best special section

Spring/Summer 2011

A publication of the

- Uintah County -

Life Excavated

A destination 149 million years in the making

DiscoverDinosaurland

Discover Dinosaurland 2 Spring/Summer 2011

Discover Dinosaurland3Spring/Summer 2011

We at the Vernal Express, your Uintah Basin news leader, would like to welcome you to our special corner of the world. We’re not famous – yet. But among those who know, Dinosaurland offers some of the best outdoor recreation, most interesting and instructional geological formations, most important archaeological sites, and richest paleontology sites in the world. From the dinosaur quarry at Dinosaur National Monument, recently funded and currently scheduled for reconstruction by spring of 2011, to our easy access to the High Uinta Wilderness Area, the Uintah Basin offers a virtual buffet of recreational and educational opportunities. Named recently as one of the top 50 towns for outdoorsmen, by Outdoor Life Magazine, the quiet community of Vernal anchors the basin and provides a convenient launching point for all of your area outdoor adventures. With some of the wildest stretches of the Green River, among other world class rivers, anglers, rafters and boaters alike flock to the Basin each year in search of fun. And it’s not just traditional activities that are garnering attention. Newer sports like mountain biking are drawing more people annually to northeast Utah, and the Uintah Basin specifically. In fact, Bike Magazine recently proclaimed the Vernal area network of mountain biking trails “Better than Moab!” But it’s not just outdoor sports that are drawing crowds. Odyssey, the Magazine of the Chevron Travel Club, recently listed Vernal’s annual Holly Days winter celebration in their select list of fall events, the only Utah event that made the list. So welcome! We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you find fun and adventure as you spend time in our communities and among our people. Enjoy your stay, spread the word, and come back often. You have a friend in Dinosaurland.

The staff of the Vernal Express

Welcome:To The UinTah Basin’s DinosaUrlanD.

Index Welcome & inDex 3

annUal evenTs 4

Flaming gorge 8

Backpacking & hiking 10

hoTels & resTaUranTs 18

DinosaUr Tracks 15

Wall oF Bones UpDaTe 16

camping 19

DinosaUr naTional monUmenT 22

Fishing 28

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Discover Dinosaurland 4 Spring/Summer 2011Discover Dinosaur Land

June 23-July 2“The Wizard of Oz”The Outlaw Trail Theater presents “The Wizard of Oz” in the Outlaw Trail Amphitheater at West-ern Park, 302 E. 200 South, Vernal. Show starts at 8 p.m. No show on Sunday! Tickets available online at www.outlawtrailtheater.com.

June 25DinoTriThe DinoTri will take place at Red Fleet State Park north of Vernal. Register online at www.dinotri.com. The sprint distance includes a 750 meter swim, 13 mile bike, and 5K run. The Olympic distance includes at 1,500 meter swim, 26 mile bike, and 10K run.

June 27Uintah Basin Livestock ShowThe Uintah Basin Livestock Show will take place at Western Park, 300 E. 200 South, Vernal. For more information, call 435-789-7396.

June 28Uintah Basin Junior Livestock ShowThe Uintah Basin Junior Livestock Show will take place at Western Park, 300 E. 200 South, Vernal. For more information, call 435-789-7396.

Busy schedule set with summer 2011 eventsJuly 2Ashley Valley Farmers MarketThe Ashley Valley Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday from July 2 through Sept. 24 at the Dinosaur Garden, 210 E. Main St.,Vernal.

July 4Fourth of July ParadeThe annual Fourth of July Parade will take place on Main Street in Vernal.

July 6-9Arts & Crafts ShowThe 2011 Arts & Crafts Show will be held in front of the Uintah County & Library Building on the lawn. Contact Merlene Hall for details or for booth space at 435-789-1576 or 435-828-4643.

July 6Colgate Country ShowdownSingers compete on the Outlaw Trail Amphithe-ater stage at Western Park for the right to go to the state competition. For more information, call 435-789-7396.

July 7-9Dinosaur Roundup RodeoNightly PRCA rodeo action at Western Park, 300 E. 200 South, Vernal. Visit www.vernalrodeo.com for full schedule and ticket information.

July 9Dinaland Car ShowThe 10th annual Dinaland Car Show will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Vernal City Park, 900 W. 500 North. There will be raffle prizes and car giveaways. Registration is $20. For more details or questions call Bob or Darlene at 435-789-6740.

July 15-16Diamond Mountain SpeedwayRacing at Diamond Mountain Speedway begins at 6 p.m. each night. Call Allen Hacking at 435-503-4128 or Shane Simper at 435-828-1321 with questions.

July 23-Aug. 1Uintah County FairEight days packed full of music, competitions, food and fun at Western Park, , 300 E. 200 South, Vernal. The headliner for Thursday night’s concert is country music superstar Tracy Lawrence. For more information visit uintahcoun-tyfair.com.

July 29Alive After 5This American Idol-style singing contest takes place weekly at the Outlaw Trail Amphitheater at Western Park, 302 E. 200 South, Vernal. The opening night will be held in conjunction with the Uintah County Fair. It will continue Aug. 4 and Aug. 11, with the finale on Aug. 18. The event is free and family friendly.

July 29Diamond Mountain SpeedwayThere will be a car show at 10 a.m. and dwarf car racing at 7 p.m. Call Allen Hacking at 435-503-4128 or Shane Simper at 435-828-1321 with questions.

Aug. 8Diamond Mountain SpeedwayRacing at Diamond Mountain Speedway begins at 6 p.m. Call Allen Hacking at 435-503-4128 or Shane Simper at 435-828-1321 with questions.

Aug. 20Diamond Mountain SpeedwayRacing at Diamond Mountain Speedway begins at 6 p.m. Call Allen Hacking at 435-503-4128 or Shane Simper at 435-828-1321 with questions.


The 2011 Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo will be held from July 7-9 at Western Park in Vernal. Tiffany King has been named Rodeo Queen and Shawnee Snyder was chosen as Junior Queen. Vernal’s Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo is a nationally recognized event. It traces its roots to 1932, when it started under the name of Blue Mountain Rodeo. Some 50 riders were anticipated in the event and a 50-piece band would give a concert daily. By its second year, the rodeo had become the Uintah Basin Rodeo and featured 65 rodeo events. After the rodeo, there were dances at the Imperial hall and boxing and wrestling bouts at the Uintah High gymnasium. In 1934, the rodeo made its first publicized charitable donations, with proceeds going to help finance the completion of the Ashley and Davis LDS ward chapels. The following year, the event cam to be known as the “Vernal Rodeo,” with airplane stunts, wild bronc riding, roping and horse races daily. Soon the rodeo was among the larg-est events in the area — even rivaling Uintah Basin in Celebration, the region’s longest-running annual event. “The Vernal Rodeo Committee can claim two triumphs,” reported the Sept.17, 1936, Vernal Express. “The greatest first-day crowd at any gathering in Vernal and the largest day crowd, equal to many gatherings at the UBIC.” By 1935 the rodeo had started select-ing rodeo royalty: Enid Johnson, 19, of Vernal had to borrow a black cowboy hat and a pair of chaps to ride in the rodeo parade. The rodeo was moved earlier in the year over time. By the end of the 1930s, it was scheduled in early August and by the end of the ‘40s, rodeo events started as early as mid-July. The first rodeo under the lights was in 1948 with rodeo president Lawrence Sid-doway and rodeo queen Nona Caldwell. The rodeo was renamed over the years, first to the Vernal Professional Rodeo and later the Vernal Championship Rodeo before being renamed Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo in 1958. Today, the purse is over $70,000 compared to the $6,000 with which it began and over 700 contestants come from around the world to participate in one of the largest rodeos in the nation. Voted by its contestants as one of the premier rodeos eight times, the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo still thrills many and brings back the nostalgia. There are more than 400 volunteers who work on the rodeo year-round. The Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo Committee appreciates the support it receives from Uintah Basin businesses and families. Without the support of so many in the community, this event would not have achieved its current level of excellence.

Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo will rock your world For more information about the 2010 event, visit the website www.vernalrodeo.com.

Discover Dinosaur Land

Saddle bronc riding is thrilling from exiting out of the shoot to the run and chase around the arena.

When you win then it’s worth jumping up and down and getting excited and the rodeo is a good place for excitement.

Even the little kids have a part in modern day rodeos. Here a youth is trying to stay on a ewe longer than someone else.

Cowboys are flying high when it comes to trying to stay on rough and tough horses with a big desire to get you off their backs.


