872-7245 / www.amtrak.com – Drops off 152 miles from Vernal in Grand Junction, Colorado.

For more specific driving directions visit www.mapquest.com

From Salt Lake City, UT (2.5 Hours) – I-80 East to Park City / Turn onto US-40 South and East to Vernal

From Grand Junction, CO (3 hours) – US 139 North to Rangely/ US-64 West to Dinosaur/ US-40 West to Jensen and then On to Vernal

From Denver, CO (8 hours ) – I-70 West toward Grand Junction, CO / US 139 North to Rangely/ US-139 North to Rangely/ US-64 West to Dinosaur/ US-40 West to Vernal