Dinosaurs!

Spring Break in Vernal, Utah 

Dinosaur National Monument

We have talked about taking our kids to Dinosaur National Monument for years but the visitor's center at the Wall of Bones has been closed pretty much for the entire time we have had kids.  It was condemned because it was falling apart. The Monument was finally funded to rebuild as one of the many construction projects funded as part of the stimulus package and just finished last fall.  The building is three-sided.  The fourth side is a cliff, with the top layer of rocks removed to expose that the whole thing is covered in dinosaur bones.  I was impressed with the cliff.  I hadn't been there since my dad took me when I was little.  I remember that I had fun on that trip but don't remember any other details from that trip at all, since I was so young then, so it was all new to me, too.

My toddler was a wonderful hiker.  He loved hiking.  He babbled happily the whole time and found plenty to interest him on the trail. In contrast, he was awful in the car.  His older siblings  were content listening to books on CD but he is too young for literature and would try to ease his boredom by occasionally hitting one of his siblings for no reason.

Besides dinosaur bones, there are lots of petroglyphs at Dinosaur, too.

Jones Hole

We took the kids to Jones Hole, a fish hatchery, where they got to see actual fish (fortunately, since we weren't good at catching any ourselves.)

There is a trail next to the hatchery leading to a stream for actual fishing. 

Dry Fork Canyon

Dry Fork Canyon has many petroglyphs.  My kids didn't care so much about those, though.  They were thrilled that we were climbing up the cliff.  

Steinaker Lake

We took the kids fishing.  We also attempted geocaching, but someone stole the cache before we got there.  A ranger gave the kids little pins as a compensation prize.

Utah Field House of Natural History 

This museum had lots of interactive activities for kids.

My kids really loved this rather dull room with dinosaur puzzles.  Why doesn't a quiet activity like building puzzles engage them at home?

We attended the annual dinosaur Easter egg hunt at the museum.