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Note: This is one of a series of first-per-son articles by Vernal resident Gary Lee Parker who writes about the outdoors and the area’s rich history. I watched him go over. We’d dropped into the first trough of Moonshine Rapids, and as we pulled up onto the first crest, suddenly he was gone. First crest of the first rapid on our first rafting trip of the summer. Gone. Just like that. Then his head bobbed to the surface a few feet away from me and I reached out for his hand, but he only looked at me, stunned, as if asking himself, “What just happened to me?” Then he stuck his paddle into the air, so I took hold and pulled him to the side of the raft. There were four of us in the raft — well, three now — and I was boatman, steering from the stern, and we were now in the middle of a class 3-4 rapid. I had little time to lose, fishing him out of the drink, and he was obviously stunned. His life-vest would have to do the work from here. I whipped him around behind the raft and sent him adrift toward the lead

Rafting the split in Split Mountainboat, then dipped my paddle back into the roiling brown waters of the Green River and corrected our drift, catching the next wave head on, just in time. I hadn’t paddled in nearly 20 years. When we had arrived at the put-in, Craig Ashby, our fearless leader and the owner of the rafts, asked, “Who has paddling experience?” “I do, but it’s been 20 years,” I said. “Good enough, you can be boatman,” he answered. Perhaps he didn’t hear me right. Perhaps he had water in his ears. Either way, I was nervous. I wasn’t sure I even remembered the correct strokes, much less how to guide a group of four through class 3 and class 4 rapids along a stretch of river that was an utter mystery to me. But when I found myself in the midst of Moonshine, faced with one of my oarsmen overboard, it all came rushing back, and my muscles shifted into autopilot. We shot through the rapid perfectly, with Mary Bernard manning the bow, leaping from side to side as I shouted out directions and kept the raft headed directly into the waves, and we made it through. As soon as we shot out of the serious waves I turned the boat into a spin, bring-ing her alongside the lead raft, and leaped

over the paddles and bailing buckets toward the port side, reaching down to spin our fallen comrade away from the raft. Then, grabbing both shoulders of his life preserver, I pushed him under water, then pulled him backwards into the raft, where he unceremoniously fell on top of me. Then I began to laugh. For his part, he just sat there in stunned silence, catching his breath and possibly praying for the gods of the Green to show just a little mercy. He’d just unexpectedly ridden through the worst set of rapids we would encounter, sans boat. I couldn’t blame him for being a bit shaken. And then it promptly started to rain. The gods have a sense of humor, appar-ently. We pulled out for lunch amid an endless rampart of ascending cliffs, row upon row climbing into the sky on both sides of the churning waters. Small hang-ing valleys dripped with the dampness, promising soon to turn to full-fledged waterfalls. A heavy, rainy mist socked in the sky with a numbing gray boil, press-ing down from above. We huddled beneath a sketchy tree that provided little comfort, and scarfed down soggy sandwiches and moist potato

chips, shivering in the chill, anxious to get back under way. Those who’d fallen in sought out any available dry surplus clothing to wrap in for much-needed warmth, warding off the dangerous threat of hypothermia. Then we packed up and climbed aboard our vessels to once more brave the rising waters. We would lose five more of our party before we were done, over the sides of other rafts during our long trip to the take-out at Split Mountain Campground, though none from our craft fortunately. We would also endure heavy rains, bumps and bruises, and a vast quantity of un-necessary sarcasm. When we arrived at the end of the road we were soaked-to-the-bone sopping wet and shivering cold, trudging though the mud with our gear in tow toward the hopeful warmth of our awaiting vehicles. Some will read this and call it miser-able. Some will call us crazy. But as I looked around at our intrepid group, every face held a smile that none could conceal. It was nasty and wet and danger-ous, and possibly a bit foolhardy. But it was pure fun. Like a mail carrier, neither rain, nor sleet, nor hail, nor snow could keep us from our task. And ultimately, we delivered. And we’ll do it again, too.


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The Detail: For information on rafting various sections of the Green River, contact any of the Uintah Basin’s guide services and outfitters. As rivers can be dangerous, even deadly, it is important that those without experience obtain proper in-struction before attempting to raft the Green, or any river. Familiarize yourself

with proper technique and equipment, and make sure all equipment is in good working order, before entering the river. Or, better yet, hire any of the wonderful guides who work the waters of the Green River, then sit back and let them take you on the adventure of a lifetime. Bring a camera, but do make sure it’s waterproof. You will get wet!

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Bright sun may have been playing off the red-rock cliffs when John Wesley Powell drifted down the Green River and aptly named this spectacular chasm Flaming Gorge. High atop the brilliant shoreline cliffs are Ponderosa pine forests. The contrast of evergreens, red rocks and blue waters is truly awe-inspiring. The river winds like a serpent through nearly perpendicular cliffs. “It’s a whole different world up here on top of the mountain,” says Christy Jones, owner and operator of Flaming Gorge Recreation Services. “You can drive six hours to Lake Powell where it’s crowded, or you can come drive an hour from Vernal and do more things, see more wildlife, catch more fish, enjoy more water activities, and still find a place to be alone.” Jones summarizes the attraction of Flaming Gorge for Basin residents as, “close, beautiful and fun.” But the area is a popular destination for tourists as well. In 1964, the Flaming Gorge Dam turned the valley Powell entered into a reservoir, producing one of America’s finest lakes. The reservoir stretches 91

Extensive list to see and do in Flaming Gorgemiles and offers 375 miles of shoreline. Towers jut up to 1,500 feet high in places. Wildlife roams the countryside.

WORLD-CLASS FISHING Flaming Gorge is one of the best lake trout waters in the U.S., with fish occa-sionally going over 40 pounds. The Utah record lake trout (51 pounds, 8 ounces) was caught at Flaming Gorge in 1988, and there may yet be a bigger one swimming in the reservoir now. Flaming Gorge also produced Utah’s record brown trout (33 pounds, 10 ounces) and rainbow trout (26 pounds, 2 ounces). Fish are easy to see in the clear water below the dam where The Division of Wildlife Resources in Utah calculated that for the first three miles, there are 14,000 fish every mile. After this the population decreases, but typically the size of the fish increases. This world-class, blue-ribbon, trout fishery is home to the Brown, Rainbow, Cutthroat, and Cut-Bow Hybrid species. Fishing from May through June is probably one of the most exciting ex-periences a fisherman can have. This is when the Cicada hatch. These creatures are often colloquially called “locusts.” They have large eyes and transparent, well-veined wings. Fish think the insect

Hikers enjoy the panoramic views at Flaming Gorge.


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is better than candy. “Fish go crazy,” Jones said. “You drop a dry fly out on the water and you can watch the fish stick their heads above the water and bite the fly.” Guides are readily available for fish-ing all summer, but tourists especially enjoy the unique opportunity to cast a line out as fish feed on the newly hatched “locusts.”

RAFTING Possibly the best way to enjoy the impressive Green River that flows below the dam is by raft. There are three differ-ent sections of the Green River to choose from. Section A: This seven-mile section starts at Flaming Gorge Dam and ends at Little Hole. Fishing is plentiful from the rafts. Several small rapids between the dam and Little Hole make this float fun, yet safe for the entire family. Section. B: This is a nine-mile run from Little Hole to Browns Park. Section C: This section is 12 miles through Browns Park and is the least crowded. There are several options for renting rafts and shuttle services are available. “When you’re on the river there are no houses, no roads, nor train tracks,” Jones commented. “You can just enjoy nature.

WILDLIFE Part of the nature Jones has enjoyed since moving to Dutch John over a decade ago is the wildlife. “There are oodles of deer,” Jones laughed. “We call them tourist deer. They stand on the side of the road so tourists can take their pictures. You’d think we planted them there.” Big horn sheep are occasionally spot-ted. Elk and moose are more common. “If you drive up Highway 191 toward Rock Springs, Wyoming you’ll see wild horses,” Jones explained. “In the spring they’re having their babies.” Herds of antelope move through the area. A few miles north of the dam on the eastern shoreline is a campground aptly names Antelope Flats. Dozens of these graceful pronghorns wander through the area unfazed by campers.

ACCOMMODATIONS Besides Antelope Flats, there are 14 separate campgrounds where campers, tents and motor homes are welcome. Reasonably priced cabins are also avail-able. Motel accommodations are on hand inside the recreation area near Dutch John, and also in nearby Manila. Petroglyphs and artifacts suggest that Fremont Indians hunted game near Flaming Gorge for many centuries. This rock art can be spotted from several trails.

Riding on the lake or seeing Flam-ing Gorge from above is a popular pastime.

