Dinosaur National Monument

The Dinosaur National Monument is really two parks.  On Sunday afternoon, we toured the Quarry section where we got to see many fossils.  We drove to the visitor center where we caught the tram that took us to the quarry.  After viewing the fossils in the quarry, we decided to take the 1 mile trail back to the visitor center.  Not a great idea, it was too hot, 94, and not that much to see.  After we recovered from our hike, we took the auto tour.  We purchased the $1 guide book so we would know what we were seeing.  Really enjoyed this tour.  On Monday, we went to the Canyon Country section of the park.  We drove into Colorado to see this section of the park.  We were very disappointed with this section.  We drove to the visitor center and purchased the $.50 guide book, but there really wasn’t much to see except sage brush.  The best part of the auto tour was when we took the Echo Park Road to the bottom of the canyon.  Dirt road and need 4 wheel drive for the road.

Quarry section

Josie’s cabin.  She settled in the area in 1914 and built this cabin in 1935.  She lived here until 1964 when she broke her hip when her horse nudged her.  She was an alleged associate of Butch Cassidy.  She married 5 times, but finally chose the single life.

Gary touching a fossil

Canyon Country

Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum

The Utah Field House of Natural History is located in Vernal, Utah. It is also close to the Dinosaur National Monument.  Upon entering the museum you are met with a Diplodocus, a dinosaur that was 90 feet long.  Then you enter a theater that shows what it is like to be on a fossil dig.  After the movie, you get to see some fossils and dinosaur bones.  There are hands on activities for the kids.  You end up outside viewing models of different dinosaurs.  Great little museum.  $3 for Seniors.

saber toothed herbifore

rock art

utahraptor

Arches National Park, 2012

This is our second trip to the Arches.  Both Gary and I really like visiting our national parks and enjoy visiting them more than once.  This time, we toured the park in the evening instead of morning.  Our only problem was the heat, upper 90s both evenings we toured the park.  We love looking at the rock formations and making out different forms, such as camel, turtle, elephant, kings, and even a sheep.  Did I mention the finger?

 

Jetboat ride, Moab, Utah

When we checked into our campground, our hosts gave us a $5 off coupon for a jetboat ride on the Colorado, so off we went to the company.  We were really excited about the ride.  We got up Wed morning and arrived for our trip at 7:30.  Our trip was supposed to be 34 miles down the river, however, about 19 miles down the river, the boat broke down so a bus had to come and pick us up.  The company gave us our money back.  Really sad, cause our guide was really great.  So the pictures I have are of the first 19 miles.  Would do it again.

Our guide working on the motor.

great shadows.

poison spider arch

jug handle arch

petroglyphs

Durango Silverton Train 2012

We thought about taking the train to Silverton the first time we visited Durango, but ran out of time.  I’m really glad that we waited to ride the train until this year as we were able to take advantage of the new historical train.  This ride includes a character from the early days of Durango, Silverton.  We were provided with a wonderful narrative on the way up and back.  I highly recommend this tour if they continue it.  Just before we arrived back into Durango, we were mooned by 5 teen-agers.

 

our guide on the way up was Mrs. Pinkerton.  Her family provided butter, cream, and milk to the town of Silverton.  Sold butter for $1 a pound.

Our guide on the way back was Mrs. Cotton.  Her husband was an engineer.  This lady is the great-grand-daughter of the real Mrs. Cotton.  Lots of great stories.

rainbow caused when the engineer does a blow-out.  Mrs. Pinkerton let us know that this was going to happen so we could have our cameras ready.

Missionary Ridge  named by the Civil War Veterans who fought in the battle of Missionary Ridge.