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Daggett County


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Daggett County Facts:

County Website: Daggett County
Area: 721 square miles
Population: 992 (2023)
Founding Year: 1918
County Seat: Manila
Origin of County Name: after Ellsworth Daggett who helped develop irrigation for the county
Cities/Towns: Dutch John, Manila
Economy: electric power generating, lumbering, livestock
Points of Interest: Ashley National Forest,  Flaming Gorge Recreational Area, John Jarvie Historic Ranch
Geography: Northern slope of Uinta Mountains, bordered by Wyoming (north), Colorado (east), Uintah and Duchesne counties (south), Summit County (west)
Historical Significance: Summer hunting grounds for Native Americans, visited by fur trappers in 1820s
Notable Residents: Early settlers James Warby and Franklin Twitchell families
Natural Resources: Rock phosphate deposits, natural gas from Clay Basin, undeveloped deposits of manganese, oil, coal, copper, oil-bearing shales and gilsonite

 

About Daggett County:

Daggett County is located in the northeast corner of Utah and lies within the Uinta Mountains, the only major mountain range in the U.S. that runs east to west. In the past, rumors of diamonds in the Uintas attracted wealthy landowners, but permanent settlement did not begin until the 1890s, when Ellsworth Daggett and others developed irrigation systems that made farming possible. As of 2023, the county had a population of about 992, and it remains sparsely populated, with most of the land used for livestock grazing and farming. Manila, the county seat, is a small rural town.
Notable landmarks in Daggett County include Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which offers boating, fishing, camping, and hydroelectric power generation at Flaming Gorge Dam. Visitors can take free tours of the dam and feed fish at its base. The town of Dutch John was originally built to house dam workers. The Red Canyon Overlook offers scenic views of the reservoir, while Sheep Creek Canyon, located on the reservoir’s west side, is known for its striking rock formations and fishing opportunities.

Resources:

More information for Daggett County can be found at the following sites:

 

Gallery:


The Swett Ranch is a historic homestead located in Daggett County, Utah.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
The Daggett County Courthouse, located in Manila, Utah, serves as the administrative and judicial center for the county.
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Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area spans parts of Utah and Wyoming, offering opportunities for fishing, boating, camping and hiking around the Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
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Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, located on the Wyoming–Utah border, features the Flaming Gorge Reservoir and offers a wide range of outdoor activities including fishing, boating and hiking.
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The Flaming Gorge Reservoir stretches across the Utah–Wyoming border and is known for its boating, fishing and scenic red rock canyons.
Image from Wikimedia Commons

The Flaming Gorge Reservoir Bridge spans the reservoir near the dam, providing access and scenic views of the surrounding landscape.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
Pronghorn are commonly seen near Manila, Utah, within the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, particularly across the sagebrush plains of Lucerne Valley.
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Sharpleaf Twinpod (Physaria acutifolia), a native wildflower in the mustard family, can be found along Highway 44 approximately 8 miles south of Manila, Utah, where it grows in dry, open habitats characteristic of the region.
Image from Wikimedia Commons

The Colton Guard Station is a historic cabin in Ashley National Forest that can be rented for overnight stays year-round.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
From below Anderson Pass in the High Uintas Wilderness of Utah, a stunning view to the east overlooks the rugged landscape within Ashley National Forest.
Image from Wikimedia Commons