Jet skis are permitted on the reservoir. Glassy water in the morning and evenings makes for superb waterskiing or wakeboard-ing. Renting skis and boats is never a prob-lem. On July 3, the town of Dutch John has a free concert. This year the group Boomtown will be performing. Last year the community of 200 people hosted over 3,000 visitors. “We’re good hosts,” Jones said. “That’s what we do best. Everyone should come see.” For more information about Flaming Gorge Recreation Area, visit the webpage http://www.utah.com/nationalsites/flaming_gorge.htm

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1. The High Uinta Wilderness Area Multiple high mountain trails are accessible from the Elkhorn Loop Road, north of Whiterocks, including the West Fork of the White Rocks trail, and the trail to Taylor Lake (described in our featured article on the previous page). The High Uinta Wilderness is remote, wild and rugged, dotted with beautiful high mountain lakes and meadows sur-rounded by towering peaks that retain snow late into summer. It is the perfect place for a long weekend backpacking trip, or even an afternoon jaunt.Maps: Rasmussen Lake, Chepeta Lake (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: Above 10,000 feetDifficulty: Moderate to difficult

2. The Harpers Corner Trail The Harpers Corner Trail is a short 1-mile (2-mile roundtrip) hike to a spectacular rocky point overlooking the ruggedly beautiful Echo Park, at the confluence of the mighty Green River and the wild and scenic Yampa River. Massive crimson cliffs and rust-colored sandstone rise sharply above the river valley, displaying some of the areas most interesting geological features. Access to the trail is at the end of the Harpers

Basin hiking and backpacking opportunitiesCorner Auto Tour, 32 miles from the Colorado entrance to Dinosaur National Monument, and a mere 35 miles from downtown Vernal.Maps: Jones Hole (USGS 7.5 Minute Quad)Elevation: 7,500 feetDifficulty: Easy

3. Split Mountain Scenic Trail The Split Mountain Scenic Trail runs along the Green River from the Split Mountain Campground to the Green Riv-er Campground just after the river leaves the famous “split” in Split Mountain. It’s a relatively easy hike along a beautiful river, offering abundant wildlife viewing opportunities, and set with the rugged Split Mountain as a backdrop. The trail is 1.8 miles long, and can be hiked as a through hike if you leave a car at the end of the trail and shuttle to the trailhead, or makes a wonderful 3.6-mile roundtrip. A stay at either campground can make for a wonderful outing as well, or just add a picnic to the end of your hike for a fun family afternoon in the Monument.Maps: Dinosaur Quarry, Split Mountain (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: 4,800-5,800 feetDifficulty: Easy to moderate

4. Moonshine Arch Natural sandstone arches in Vernal? You bet! And it’s a spectacular one to boot. Magnificent Moonshine Arch is a massive natural stone arch neatly tucked away in the cliffs and ridges just north of Steinaker Reservoir off Highway 191. The arch, and the views of the valley to the south, is as impressive as they come, with a tangle of twisting caverns cut into the sandstone cliffs behind, setting a vibrant backdrop for the scene. You will need a four-wheel drive vehicle to get to the trailhead, but it’s well worth arrang-ing for the necessary transportation. Maps: Steinaker Reservoir (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: 5,600-6,400 feetDifficulty: Easy to moderate

5. Red Fleet Dinosaur Trackway Not only does this trail run through some of the most impressive sandstone slick-rock in the country with views of the massive “red fleet,” a series of buttresses that have the uncanny appearance of a fleet of naval battleships, but as a bonus, at the end of the trail on the shore of Red Fleet Reservoir are genuine dinosaur tracks in ancient mud-flats buried and petrified nearly 200 million years ago. The trail is 1.5 miles long and relatively easy, with small red “dinosaur tracks” painted onto the sandstone path to help keep hikers on course. The trailhead is easy to get to. Just head north on Highway 191 to the second entrance to Red Fleet State Park and follow the signs.

Maps: Donkey Flat (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: 5,600-5,800 feetDifficulty: Easy to moderate

6. Flaming Gorge Canyon Rim Trail The spectacular Canyon Rim Trail starts off inconspicuously at a Highway 44 roadside overlook just north of its junction with Highway 191 north of Vernal. The trail meanders through com-fortable pine forests on a relatively level slope, offering the hiker a peaceful set-ting without the promise of excitement. Then, suddenly the trail breaks out of the mundane and runs up against one of the most gorgeous canyons in North America, Flaming Gorge. The gorge, now holding the waters of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, got its name from members of the Powell expeditions due to the vibrant red-rock walls towering over the boaters below. The trail is 4.5 miles long and meanders along the canyon rim, ending at the Red Canyon Overlook. It can be hiked as a 9-mile round trip, or as a 4.5-mile one-way hike if cars are shuttled.Maps: Flaming Gorge, Dutch John (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: 7,000-7,400 feetDifficulty: Easy to moderate

7. Little Hole Trail The Little Hole Trail runs for nine miles along Utah’s beautiful Green River, beginning just below Flaming Gorge Dam and ending at the Little Hole recreation area. Wildlife abounds along

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the canyon floor, with ducks, eagles, trout, river otters, and more creating a racket that echoes off the canyon walls. And the Green River lives up to its name, cascading through rapids and slipping beneath stone ramparts as it glides on its way to the mighty Colorado. The trail is well-marked and maintained, and can be hiked partially, or as a 9-mile through trip with shuttled cars. Or, for the truly adventurous, you can hike it as an 18-mile round-trip. Whatever you choose, don’t miss the opportunity to see this incredible corner of Dinosaurland.Maps: Dutch John, Goslin Mtn. (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: 5,600 feetDifficulty: Easy to moderate

8. Jones Hole Jones Hole, so named for Major John Wesley Powell’s cartographer, Stephen Vandiver Jones, who helped with early mapping of the area, descends from the Jones Hole Fish Hatchery through a deep canyon beneath towering red-rock cliffs along Jones Hole Creek, culminating at the confluence of Jones Hole Creed and the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument. The trail is a 4 miles long, well-maintained and relatively easy path that is normally hiked as an 8-mile-long round-trip hike. Watch for American Indian petroglyphs, historical markers, bighorn sheep, mule deer, and occasional waterfalls. The trail is frequented by fishermen angling along the renowned

Jones Hole Creek, and rafters on multi-day trips down the Green River through Split Mountain, but is nevertheless very peaceful and quiet, and usually empty on weekdays.Maps: Jones Hole (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: 5,000-5,600 feetDifficulty: Easy to moderate

9. Sound of Silence Trail Dinosaur National Monument’s Sound of Silence Trail lives up to its name, offering solitude and peace to the weary traveler. The trail begins at a pull-out about 2.5 miles from the Quarry Entrance north of Jensen. It meanders up Red Wash, entering a cleft in the ridge that encircles Split Mountain, then continues along Red Wash as far as the hiker is willing to go. The striking cliffs along the wash muffle the surrounding sound, creating a buffer between hikers and the outside world. This high desert hike is abundant with mule deer and other wildlife as well. Most hikers walk only the first mile of the trail, but the adventurous can easily continue around the loop, eventually ending up over 10 miles later at Rainbow Park. The trail is well-maintained for the first two miles, and is primitive beyond that point.Maps: Dinosaur Quarry (USGS 7.5 Min-ute Quads)Elevation: 4,800-5,800 feetDifficulty: Easy to moderate

10. Hog Canyon and Box Canyon In the late 1800s and early- to mid-1900s, a Wild West woman named Josie Bassett lived among the slick-rock of northeast Utah, cavorting with outlaws of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, making moonshine and rustling cattle, eventually building a home, a small cabin, in what is now Dinosaur National Monument. Just to the north of her cabin is a short box canyon named, appropriately, Box Canyon, where Josie corralled her cattle and pigs, using the steep-walled canyon as a natural pen. Just to the east is another, even more impressive, box canyon named

Hog Canyon, due to its use as another holding pen for Josie’s animals. Both canyons offer solitude and grandeur and are easy, short hikes well worth the effort. To reach Josie’s Cabin, enter Dinosaur National Monument through the Quarry Entrance and follow the signs.Maps: Split Mountain (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: 5,300 feetDifficulty: Easy

11. Fantasy Canyon Fantasy Canyon is less a canyon as it is a series of highly eroded gullies in the hilly desert country south of Vernal. What makes it special is the fascinatingly twisted and gnarled sandstone monu-ments adorning the entire area. From delicate, seemingly sculpted pieces of natural artwork, to blunt little rows of imaginary animals or trolls marching along, the area has earned its name as “nature’s china shop.” Legend has it that demons from the underworld once attempted to escape at this spot but were stopped by a Native American medicine man who rode to the rescue on a mighty stallion. Fantasy Canyon simply must be seen to be believed. It is truly a national treasure. To get there, travel south on Highway 45 from Naples to Glen Bench Road, then follow the signs.Maps: Red Wash SW (USGS 7.5 Minute Quads)Elevation: 4,800 feetDifficulty: Easy

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The tilted rocks tour is a favorite driving route through Dinosaur Na-tional Monument and showcases the area’s diversity of sights and stories. Allow about 2 hours for this 22-mile round-trip. This allows enough time to drive at a leisurely pace and to get out of the vehicle now and then to explore or enjoy the views. As you enter Dinosaur National Monument, the tour follows the Green River for a few miles through the original 80-acre Monument, which was created to protect the world famous di-nosaur quarry. In 1938, the Monument was enlarged to more than 200,000 acres to protect the deep, colorful can-yons carved by the Green and Yampa rivers. Besides creating dramatic scen-ery, the rivers also provide habitat for a wider variety of life than you might expect in this high desert. After you pass the new visitor center, currently under construction, Swelter Shelter appears on the north side of the road. The pictographs (paintings) and petroglyphs (scratched or carved designs) on Swelter Shelter were made about 1,000 years ago by the people of the Fremont Culture (named for the Fremont River in

