Crews are scrambling in Dinosaur National Monument to see that the Harper's Corner Road is open to the public by mid-April.

Monument officials normally aim to have the road, which ends at an overlook of the Yampa and Green rivers far down below, open by Easter weekend. With Easter scheduled to fall on April 24 this year, officials hope to have the road open before then. With some sections of road buried beneath 14-foot snow drifts, that's not an easy task. But officials are optimistic they can clear away the snow in time.

"Once plowed, the road and sub-base needs to dry for about two weeks to prevent road damage. We hope to have the road opened by April 15th," said Gary Mott, the monument's facility manager.

The Harpers Corner Road is a scenic 32-mile paved road (one-way) that leads to the heart of Dinosaur's canyon country.  Several overlooks provide sweeping vistas of the Green and Yampa river canyons. Two trails along the road lead to the canyon rim, allowing a closer look at the Green River more than 2,000 feet below and into the ragged Split Mountain Gorge. Visitors should use caution when hiking these trails in the spring as lingering snow and wet conditions may make the trails slippery in places.

Dinosaur's weather is unpredictable and can change rapidly. Visitors should always be prepared for a range of conditions. For more information on Dinosaur National Monument, call us at (435) 781-7700 or find the monument on facebook.