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<br />Shoshoni Indians, and to the south by the Utes; European settlement in <br />the 19th century marked the end of their traditional life styles. A brief <br />visit by Escalante in 1776 led a parade of subsequent Europeans, <br />including fur,trappers, explorers, cattlemen, and bandits such as Butch <br />Cassidy. Probably the best known adventure touching the monument <br />was Major John Wesley Powell's exploration of the Green and Colorado <br />Rivers in 1869. The isolation of the region has helped preserve the <br />flavor of the early days. and scattered remnants of the first settlers are <br />very much in evidence, as are the descendents of these pioneers who are <br />still ranching in the territory. <br /> <br />Dinosaur National Monument is part of a large recreation complex <br />managed by three Federal agencies: the National Park Service, Forest <br />Service, and Bureau of Land Management. The surrounding B LM lands <br />offer hunting and jeep-touring. The Forest Service lands in the higher <br />reaches of the Uinta Mountains to the west are used by local people and <br />Salt Lake City residents to escape the summer heat, and for winter <br />sports. Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is managed by the <br />Forest Service for intensive water,oriented recreation. Each of these <br />areas plays a discrete role in a well-balanced recreation complex. Once <br />grazing is phased out, the monument will assume an added role in <br />relation to its surroundings - that of a remnant example of the land as <br />it appeared to the first explorers. <br /> <br />The major industries in the Dinosaur area are agriculture and mineral <br />extraction, particularly for gilsonite. When it becomes more <br />economical, the extraction of extensive reserves of shales underlying <br />much of this region will be a major industry. Extensive oil fields occur <br />south of the monument. <br /> <br />Human habitation in this area is sparse, and is centered in small <br />settlements along Highway 40 and on scattered ranches. The closest <br />cities are Salt Lake City, 215 miles to the west, and Denver, 300 miles <br />to the east. <br /> <br />Visitors to Dinosaur National Monument are mainly out-of-Staters from <br />California and the Midwest vacationing in the Rockies. The principal <br />travel routes are Interstate 80, 100 miles north of the monument, and <br />Interstate 70, 100 miles south. U.S. Highway 40 passes by Dinosaur. A <br />special tour route paralleling the Green and Colorado Rivers, referred to <br />as the "Canyonlands Highway," has been designated between <br />Yellowstone and Grand Canyon National Parks. <br /> <br />4 <br />