Cub Creek Road at Dinosaur National Monumentsouthern Utah). These drawings are very fragile – please do not touch them or the rock surface around them. Further down the road, a side trip to the Split Mountain boat ramp and campground, takes you through spec-tacular rock formations. Split Moun-tain gets its name because the Green River split the mountain in half. The side trip ends at banks of the Green River. Continuing on the Cub Creek Road, you will see hills which are banded with shades of gray, red, purple and brown. This distinctive color pattern, which has been likened to “melting Neapolitan ice cream,” helps identify the Morrison Formation, a group of rock layers that occur throughout this region. Paleontologists find the Mor-rison Formation attractive for more than its colors; a few of its outcrops contain 149 million-year-old dinosaur fossils like those found at the Douglass Quarry. After crossing the Green River, the road passes through the private Chew Ranch, which lies outside the Monu-ment’s boundary. Living in this region since the early 1900s, the Chews raise alfalfa, corn and other crops. They

graze sheep and cattle on higher range to the east in the summer. As you continue on the Cub Creek Road, you will re-enter Dinosaur National Monument. Use your imagi-nation as you look at the rock forma-tions and perhaps you will find “Turtle Rock” or “Skull Rock.” At “Turtle Rock,” the many holes result from more rapid weathering of weaker parts of the rock. “Elephant Toes Butte” or “Hen and Eggs” eroded from the Glen Canyon Sandstone. The type of layer-ing found in this rock reveals it origins as sand dunes in a windswept desert. Dinosaur tracks have been found in this sandstone. Along the way, there are several places to stop and look at petroglyphs.

These drawings were made by the Freemont people about 1,000 years ago. Using sharp tools, they pecked at the dark natural stain on the rock surface that is called “desert varnish” to reveal the lightened sandstone beneath. Some images are easy to see, but their meaning is not. On the rock ledge high above the north side of the road, look for the darkest patches of desert varnish. Can you find at least two large lizard drawings? A short hike up the trail brings you to the base of this petroglyph panel and allows you to see many images, including more lizards and even the remains of a Ko-kopeli. The Tour of the Tilted Rocks ends at Josie Morris’ Cabin.

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they had developed near the Green River approximately 47 million years ago. Guests will see petrified mud tex-tures, colors, plants and a fish in the display. Step back in time as you walk through the Dinosaur Garden of the museum. Look at a full-size replica of a 20-foot tall Tyrannosaurus with six inch, knife-like teeth or a ferocious, four-foot, meat-eating Coelophysis. Guests of all ages will enjoy the seven-teen life-size prehistoric replicas lining the garden paths, small waterfalls and beautiful foliage. The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum is located at 496 East Main, Vernal. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Admission Prices are $6 for adults, $3 for chil-dren 6-12, those under 6 are free and seniors (62+) are $3. Two junior scientist programs are offered for younger visitors age 4 – 12 and offer a fun way to learn about mu-seum exhibits while earning a patch.Annual state park and senior passes may be purchased at the museum as well non-resident OHV/Snowmobile permits. For further information, please call the museum at 435-789-3799.

The Utah Field House of Natu-ral History State Park Museum allows visitors to experience life as a paleon-tologist. A short video explains the digs the museum participates in, how some of the exhibits were quarried, where they came from, and how they were delivered to the museum. Guests can also volun-teer to help on summer digs. “These digs are connected with the Scientific Outreach Program and require one week minimum commitment. Volunteers, ages 12 and older, are needed each summer. Most of the work isn’t technical; it’s just getting your hands dirty and removing dirt,” said Mary Beth Bottomley. Contact Dr. Steve Sroka at the Utah State Field House Museum for more information. In an interactive museum youth center, visitors can dig through specially formulated “dirt” to discover fossil models just like paleontologists do in the field. “After successfully removing the items, guests can figure out what they have found by taking the fossils to a key and comparing them to pictures, descrip-tions and characteristics,” Mary Beth Bottomley said. In the Eocene Fossil Gallery, a strik-ing mosaic of individual plant fossils covers the eastern flank of the room. More than 40 scientists were involved in prying layers of fossils loose from where

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There are some very unique places to visit in and around Vernal, but there are none more in-teresting than visiting our Dinosaur Trackway.From Vernal, take Highway 191 North 11 miles to Red Fleet State Park. Go an additional 1 mile past the entrance of Red Fleet to Donkey Flat Road and turn right at the sign that says Dinosaur Trackway. You will go 2.3 miles to the trailhead. There are three signs that will help you discover the tracks and more information about them. For the novice dinosaur tracker tracks and a trackway are defined as follows: A single imprint is called a track, while two or more in a row, from the same dinosaur, is a trackway.

Visitors will find over several hundred tracks embedded in the hard sandstone formation from a variety of dinosaurs including several from the Grallator and Eubrontes families. Grallator is attributed to a small three-toed theropod (meat eater), whereas Eubrontes tracks likely represent at least two types of dinosaurs: one a large theropod, possibly Dilo-phosaurus, and the other a prosauropod (early plant eater). The tracks and trackways were formed as dinosaurs walked in wadi deposits (ephemeral river beds) or at the edge of a small lake situ-ated among the sand dunes over 200 million years ago. As a special note, spring and early summer bring high water conditions to Red Fleet res-ervoir, submerging many of the tracks. If you are visiting during this time, some tracks are still visible in the shallow water and along the shoreline. Late summer, fall, and early spring are the best times to visit the site for the greatest num-ber of exposed tracks. The best time of day to view tracks is during periods of low light, such as early morning, or evening when the shading makes the tracks more noticeable. Both Steinaker and Red Fleet State Parks offer a variety of recreational opportunities. Enjoy boating, swimming, hiking, fishing, and camping. Full hookups are available at Stein-

Modern day dinosaur track tracking


aker and Red Fleet at a cost of $25.00 per night, or $13.00 per night for a dry site. Annual and senior passes may be purchased at the park entrances, as well as OHV and snowmobile non-resident permits. For more information, please call 435-789-4432. You can also visit www.stateparks.utah.gov.


Work is progressing on two new buildings at Dinosaur National Monu-ment. Completion is expected this fall. The original Quarry Visitor Center (QVC), the primary visitor attraction at Dinosaur National Monument, was built over approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones that are found in the rock along the north wall of the building. Unfortunately, it was built on expansive soils that played havoc on the building’s structural integrity. The National Park Service was forced to close the visitor center on July 12, 2006, because of serious life, safety and health issues that were discovered dur-ing structural monitoring. “Plans to rehabilitate the building were already in progress and requests for funding had been in place for almost 10 years when we were forced to shut the building,” said Dinosaur National Monument Superintendent Mary Risser. “After the buiding’s closure, we shifted into high gear. We had the compliance and plans com-plete when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was announced. The NPS selected the rehabilitation of the exhibit hall and construction of a new visitor center as a priority project to be funded through ARRA.” “As soon as we were notified that we had received the ARRA fund, we began the contracting process,” Risser continued. “The notice to proceed was issued to Advance Solutions Group out of Kaysville, Utah in March 2010. This complex project required 19 months to complete, which brought us to fall of 2011 for opening the buildings to the public.” The old Quarry Visitor Center that housed the wall of bones is being reha-bilitated and will be called the Quarry Exhibit Hall. The visitor center and ad-ministrative activities are being moved to a new Quarry Visitor Center, which

Wall of bones to open in Fall 2011 is constructed on a more consolidated soil, about one-quarter mile away. Rest in Peace, Not Pieces “Protecting the workers and the fossils were of primary concern during construction,” Risser said. “The con-tractors designed a pro-tective covering to pro-vide layers of protection for the fossils and also a safe, stable platform for the contractors to work on the building’s roof structure from inside.” A scaffold and truss system holds numer-ous layers of protective material. A fire blanket also covers the fossils and provides a protec-tive covering in the unlikely event of fire. Two layers of plywood and a layer of steel — in conjunction with the scaffold and truss — provides a sturdy barrier against heavy objects falling from above. A two-inch layer of foam would also absorb the energy of falling objects. A layer of plastic provides a moisture barrier between the construction area and the fossils. Finally, a bottom layer of rope/mesh is designed to catch any residual objects that might happen to get through the layers above. A vertical wall is the final protective piece that encloses the fossils in their own protec-tive chamber during construction.

