Teton National Park, Float Trip, Snake River

One day we drove down a road called Deadman.  When we got to the end, we found many float trip crews getting ready to launch.  After talking to them, we decided to use the company that was located at the Jackson lodge.  We arranged to take the lunch trip.  What a great day.  Our guide was terrific.  Didn’t even get wet.  We were able to see a moose, some geese, and a bald eagle.  We learned quite a lot about the park and how “dude” ranching came to be.

Our raft, there were only 8 people on the raft.

Bald eagle

Yellowstone National Park 2012

We stayed in Yellowstone years ago, but could not resist going back this year.  We drove the western half of the loop which goes by Old Faithful.  We arrived in time to watch Old Faithful put on a show, then continued on the loop.  We stopped off to see a grizzly and a few buffalo.  We decided that we would, once again, just have to camp in Yellowstone. 

Old Faithful

you can just barely see the grizzly.

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