Dinosaur Natl Monument Day 2

On Saturday we went back to Dinosaur National Monument to enjoy the quarry fossil exhibit again and a family hike! (Here’s our first day there).

The Utah side of the monument is not very large (as far as things to see, paved roads, and marked hiking trails) but what is there is great! By the way, my gps wouldn’t take me to the Utah side when I typed in the monument name. I had to type in “The Dinosaur Quarry” for it to take us straight up from Jensen and not to the Colorado side of the monument.

We headed out to Josie Morris’ cabin and couldn’t believe how far out this tough lady lived! Look at this cute little cabin she lived in:

She moved out here in the early 1900s when she was almost 40 (and her kids were grown and she had been divorced multiple times). Mrs Morris lived out here by herself for 50 years, doing all the work including the “men’s work” to keep this homestead running. I can’t imagine what a tough lady she was!!!

On the little blurb about her it said, “led by her mother she learned the skills of riding, roping, shooting, cattle raising, and strong-willed independence. From her school teacher father she learned to be mannerly and generous”. Isn’t that a fun description!?

We appreciated so much all the shade around the cabin and could really picture her enjoying her life here though it’s way too “primitive” for our liking. Ha!

Here’s a face to the name. But I’m sure that’s exactly how anybody would picture her 🙂

Off to hog canyon we went:

Oh all the green !!!!! Yes yes yes ! Like I’ve mentioned before – I never knew how much I loved green and vegetation until spending so much time in the desert.

This vegetation is still very much “high desert”. It’s not lush smooth or soft. It’s prickly, hard, and will snag you in a second!

The girls found a shady climbing and sitting spot:

And B was cracking us up rubbing this rock. He just thought it looked so smooth and like ice cream or something but the kids and I all of a sudden were all like, “you’re rubbing a troll’s (elf!) nose!” …. And then we couldn’t unsee that.

Can you see him there? One eye closed.

And after parting with our new garden gnome, we were off again. E just kept her hands on her head so the reeds and “stuff” wouldn’t touch her:

And here’s the end! Hog canyon. I’d like to say that after 7 months of being in nature we can very easily practice 5 minutes of silence….. but some times it just does.not.work ! This day was one of the ones the kids just couldn’t be still and quiet. Ha. But we still try….

I think it was about 90 out and this shade felt glorious.

For our 2nd hike we went to

Box Canyon where Josie corralled the animals:

E was in her hiking mode! So B and her climbed and explored. I love when we get 1 on 1 time with a kiddo!

This scene was on our drive back between Josie’s and the quarry. Gorgeous!

At the exhibit this time, we learned in more detail about the bones found on the wall and we each found some favorite things.

Like this apatosaurus skull:

Barosaurus skin impression:

And these teeth! Unreal:

We loved seeing the stegosaurus’s back plates! Wow! (I added in some arrows to help):

And a scapula of a apatosaurus!:

Looking at the size of that shoulder area compared to ours was mind blowing! This is such a great exhibit. I’m so glad it’s been preserved.

Here are some beautiful scenes from the ride home….. in between Dinosaur Natl Monument and Vernal where we stayed. Aren’t these colors beautiful!?

I tried so hard to get this flower straight on but it was too windy:

Hope you’re having a wonderful summer!