A New Foundation “The Quarry Visitor Center was closed in 2006 primarily because construction techniques of the 1950s

did not address the expansive soils,” Risser said. “As a result, portions of the building’s foundation twisted and continually moved and the movement was significant.” The east curtain wall broke away from the foundation and was suspend-ed only by a few welds. The second floor and roof of the rotunda were no longer structurally attached to the building and were held in place only by the tension caused by the building falling in on itself. And the east side of the rotunda was 10 inches higher than the west. To address the problem caused by the expansive soils, engineers de-veloped a system of micro-piles and foundation footings under each of the 10 support columns on the south side of the building. Forty micro-piles were drilled an average of 40 to 60 feet down to solid rock. Each micro-pile is an 8-inch hole with a rod in the center surrounded by concrete. Holes were grouted within three hours of being drilled. Workers completed extensive load testing of the micro-piles. Currently each of the 10 columns is attached to at least 4 micro-piles. Each of the 10 columns was then attached to a steel frame to hold it in place while the foundation footing was demolished and then replaced.

Visitor CenterThe new 7,500 square foot visitor cen-ter is enclosed and work is continuing on the inside. The National Park Ser-vice anticipates the new visitor center will receive Gold LEED certification. Sustainability and green technology has been incorporated into the design, operation, and maintenance of the building. From the parking area, visitors will walk past the stegosaurus from the 1964 World’s Fair in New York and across a new bridge to the visi-tor center. The bridge is made from a recycled railroad car. After it was set on abutments, a deck was poured, rail-ings were added, and the structure was painted to now provide an attractive entrance to the new building. Other elements of sustainable design include re-use of the tongue and groove floor decking from the old visitor center, which is now the ceiling of the exhibit hall and multi-purpose room. The Na-tional Park Service will purchase green energy for the building and a photovol-taic system mounted on the roof will help off-set those costs.

Exhibits “The premier exhibit of course will be the wall of bones, which is quite

The intriguing “Wall of Bones” shows a unique final resting place for hundreds of dinosaurs. Below is a picture showing the new visitor center at the Monument.



stunning and overwhelms the senses. The wall itself is 50 feet high and 150 feet long,” Risser said. “We es-timate that more than half of all the different kinds of dinosaurs that lived in North America in the late Jurassic Period are found in this quarry. People just love the wall of bones, and we are so excited to make the access to the public again.” The new Quarry Visitor Center will feature exhibits that focus on the natural world and human history of Dinosaur National Mon-ument. The exhibits are designed to pique visitors’ interest so that they will want to explore more of the monument on their own. Exhibits at the Quarry Exhibit Hall will bring visi-tors into the world of the Jurassic era and paleontol-ogy. For more information please visit www.nps.gov/dino or call 435-781-7700.

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Motels/ Campgrounds

CampgroundsDinosaurland KOA, 930 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, 800-KOA-7574 or 435-789-2148, www.dinokoa.comFossil Valley RV Park, 999 West Highway 40, Vernal, 888-789-6450 or 435-789-6450, www.fossilvalleyrvpark.comOutlaw Trail RV Park, 9650 East 6000 South, Hwy. 40, Jensen, 435-781-6000, Red Fleet State Park, 8750 North Highway 191, Vernal, 435-789-4432, for reservations 800-322-3770, www.stateparks.utah.gov/parks/red-fleetSteinaker State Park, 4335 North Highway 191, Vernal, 435-789-4432, for reservations 800-322-3770, www.stateparks.utah.gov/parks/steinakerAmerican Land And Leisure 877-444-6777, www.reserveusa.comAshley National Forest Campgrounds 435-789-1181, www.fs.fed.us/r4/ashleyNRRS (National Recreation Reservation System), 877-444-6777, www.ReserveUSA.comDinosaur National Monument Campgrounds 970-374-3000, www.nps.gov/dinoBureau of Land Management Campgrounds, 435-781-4400, Utah State Parks Campgrounds 800-322-3770, www.stateparks.utah.gov

Best Western Antlers 423 West Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-1202, www.bestwestern.com H/M O, HT HA, NS I, R Best Western Dinosaur Inn 251 East Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 800-528-1234, 435-789-2660, fax:435-789-2467, www.bestwestern.com/dinosaurinn H/M O, HT HA, NS IDays Inn 260 West Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 800-329-7466, 435-789-1011, fax: 435-789-0172 H/M O HA, NS IDinosaurland KOA 930 North Vernal Ave., Vernal, UT 84078, 800-KOA-7574, 435-789-2148, www.dinokoa.com GR/C O OK HA, NS Econo Lodge 311 East Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-2000, 435-789-0947 H/M OK HA, NS IHoliday Inn Express, 1515 W. US Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-4654 or 800-465-4329, www.hiexpress.com/vernalut H/M I, HT HA, NS IThe Jensen Inn 5056 S. 9500 E., Jensen, UT 84035, 435-789-5905 or 435-828-8896 B&B OK HA, NS Landmark Inn & Suites 288 East 100 South, Vernal, UT 84078, 888-738-1800, 435-781-1800, 435-781-0500, www.landmark-inn.com H/M HA, NS ILazy K Motel 1500 East 775 South, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-3277 H/M Motel 6 1092 West Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-0666, fax: 435-789-0723, www.motel6vernal.com H/M I, HT OK HA, NS, MK R, IReside In 1010 North Vernal Ave., Vernal, UT 84078 435-789-ROOM H/M HA, NS R, IRodeway Inn 590 West Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-8172, fax: 435-789-0380 H/M OK NS ISage Motel 54 West Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-1442, fax: 789-8861, www.vernalmotels.com H/M OK HA, NS ISplit Mountain Motel 1015 East Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-9020, fax: 435-789-9023 H/M HA, NS ISpringhill Suites 1205 W. Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078 435-781-9000, fax: 435-781-9001, www.marriott.com/velsh H/M I, HT HA, NS, MK IStudio 6 1935 S. 1500 E., Naples, UT 84078, 435-789-6625, www.staystudio6.com H/M I, HT OK NS, MK ISuper 8 1624 West Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 800-800-8000, 435-789-4326, fax: 435-789-8844 H/M I, HT HA, NS Weston Lamplighter 120 East Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-0312, fax: 435-781-1480 H/M O HA, NS, MK R Weston Plaza Hotel 1684 West Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-9550, fax: 435-789-4874 H/M I, HT HA, NS, MK R, I

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Restaurants7-11 Ranch Restaurant 77 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-1170, Home Style Country Cook-ing - Closed SundayA&W / Kentucky Fried Chicken 1260 West 500 South, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-9055, Burgers, Fries, ChickenArby’s 1141 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-0292, Roast Beef, Chicken, Subs - Closed SundayBackdoor Grill 87 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-4751, Sandwiches, Pani-nis, Soup, Salads, Coffee, Latte, Smooth-iesBar-B-Qued 1525 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-724-7024, BBQ Sandwiches, Ribs, Pulled Pork. We also cater.Betty’s Café 416 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-2728, Breakfast, Lunch 6a.m.-4p.m.Blimpies (inside Texaco) 850 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-6012, Sandwiches, Salads & SoupBurger King 901 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-1164, Burgers, Salads, FriesCanton City 1175 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-3338, Chinese-Hunan,Szechuan,Mandarin - Closed SundayCasa Rios Restaurant 2750 West Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-0103, Authentic Mexican - Closed SundayClaim Jumpers 1684 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-8091, SteakhouseClub XS 1089 East Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-0122, Private Club, Touring Bands, Dancing, Pool Tables, GamesCountry Grub 2419 South 1500 West (Naples), Ver-nal, UT 84078, 435-789-7000, Burgers, Fries, Salads - Closed SundayDinosaur Brew Haus 550 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-0717, Burgers, Ribs, Fish, SteakDomino’s Pizza 895 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-2121, Delivery Pizza/ Carry OutDon Pedro’s 3340 N. Vernal Ave., Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-0717, Mexican

Farr’s 1056 West Hwy. 40 , Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-0811, Ice CreamFat Boy Subs (inside Morts Car Wash) 50 South 1000 West, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-9274, Salad, Soup, BreadGandolfo’s - New York Deli 1056 West Hwy. 40, Unit #5, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-0999, Sandwiches, soups, salads & deli meatsGateway Saloon & Café 733 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-9842, Live Music, Pool Tables, DartsGolden Corral 1096 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-7268, Steak & BuffetHot Stuffed Pizza (inside King Chevron) 722 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-9999, Pizza, Cinnamon BakeryJB’s Restaurant 475 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-8722, Family DinningLa Cabana Restaurant 56 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-3151, Authentic Mexican - Closed Sunday Lamplighter Restaurant 120 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-0312, Family Style

Little Caesar’s Pizza 1169 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-0200, Carry Out PizzaMaverick Country Store 951 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-5787, Sandwiches, Fro-zen YogurtMcDonald’s 1050 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-4007, Burgers, Shakes, FriesNaples Country Café 1010 East Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-8870, Down Home Cook-ingPizza Hut 1819 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-1048, Pizza, Pasta & Salad BarQuizno’s 1147 West Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-4800, Sandwiches, Salads & SoupRed Onion Grill 251 East Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-1410, Family Dining, Home of Build Your OwnShivers & Jitters 201 West Main Street & 1404 E. Hwy. 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-1900, Cof-fee, Latte, Shaved IceSpoofs Espresso Coffee & Tea Shop 38 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-1154, Coffee, Teas, Chai, Soy


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4

567 Before the turn of the century, Uintah

County was the scene of some of the Old West’s most colorful history. Frequented by fur trappers and mountain men, the area was also a hangout for some of the West’s most notorious outlaws, including Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch, Kid Curry, Matt Warner and others. Several scenic sites in the area were named after the famous outlaws, including Matt War-ner Lake. The John Jarvie Homestead, settled in 1880, served as a secret meeting place for outlaws. Today, many local sites are accessible by vehicle or within a short walking distance from main roads. For more information, contact the Dinosaurland Travel Board at (800) 477-5558.

