Car Rental Vernal, UT

No, you can get to the main attractions on paved roads. These include the Quarry Exhibit Hall (fossil wall) and both visitor centers. However, for some remote areas like Echo Park, the Tour of Tilted Rocks petroglyph drive and Yampa Bench Road, you do need a high-clearance vehicle and sometimes 4WD, especially after it rains.

Enterprise is the main rental company in Vernal, and they have offices at the regional airport and downtown. Because they have a limited number of cars, you need to reserve one in advance. If you're flying into Salt Lake City, you will find more rental choices there, even though it's a 3-hour drive to Vernal.

For the busy summer season, you should book 1–2 months ahead of time. They have a very small number of cars, and they can completely sell out. Even in the slower season, we suggest you book 2–3 weeks in advance.

Yes, you will need to drive on unpaved roads to see many of the most scenic areas. These include:

• Jones Hole Road: graded gravel, which is usually fine for standard cars
• Fantasy Canyon access road: unpaved, but someone usually maintains it
• Nine Mile Canyon: part of the road is paved and part is gravel
• Echo Park Road: unpaved with steep grades, so we recommend a high-clearance vehicle
• Blue Mountain/Diamond Mountain roads: conditions vary and the roads are often gravel

This yearly pass costs $80 and it lets you into national parks, monuments and other federal recreation areas. If you plan to visit Dinosaur National Monument ($25) and other federal sites on your trip or within a year, the pass will save you money.

Yes, officials close several roads for part of the year:

• Flaming Gorge Scenic Byway (some higher parts): workers may close this temporarily after heavy snow
• Higher-elevation forest roads: these are usually closed from November to May
• Echo Park Road: you may not be able to drive on this road during winter or after heavy rain
• Harper's Corner Road (Colorado side of the monument): this road is closed to vehicles in winter You should always check road conditions before you travel, especially if it's not summer.

Yes, you can do a one-way rental. For example, you could pick up a car in Vernal and drop it off in Salt Lake City. However, the rental company will usually charge you a one-way fee of $50 to $200, depending on how far it is. You need to set this up in advance because the company has to approve it.

You should first call your rental company's roadside assistance. You won't have cell service in many areas, so you might need to get to higher ground or drive somewhere else to find a signal. You should carry emergency supplies like water, food and warm clothing. For real emergencies in places that have no cell service, we suggest you bring a satellite communication device.

In winter, you'll find fewer crowds and lower prices, but there are some downsides. The Quarry Exhibit Hall is open all year, but officials close many remote roads because of snow. You can expect winter driving conditions from November through March, especially on mountain roads. We recommend you use an AWD/4WD vehicle for winter trips.

You'll generally have good cell service in Vernal and along US-40. But in more remote areas, your service will be poor or you won't have any at all. This includes parts of Dinosaur National Monument, Flaming Gorge and backcountry roads. You should download maps to use offline and don't rely only on your cell phone for directions or in an emergency.