Vernal

Vernal is a small town that has managed to survive and thrive despite being in the middle of the high desert. It is your gateway to not just Dinosaur National Monument but other outdoor recreational sites. Click Read More for the full story.

Dinosaur National Monument

Visitor Center & Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall - The Quarry Visitor Center serves as the gateway to the Quarry Exhibit Hall and the world famous wall of dinosaur bones. Exhibits at the Quarry Visitor Center introduce the variety of resources and places to explore within the monument.

Cub Creek Area - The Cub Creek area, located on the Utah side of the monument, includes hiking trails, petroglyphs and pictographs, historic structures from the monument's homesteading history, picnic areas, and campgrounds. Cub Creek Road extends for 10 miles (16 km), from the Quarry Visitor Center to Josie Morris's cabin, and provides access to all areas described below.

Harpers Corner Road Scenic Drive - The Harpers Corner Scenic Drive is a 31-mile (one-way) auto tour route from the Canyon Visitor Center to Harpers Corner. Dinosaur fossils are not located in this section of the park.

The route goes by colorful Plug Hat Butte, which contains a wheelchair-accessible trail and a picnic area. As the road continues to gain elevation, the scenery reflects the changing ecosystems. The last 12 miles include several striking viewpoints and overlooks, some as high as 2500 feet above the Green and Yampa rivers. Steamboat Rock hides the confluence of the two rivers from view at the Echo Park overlook. A one-mile (one-way) trail at the end of the route leads to a vista with views into Whirlpool, Lodore, and Yampa canyons.

Sundance

Robert Redford created a community and resort on the eastern slope of the mountains that is so generously beautiful, peaceful and calming that we were pulled back for a second experience. Click below for more information and photos.

Salt Lake City

Our first experience in Salt Lake City, we were met with excessive heat and dangerous air quality courtesy of the wildfires in the West.