1. Brown’s Park: A region that was never an actual town, and historically serviced outlaws and cattle rustlers.

2. Jarvie’s Ranch: Includes several historical structures which are more than 100 years old. The ranch was a secret meeting place for outlaws.

Outlaw Trail interests3. Jessie Ewing Canyon: The narrow, winding canyon is named after one of the early settlers in the area and was used frequently by outlaws.

4. Josie Bassett Cabin: The historical cabin was home to Josie Morris, a progressive woman who was married and divorced several times, and befriended and hosted outlaws at her homestead.

5. Harper’s Corner: This isolated viewpoint in Dinosaur National Monument overlooks a vast area of cliffs and canyons, which were frequented by outlaws.

6. Echo Park: William Ashley and his group were the first Europeans to enter Echo Park, with Patrick Lynch, a hermit, being the first to homestead the canyon in 1883. In 1825, William H. Ashley and his fur

trappers were the first Europeans to enter Echo Park. In 1883, Patrick Lynch, a hermit, was the first to homestead in this canyon.

7. Swinging Bridge-Brown’s Park: The original sign on this narrow suspension bridge read “Load limit 200 sheep, 30 cattle or 3.5 ton gross.”

Drinks, Smoothies, BagelsSubway Sandwiches 1205 W. Hwy. 40 & Inside Walmart, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-0711, 435-781-0709, Quick Service RestaurantTaco Bell 898 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-1812, Mexican FoodThe New Cassidy’s Club 1350 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-8700, Private Club, Danc-ing, Dining, Pool Tables, DartsThe Quarry Steakhouse 25 S. Vernal Ave., Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-2337, American, Burgers and SteakhouseWendy’s 1120 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-2222, Burgers, Salads, FriesWimpy’s Place 2571 West 500 North (Maesar), Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-5282, Burgers, Fries, Shakes - Closed SundayWin On Restaurant 578 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-789-0888, Chinese Buffet, Mongolian BBQWinger’s Restaurant 1871 West Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078, 435-781-1923, Wings, Signature Asphalt Pie


Guides OutfittersAll Save Car Rental 2145 East Highway 40, 800-440-5776 or 435-789-4777, Vernal, UT, 84078, Eagle Outdoor Sports 1507 South Haigh Creek, 801-451-7238, Kaysville, UT, 84037, www.eagle5.comVernal Aviation 595 South 700 East, 435-789-8157, Vernal, UT, 84078, Wilkins Bus Lines, Inc. 343 South Vernal Ave., 435-789-2476, Vernal, UT, 84078, www.wilkins-bus.com

Great Lakes Airline Uintah County Airport, 800-554-5111, Vernal, UT, 84078, www.flygreat-lakes.comDinaland Aviation 830 East 500 South, 435-789-4612, Vernal, UT, 84078, Adrift Adventures 9500 E. 6000 S., 800-758-5161 or 435-789-3600, Jensen, UT, 84035, www.adrift.comOutward Bound Wilderness 5753 South 9500 East, 800-477-2627, Jensen, UT, 84035, www.out-wardboundwilderness.org

Altitude Cycle 580 East Main, 435-781-2595, Ver-nal, UT, 84078, www.altitudecycle.comARTA River Trips 24000 Casa Loma Road, 800-323-2782, Groveland, CA, 95321, www.arta.orgAdventure Bound River Expeditions 2392 H Road, 800-423-4668, Grand Junction, CO, 81505, www.raft-utah.comHoliday Expeditions 544 East 3900 South, 800-624-6323, Salt Lake City, UT, 84107, www.bikeraft.comRiver Runner Shuttles 417 East Main, 435-828-6660 or 435-781-4919, Vernal, UT, 84078, www.wilkinsbus.com/rivertrips.htmlSheri Griffith Expeditions, Inc. P.O. Box 1324, 800-332-2439, Moab, UT, 84532, www.griffithexp.com

Dinosaur River Expeditions 540 East Main, 800-345-7238 or 435-781-0717, Vernal, UT, 84078, www.destinationsports.comDon Hatch River Expeditions P.O. Box 12, 800-342-8243, Angels Camp, CA, 95222, www.hatchriver.comO.A.R.S. P.O. Box 67, 800-346-6277, Angels Camp, CA, 95222, www.oars.comElite Outfitters P.O. Box 189, 435-789-0818 or 435-828-8009, Vernal, UT, 84078, White Water Canoe Company 2675 65th Ave., 970-330-7124, Greeley, CO, 80634, Enterprise Rent a Car Vernal Airport, 825 South 500 East, 435-781-3008 or 800-RENT-A-CAR, Vernal, UT, 84078, www.enterprise.com

This is the beginning of Harpers Corner, named after a local rancher who used it as ‘a natural corral. A short length of fence across the summit was all that ‘he needed to confine his livestock, for on three sides the narrow promontory falls away in sheer cliffs to the canyons below. The Harpers Corner Trail, leading to the end of the prom-ontory, gives unsurpassed views of Echo Park, Whirlpool .Canyon and the Mitten Park Fault, and is a pleasant walk jf you have an hour or two and would like a more. intimate look at the land. The trail is 2 miles round trip.

The majesty and vistas of Harpers Corner



Josie Bassett Wild and dangerous, romantic and adventurous, the American West is for most people an almost mythological world - one separated from ours by time, technology, and civilization. Yet, for Josie Bassett Morris, the Wild West was a stark reality. For most of her 90 years, Josie lived in this austere, yet beautiful, landscape. May describe it as a simpler time when people depended directly upon the bounty of the land for survival and “neighbors” for companionship.

Embracing the Freedom of the Frontier In 1862, the United States Congress passed the Homestead Act to help people settle the newly acquired territory of the American West. Born in Arkansas around 1874 to educated parents, Josie was only three years old when she and her mother – ambitious, independent, strong-willed Elizabeth – and her mild-mannered fa-ther, Herb, packed their belongings and made the journey west by wagon. They homesteaded in an area called Brown’s Park, only 40 miles north of Cub Creek where Josie would independently home-stead later in life. As a child in Brown’s Park, Josie contributed her part to the household and ranch chores. Once these duties were complete, young Josie was free to play in the surrounding wilderness with her four siblings. As the children grew up, they learned about the natural environ-ment. They formed values based upon hard work and resourcefulness. Josie’s family hosted many guests in their home, including some outlaws like Butch Cas-sidy. This family history fostered in Josie a strong sense of hospitality, generosity, and community.

Josie Bassett Morris and her cabinA Progressive Style of Womanhood The women of Josie’s family were not only pioneers of the west, but also repre-sented a progressive style of womanhood. Josie married five times and she divorced four husbands, in a time when divorce was very uncommon. Josie was, however, widely admired. Living such a remote and rugged lifestyle, women were respected if they could work alongside the cowhands and run an efficient ranch in addition to being feminine. With no money to buy property, in 1913 Josie decided to homestead again - this time in Cub Creek. Here she built her own cabin where she lived for more than 50 years. Josie’s Cabin today Today Josie’s cabin would be con-sidered a modest structure at most. It is hard to imagine this place as a hub of activity – a site where one individual poured heart and soul into endless hours of chopping wood, cooking meals, milk-ing cows, entertaining guests, gardening vegetables and tending her chickens. Look closer at the walls and envision a bed where Josie slept through bitter cold nights. Breathe in and imagine the rich aroma of Josie’s homebrewed coffee and home-made biscuits. Envision how it would have been to be a guest at the generous hostess’ table. Take a moment to sit in the shade of the trees surrounding Josie’s cabin – trees she carefully planted to provide the shade and fruit necessary for survival in a harsh environment. Walk the short trail to the box canyon where Josie penned her livestock; the wooden fence still stands.

Imagine living in this place without plumbing, electricity, or neighbors for over fifty years.

Relax and let the stillness enchant you; it is this same peacefulness that Josie may also have felt here.

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Josie’s cabin as it looks today and very well could have looked 100 years ago.


