Dinosaur Land

We had no intention of traveling anywhere in June and I must admit that the thought of going anywhere seemed a bit overwhelming with all the new summer activities in full force.  But Derek was itching to get away, so one Friday that I didn’t have to go into work we took advantage and headed to close by Vernal to check out Dinosaur Land National Monument.  We drove out Friday after swim lessons in the morning.  The first thing we did was check out the dinosaur museum in town.  It was really neat with a large Diplodocus skeleton that dwarfed the kids underneath it.  

I really enjoyed the garden outside with loads of real to life size dinosaur models.  That evening Derek had read up on a off the beaten track hike to an arch called Moonshine Arch.  To find it you had to go on an almost hidden dirt trail with no sign indication for the hike.  We missed it the first time, and had to drive back to town where we had an internet signal to find a hiker’s blog with directions to find it.  Basically go so many miles on this road find a dirt road in the curve of the paved road to turn off.  Go a few miles until you can turn L over a dry creek bed, follow the road as far as your car will allow…occasionally we would see small metal arrows pointing towards Moonshine Arch to let us know we were on the right path.  In order to rouse excitement I told the kids we were like pirates searching for buried treasure following a secret map with secret directions to a hike no one knew about.  Indeed, we were the only ones out there hiking on this deep sandy and smooth rock trail that wasn’t well marked.  

Occasionally we would find another metal arrow letting us know we were on the right course then all the sudden. ..there is was.. Moonshine Arch! 

It was such a neat hike.  I’m not sure why it isn’t marked better, but it added to the thrill.  Then because they were all such good hikers, we took them back to the hotel to swim in the pool (one of their favorite parts of every vacation). 

The next morning, we got up and stopped at subway for sandwiches to bring with us to Dinosaur National Monument. First we hiked Hog Canyon which was a short neat little hike to the end of the natural pig pen (hence the name) made by mountain on two sides and a fence made by Josie who homesteaded in that valley until 1963 and the age of 90.  

We then toured her cabin and they were having a special event put on by the Daughter’s of the Utah pioneers where they had handmade toys homestead children would have played with for the kids to play around with and a bunch of animal skins for them to feel and old frontier washboards and irons to look at.  Then we hiked up Box canyon.  The boys did some climbing up into this little rock cavern.  

All along the drive out to Josie’s Cabin there were loads of rock cliffs with Indian petroglyphs you could stop to look at.  Lastly, we hit the visitor’s center and rode the shuttle up to the dinosaur quarry where a majority of the dinosaur bones displayed in some of the largest museums around the country were discovered.  It was incredible to see this huge mound of dirt loaded with real dinosaur bones jutting out all over.  They have build a little building around it with two levels so you can get a good look at the bones on the lower and upper levels of the quarry.  

There was a gorgeous view outside the quarry wall, so we took the opportunity for a family photo op.  

Back at the vistor’s center the kids completed their first junior ranger program and earned their badges.  

Then, we let them each pick one thing from the gift shop.  Camden picked a little toy dinosaur and couldn’t be parted with it for days afterwards—he slept with it, ate with it, it traveled in the car with him.  Carter picked a neat little flap book with dinosaurs starting with every letter of the alphabet and neat flap pictures you can pull out to view each one.  Liv picked out a realistic looking stuffed bunny.  Then, we all got out of the heat and went to see Cars 3 in the vernal movie theatre (which only accepts cash payment).  The kids all enjoyed it with Camden occasionally being disruptive making roaring sounds for his new toy dinosaur which he snuck into the theatre with him.  Seeing Cars made Derek and I anxious to get these kids back to Disneyland and Carsland—maybe next year?  Then, it was back to the hotel for another swim.

In the morning we got up, walked around the Vernal temple grounds, and then went to sacrament at the ward that met in the church right next to the temple.  

The kids did fairly well with just a few more irreverent roars from Camden’s dinosaur that got snuck into church too.  Then home again home again to celebrate Father’s Day with a BBQ dinner at Derek’s parents house.  A good little trip and now I can say I’ve seen Vernal.