Our Back Yard

Paul and I had set aside last weekend to go on a family trip. We wanted to go down to Moab to hike Arches and check out the main street shops but it wasn't to be. We decided to save money and stay home. This turned out to be the best thing that could have happened because it forced us to explore our own back yard - which it turns out is JUST AS COOL as Moab - and it's only 20 minutes away from our house!! So let us show you our back yard!

Split Mountain in Dinosaur National Park. Split mountain got it's name for the way the mountain has been split in half by the green river. It also has one of the largest caches of dinosaur bones in the world - with 11 different species found in just a small radius.

This is the small visitor area that is still open. The monument was condemned and shut down 3 years ago because the ground underneath was shifting and caving. They gave palentologists, who had devoted 30 years of excivating and research, 24 hours to pack up all they could and leave the site because of the danger it posed. But hopefully when the new site opens the work they are doing will move forward better than ever!

This guy walked around the site greeting the children dressed as a dinosaur skeleton. He scared Rachel to DEATH - so much so that she clawed my earing off trying to climb up my face to get away from the dinosaur. She had been begging to go to the dinosaur park all weekend and when we finally got here she said, "I HATE DINOSAURS! I'M READY TO GO HOME AND I DON'T WANT TO EVER COME BACK AGAIN!!" sheesh!

Petroglyphs - these things are EVERYWHERE in Vernal.

Rachel is posing outside a historical spot called "Josie's Cabin". A single woman built this home in the early 1900's. She lived here alone raising cattle and sheep, farming the surrounding area, and literally living off the land. She got her water from natural springs, irrigated her crops, and survived on her own here till she passed away in 1964 - I believe she was 90 years old. WHAT A WOMAN!!

This is the hike up to "Hog Canyon". Josie would lead her cattle and hogs up this canyon which had tall walls acting as a natural corral to keep her cattle from wandering off. It was a fun, easy, STUNNING hike. We had our own personal park ranger to give us the grand tour. Thanks Brian!

Fresh natural spring coming out of the mountain. Paul and I drank some of the water (which tasted so good we could bottle it and sell it). If we end up with Giardia come visit us in the hospital!

There were rocks for climbing...

Sand washed out by the river for digging...

And caves for hiding in!

Here is the beautiful Green River that tourists come to run from all over the world.

Here are our kids "running" the Green River themselves!

So next time you feel like an adventure COME PLAY IN OUR BACK YARD!!

We HEART Vernal!