Dinosaur Tracks and Petroglyphs--Moab, Utah

 

I love anthropology and archaeology. I love exploring and learning about our ancient ancestors and dinosaurs. I have passed this love on to my son, Alex. We were ecstatic that we had the opportunity to see dinosaur tracks and petroglyphs while in Moab. There are actually quite of few options for seeing tracks and glyphs, so if you visit the area, make sure to check several of them out.

 We explored the dinosaur tracks in the La Sal Mountains along the La Sal loop. There were several well-preserved fossilized tracks that we could check out. It had rained in the morning, so each track was filled with water making them even more impressive.

It was amazing to actually see the route that the three-toed dinosaur took. The kids followed the tracks and explored along the mountain. The view of the valley below was breathtaking, but there were no guards or fences along the cliff which made this mama a little nervous.

 

We also explored Moonflower Canyon and the petroglyphs there. I have always been in awe of petroglyphs and loved studying them when I was in graduate school in Arizona.

The sandstone canyon has many areas for hiking and camping. The petroglyphs date from the Archaic period and depict animals and people as well as some abstract objects. You can climb a cavern to the left of the petroglyphs up to the top of the canyon. We ventured in to the canyon itself and saw several caves and caverns. The kids pretended they were tracking animals in the canyon. The rock walls have various formations developed by water and wind over time. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Moab.

Canoeing at Lake Springfield

We had never been canoeing as a family. I am a bit of a control freak (such a surprise, I know) and was more than a little nervous about being in a canoe with Alex and Alan. Alan tends to never worry about anything and Alex tends to be very impulsive. I decided to set aside my worries in favor of a fun afternoon with my boys (it was even my idea)!

Our afternoon picnicking and then canoeing on Lake Springfield was awesome! At the beginning of the summer, we had visited the Springfield Conservation Nature Center and learned that canoes and kayaks can be rented at the Lake Springfield Boathouse and Marina. I was surprised to find out that we were able to rent a canoe with life jackets and a special seat for Alex all for $10 an hour! Well worth the price. The lake and James River that flows in to the lake are narrow but long and easy to navigate with no getting stuck on rocks or in the mud!

The James River Linear Park Water Trail runs about five miles in one direction and allows for a nice trip. We saw ducks and blue heron along our trip. There is a large habitat with water lilies and hibiscus. Back on land, there are hiking/walking trails, a nice playground, and picnic pavilions. It was a great, inexpensive way to spend an afternoon.

Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

Arches National Park just outside of Moab, Utah is an unbelievable feat of nature. The park contains the largest concentration of natural stone arches in the world--more than 2000 arches! On our trip, we started by visiting the nature center where we were able to learn how the arches were developed. Jay also told us what he has learned over the years about the arches. 

The park lies on a salt bed which is the cause of the formations and arches. The salt was deposited 300 million years ago when a sea flowed through the area. The salt and water caused the formations to erupt, creating the arches, spires and other geological phenomenons.

We were able to hike throughout the formations and spent most of our time at the Windows Section. It was amazing checking out the Turret Arch and the North and South Window Arches. We had a picnic lunch overlooking the Pivot Rock.

On our drive up to our hike, we saw the Three Sisters formation. Each formation seemed more unreal than the one that came before. This formation truly looked like three women standing regally together. Jay explained to us that the whole area previously extended another mile higher but over thousands of years has eroded to what it is today.

 

These kids had an amazing time exploring, hiking, and rock climbing.

To learn more about the park, check out their website.  When you visit, make sure to take plenty of water, sunscreen and a camera!!! There are camp sites, hiking trails, horseback trails and much more. I strongly recommend families check this out!

The Brady Family Epic Roadtrip 2014

We recently returned from one of the most amazing trips we have ever taken as a family. We took an old-fashioned family roadtrip through Kansas, Colorado and Utah. It was unforgettable and I will be posting highlights from the trip over the next few weeks including tips and locations to check out. Thank you to our dear friends Jay and Stephanie and their sweet children for making the trip the best!