Dinosaurs once roamed here. Their fantastic remains are still visible embedded in the rocks. Today, the mountains, desert and untamed rivers flow-ing in deep canyons, support an array of life. Petroglyphs hint at earlier cultures. Later, home-steaders and outlaws found ref-uge here. Whether your passion is science, adventure, history or scenery, Dinosaur offers much to explore. Don’t forget all the recreation possibilities within Dinosaur; rafting, hiking, and biking.

Need to Rebuild Work is progressing on two new buildings at Dinosaur Na-

tional Monument near Vernal. The Grand Opening of the new Dinosaur National Monument Quarry Exhibit Hall will be October 4, 2011. “What was known as the old Quarry Visitor Center housed the wall of bones this building will be called the exhibit hall,” said Mary Risser. “The lower building is the new visitor cen-ter.”There has been a lot of work done to stabilize the founda-tion of the new exhibit hall, Risser said. She still remembers the day – July 12, 2006 – when inspectors deemed the existing building unsafe and closed it. “We are ready to get things back to normal,” Risser said. Although the request for a new building was made immedi-

Dinosaur National MonumentA Land of Surprises


It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to realize that Dinosaur National Monument is one of the most informing and yet pictur-esque places in the world. Visitorscomefromallovertheworldtoseefirsthandthere-mains of dinosaurs, beautiful meandering rivers, whitewater rafting excitement and Native American lore and art. It is good to say that, “Yes! This is our backyard and you are wel-come to visit!” We have the room and the service to make your stay “the best.” Call 435-781-7700 for additional information or check out our website at www.nps.gov/dino

A petroglyph lizard found along Cub Creek Road.

ately after the exist-ing structures were deemed unsafe, the replacement project wasn’t funded until last year as part of the federal stimulus bill. The project was scheduled to take 18 months “and since the funding, we worked hard to get it started as quickly as possible,” Risser said.

Visitor Center The new 7,500 square foot visitor center is now enclosed and work is continuing on the outside. The “open air” pavilion re-mains open on the east side for tram access that will take visitors to the exhibit hall. Local rock is being used along with the salvaged rock from the original building on the outside walls. The masonry foreman said putting up the original rock wall in the 1970s was his first job as an apprentice mason. The new visi-tor center welcomes visitors by having them walk across a new bridge and then past the stegosaurus that was present at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. There are new displays, a multipurpose area and restrooms. “People just love the wall of bones,” Risser said. “There is still researching going on with new discoveries. This is a huge living laboratory and a favorite tourism destination point.” The new center will also highlight areas of the monument that visitors have been exploring over the past three-and-a-half years since the original buildings were closed,” Risser said. “It’s a way to keep tourists in the area longer looking at other park resources that include paleontol-ogy and rock art,” she said. For more informa-tion please visit www.nps.gov/dino or call 435-781-7700.


About 1,000 years ago, the Fremont people lived in this area leav-ing evidence of their presence in the form of petroglyphs (patterns chipped or carved into the rock) and picto-graphs (patterns painted on the rock). Although much of this region’s early history is recorded on remote, hard to reach rock walls, Dinosaur National Monument contains several areas where visitors can easily access these images to ponder their mystery. Archaeologists first studied the Fremont culture along the Fremont River in south-central Utah and traced it through much of the Green and Colorado River drainages. The lifestyle of the Fremont people varied consider-ably throughout the area, reflecting the diverse environments they inhabited. In general, the Fremont people lived in small bands or family groups, grew crops to supplement native foods, but did not build large permanent dwell-ings. In the Dinosaur National Monu-ment area, archaeological evidence of the Fremont dates from about 200 A.D. to about 1300 A.D. While few actual houses remain, known dwelling sites range from natural shelters (such as rock overhangs or shallow caves) to small “villages” in open areas. Ar-cheological evidence suggests many dwelling sites were occupied seasonally, as the people moved into and out of an area according to the water and food availability. The Fremont relied heavily upon native plant foods, such as pinon nuts, berries, and cactus fruits, and also on game, including mule deer, bighorn sheep, smaller mammals, and birds. They grew corn, beans, and squash and sometimes used irrigation techniques. Horticulture gave them a more settled life than a purely hunting-and-gather-ing existence, which may have allowed them the time needed to create elabo-rate rock designs. The fate of the Fremont culture is unclear. Recent theories suggest that the Fremont’s lifestyle may have changed because of drought or other climatic factors, dwindling natural resources, or the influence of other neighboring cultures. Whatever the case, it is difficult to trace the Fremont as a distinct culture in the archaeologi-cal record after about 1200 A.D. The Fremont petroglyphs and pictographs, however, survive as a vivid reminder of these ancient people. Fremont images include both petro-glyphs and pictographs. Pictographs are relatively rare here, perhaps be-cause they weather more easily. Some petroglyphs show traces of pigment, which possibly indicates that many designs originally included both carved and painted areas. Sandstone cliffs darkened with desert varnish - a natu-rally formed stain of iron and manga-

Chronicles of the past

nese oxides - provided an ideal canvas for petroglyphs. Most of these images are outlines, but some are completely pecked to form solid figures. A few consist of small holes in closely-spaced rows. The style and content of Fremont images vary throughout the region. The “Classic Vernal Style” predomi-

nates in Dinosaur National Monument. This style is characterized by human-like figures, animal-like figures, and abstract designs. Human figures typi-cally have trapezoidal bodies, which may or may not include arms, legs, fingers, and toes. Elaborate decorations on the bodies suggest headdresses, earrings, necklaces, shields, or other

objects. The animal figures include recognizable bighorn sheep, birds, snakes, and lizards and more abstract animal-like shapes. Purely abstract or geometric designs, such as circles, spi-rals, and various combinations of lines, are common. Why did the Fremont create these images and what did they mean?

Perhaps the designs served some ceremonial or religious purpose, re-lated to hunting activities, identified clans, or simply expressed the artist’s imagination - or perhaps all or none of these. At-tempts to interpret the designs by comparing them with recent Native American groups may provide clues, but the true meaning remains a mystery. Several petroglyph and pictograph sites in the monument are fairly easy to access and allow up-close viewing. They are very fragile however. Touching the petroglyphs or pictographs can dam-age them by leaving oils behind that abrade the rock. Tracing and rub-bings can damage the soft sandstone designs. For these reasons, please do not touch the designs. Pool Creek, near Echo Park, includes a panel of unusual dot-pattern designs high above the

creek.


1. Swelter Shelter Easily accessed and only a mile from the visitor information sta-tion, near Jensen, Utah, Swelter Shelter displays a variety of both petroglyphs and pictographs de-signs.

2. Cub Creek Another easily accessed site along the Tour of the Tilted Rocks auto route is the Cub Creek area. Petro-glyph panels in this area feature a variety of typical Fremont designs, but are distinguished by several largelizardfigures,notcommonatother

3. Deluge Shelter Pictographs and petroglyphs are found in Deluge Shelter, located along the Jones Hole Creek Trail. The shelter is approximately two miles from the trailhead.

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4. McKee Springs A more remote site, McKee Springs, near Rainbow Park, dis-playssomeofthefinestlargehu-man-like designs in the area, as well asmanyotherfigures.Roadisim-passible during wet weather - check road conditions before attempting to drive to this site.

5. Pool Creek Another remote site, Pool Creek, near Echo Park, includes a panel of unusual dot-pattern designs high above the creek. Road is impassible during wet weather - check road conditions before attempting to drive to this site.

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Left: Deluge Shelter Rock art. Right: rock art located in Cub Creek.


By Geoff LiesikContributing Writer

Mountain biking is something I’ve flirted with from time to time, entering a race at Park City’s Deer Valley Resort a few years ago (I came in dead last), and actually buying lycra bike shorts (Not flattering at all). But it had been years since I had thrown a leg over my alumi-num framed steed in search of anything approaching off-road or vertical. I needed some inspiration to write. I needed a “real” ride somewhere close by. Enter Troy Lupcho. Troy is a former BMX world champ who owns a bike shop in Vernal. His moni-ker, “Troy Boy,” accurately represents the child-like enthusiasm of the grown man who has likely spent more time on a bike than on his own two feet. Troy’s shop is the hub for the local-mountain bike community and sells a guide to Vernal area trails. I called Troy, hoping to chat about my story and get some idea of the local trail scene. As fate would have it I learned that there was a group ride scheduled that night on a trail named Jackalope. I snickered at the trail’s name, but Troy warned me this was no joke. This trail is tough, he said before giving me direc-

Learning a biking lesson, thanks to ‘Jackalope’tions and telling me he looked forward to meeting me. Buoyed by the prospect of bombing down big descents and suffering dur-ing the climbs, I immediately finished my Coke and started drinking water. I went online as Troy had suggested and looked at the trail description. Jackalope: distance — 8.2 miles; fitness level — in-termediate; technique — intermediate. Perfect. Then I did a Google search and found another reporter’s account of a ride with Troy. It wasn’t encouraging. The guy actually ended the day doubled over, heaving his guts out in a grocery store parking lot. The panic started to rise, but like most who are about to embark on a questionable adventure, I reassured myself that everything would be OK. I busied myself by going home for lunch to get my stuff ready for the ride. I had just passed Ft. Duchesne when it hit me. I’d forgotten my bike shoes — the shoes that clip into my pedals, provid-ing a sense of surefooted security while ensuring that any crash is going to be spectacular to behold. I quickly scanned the back seat of the car and found that the shoes were in fact missing. I’ll just have to ride in my street shoes, I thought. This can’t be good.

Arriving at the Jackalope trailhead just behind Troy and his wife, I began preparations for the ride that I feared might be my last. I had failed to consult my physician before beginning my “exercise regimen,” and was now wondering what kind of underlying, congenital defect was going to rear its ugly head and smite me. Still, I put on a brave face, slung the newspaper’s expensive digital camera over my shoulder, and headed towards Troy’s truck to introduce myself. After some discussion about which trail everyone actually wanted to ride, the group settled on Jackalope. I had listened carefully for a trail named Ride in the Park or Gentle Sloping Meadow, but none of those names came up so I kept my mouth shut and left the decision to the professionals. His wife led out the first group of riders, effortlessly climbing the hill from the parking lot. I settled in third in line behind her and listened as my body began to protest. I could hear the even breathing of the other riders around me as their gears shifted slowly to ease the work their legs were doing. My breath was a little more ragged and my shifting much more rapid. I could still see my car and I was already wondering if this had been a mistake. Nearly two miles down the six-inch

wide trail, she and the other riders were long gone. Troy had caught up to me and passed me as well, but was waiting when I rounded a corner pushing my bike. I was about to be grateful for leaving my bike shoes at home. Troy matter-of-factly informed me that I would never catch the rest of the group. He wasn’t being mean, and I didn’t take it as an insult. I knew these guys were out of my league. Troy suggested I ride back down the trail and begin riding the tail end of the trail so I could set up to get good photos. A legitimate excuse to ride downhill for a while? Sold! Turning my bike around I headed back towards the cars, but something strange was happening. As I picked up speed, the voice in my legs shut up and the one in my head started to scream. “Rock! Prickly pear! Sage brush! Prickly pear! Go right! No left! Never mind, just point it downhill, stupid!” Starved for oxygen and thirsty for a break, my brain had taken over and sent me barreling down the trail like a horse headed for home. I smacked straight into a thick stand of sagebrush, leaving my bike. I was thrown sideways by the impact, but still managed to get my feet under me to keep from hitting the dirt

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or crushing my anatomy against the handlebars. Had my feet been mechani-cally attached to the pedals, I could have been seriously injured, I thought. Shocked back into the realization that slow and steady has always served me fine, I eased my bike back onto the trail and listened to sweet sound of squealing brakes as I picked my way back to the car. I found the end of the trail and rode out to meet the group. They passed me a

Bike Trails Fire Sale (3 miles) Slipper When Wet (5 miles) Retai l Sale (8Miles) Serendipity (3 miles) Jackalope (7 miles) C o m b o ( 2 miles)2. Can You Moo Trail (11.5 miles)3. Lapoint High-way Trails (7 miles)4 . R ed Fleet Trails Jass/Chrome Molly (6.5 miles) Jumps and Ladders (.5 mile) Cabin Boy (3.5 miles) Three Amigos (6 miles)5. Red Mountain Shuttle Red Mountain Down Hill West (4 miles) Red Mountain Down Hill East (5 miles) Hike-A-Bike to Down Hill (.5 miles)6. Red Mountain DH Trails

Red Mountain Down Hill East (5 miles) Red Mountain Down Hill West (4 miles)7. Lower Dry Fork Flume Trail The Flats (3.5 miles) Hard 100 (1 mile)8. Upper Dry Fork Flume Trail Wild Iris Loop (2.5 miles) The Switchbacks (3 miles) The Flats (3.5 miles)

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short time later, filing by with the satis-fied look of those who have ridden hard while I snapped the photos I needed for my story on mountain biking. Back at the cars, Troy asked how I had enjoyed the ride. There was genuine concern, likely spawned by my beet-red complexion and the fact that I was still sweating despite having not exerted my-self much in the previous 15 minutes. I told him it was tougher than I thought it would be, but that I was grateful for the invitation. He offered up a post-ride bagel as the group began to strip off gear and talk about their experience.

Continued from page 16

I thanked them for their hospitality and headed for my car, knowing I had learned my lesson.


By Myke haLLContributing Writer

When traveling in a new area, the first thing some folks ask is, “How’s the fishin’?” Well, I’m proud to say that the fishin’ is pretty darn good! If ya like to catch trout, bass and bluegill, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few of the many fishing holes to check out while you’re here:

STEINAKER RESERVOIR Steinaker Reservoir is located about 3.5 miles north of Vernal on highway 191. I n a boat or from the shore, you can catch rainbow or albino trout, large-mouth bass or bluegill. All Three of these species in this lake are delicious eating year-round.

RED FLEET RESERVOIR The turnoff to Red Fleet Reservoir is about 11 miles north of Vernal on High-way 191. Another mile to the east and you have boat or shore fishing for rainbow trout and bluegill. Occasionally you might catch a large native brown trout. Both of the lakes are fed from clear streams coming from the high mountains.

EAST PARK RESERVOIR East Park Reservoir is located at an elevation of 9,000 feet, tucked away in the pines of the Uinta Mountains. In a boat or off the shore, this is a beautiful spot to catch some rainbow trout. Drive north on Highway 191 for 21 miles. Turn left on U.S. Forest Road 020. Travel 10 miles on paved road to the East Park turnoff. Steinaker and Red Fleet reservoirs are Utah State Parks that have reserved camping. State Park reservations can be made by calling (800) 322-3770. Forest reservations and information can be found at the Ashley National Forest office

Good fishin’ spots abundant throughout the Basinat 355 North Vernal Avenue in Vernal. A nonresident, one-day fishing license is $12 for fishermen 14 or older. Kids under 14 can fish with a license holder for one limit of fish. Fishing licenses and proclamations can be obtained at Basin Sports, 511 West Main Street in Vernal. FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR Flaming Gorge Reservoir, located 43 miles north of Vernal, is most famous for its lake trout. Curt Bilbey of Vernal still holds the state record for lake trout with a fish that was 51 pounds, 8 ounces. This reservoir also boasts of a 33-pound, 10-ounce brown trout and a 26-pound, 2-ounce rainbow trout caught in these waters. Lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, kokonee salmon and smallmouth bass abound in this large lake. This reservoir extends north into Wyoming. A small fee for a reciprocal fishing license can be added to your Utah fishing license. Travel north from Vernal on High-way 191 for 38 miles to the Highway 44 turnoff. Turn right and drive for two miles to Flaming Gorge Resort. At their store, you can buy a fishing license, and the nice folks that work there will give you advice of where to fish and what to use to entice whichever type of fish you are after.

GREEN RIVER It is 43 miles to Flaming Gorge Dam from Vernal. The Green River from be-low the dam to the Colorado border is a blue-ribbon stream and one of the best and most famous trout-fishing streams in the U.S. There is access to the river on a road to the parking lot below the dam. The other access is at Little Hole. To get to

Little Hole, drive on Highway 44 from the dam north to Dutch John. At Dutch John, turn right on U.S. Forest Road 075. A pleasant drive of six miles through the Pinion Pines brings you to Little Hole. Green River runs through the lower portion of Red Canyon with its red cliffs, pines and riverside greenery. Large brown and rainbow trout feed in the riffles. There is lodging and food at Flaming Gorge Resort and Red Canyon Lodge.

There are several U.S. Forest camp-sites. For a great experience and to catch more and larger fish, it’s a good idea to hire a fishing guide for the lake or the river. We hope you have some good fishing experiences that put a smile on your face when you think back on your trip to Dinosaurland. Myke Hall is a Vernal-based fishing expert and radio personality.

Almost a loving reverence is experienced when catching some of the west’s largest trout in Flaming Gorge. Lake Trout at the Gorge make for a great experience, but don’t forget the rainbows, cutthroat, kokanee salmon, burbott and small mouth bass that also abound in this lake and many others throughout the area.


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July 7, 8 & 9, 2011Voted by PRCA Cowboys as one of the Top Five Rodeos in the World, this competition is geared only for the fearless, bruised and

bravest. Something about the dust, the bulls, the bullfighters and the riders embraces the

spectators with a special kind of magic.

With $100,000 in cash prizes to be awarded, you can bet that the all star pros will be giving it their all at Vernal’s Western Park. Prepare your senses for world class bull riding, saddle and bareback

bronc riding, team roping, calf roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and much more.

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Take a stroll down our beautiful Main Street !

Come for the flowers - stay for the fun. Hiking, fishing, rafting, boating, golfing, museums, rodeos, races, parks and more!

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Contact 435-789-2255 for more information on our summer festivities.


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