Dinosaur National Monument stretches from the northwest corner of Colorado west into Utah, a vast swatch of high-desert country. The monument encompasses hundreds of miles of river corridors with canyon walls reaching heights of more than two thousand feet, and rugged peaks eclipsing nine thousand feet. The first iteration of the monument came into being in 1915 a few years after a paleontologist named Earl Douglass came upon the fossil beds near the town of Vernal in the northeastern corner of Utah. The fossil beds—which would come to be known as Carnegie Quarry—held myriad specimens, including remnants of eight dinosaurs: Allosaurus fragilis, Allosaurus jimmadseni, Apatosaurus, Barosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus, Dryosaurus, and Stegosaurus. The original eighty acres around the fossil beds were expanded to the monument’s current dimensions in 1938.
For budding paleontologists—or lovers of the program Dinosaur Train—a visit to the Quarry Exhibit Hall (which sits above the actual quarry) is a must. “The Quarry Exhibit Hall is home to the Wall of Bones, where you’ll find some fifteen hundred unexcavated fossils sticking out of the rock where it’s eroded away,” Dan described. “You’re confronted with a rock wall that’s full of recognizable bones—femurs, thighbones, jawbones. The first reaction is ‘WOW!’ In addition to the bones, you see multiple rock layers from different time periods—the time of dinosaurs, the time before the dinosaurs. You get to experience the size and scope of life on this planet and how it has changed with whatever’s been thrown at it. It gives where we are now in history a clearer context.” Visitors can even touch 149-million-year-old dinosaur fossils.
As mentioned above, visitors would be doing themselves a disservice by limiting their monument visit to an afternoon at the Quarry Exhibit Hall. Dan highlighted a few favorite activities. “A river trip gives you a very different perspective of how water and time have shaped this country. There are several concessionaires that run day trips on the Green in the Split Mountain Canyon area of the park. It gives guests a chance to sit back and enjoy the scenery while someone else does the work. You can also opt to do a multiday trip on the Green or Yampa. They’re very different rivers. The Yampa flows through sandstone canyons and more-open country; the Green has more-pronounced canyons with darker rock. Most visitors don’t get onto the rivers, but those who do leave changed, taken with the peacefulness of the place. To experience some of the monument’s cultural attractions, pay a visit to view some of the petroglyphs (incised rock art) and pictographs (patterns painted on the rock) left by the Fremont people, who are believed to have lived in the area a thousand years ago. [Swelter Shelter and Cub Creek are two of the more easily accessible sites.] If you want to get a sense of the majesty and scope of this country, drive some of the scenic backcountry roads. The Harper’s Corner, Island Park, and Echo Park Roads are all worthwhile.”
Dinosaur offers a broad range of camping options. There are six campgrounds spread throughout the park. RVs are welcome in some, though there are no hookups and amenities are fairly basic (potable water, vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings). Dan described a few popular spots. “Green River is the closest campground to the Quarry Visitor Center. It’s the biggest campground (seventy-nine sites) and is set along the banks of the river, where it’s sheltered by cottonwood trees. The way the campground is situated, it’s protected from any light pollution, so it’s a great place to view the night sky. One of my favorite campgrounds is Echo Park. Geographically it’s near the center of the monument, but as far as access goes, it’s off the beaten path. The campground is set on the Yampa, right near the point where the Green and the Yampa meet. Some of the sites are among Box Elders right along the river, others are in more-open terrain among grasslands and junipers. Almost all have a view of Steamboat Rock, which the Green circles around. The cliffs rise a thousand feet. I think it’s some of the more dramatic scenery in the park. As you’re down in a canyon, the night sky is amazing. You can sometimes see the Milky Way in the summer. Rainbow Park is a very small campground—just four sites—and you have to bring your own water. It’s on a flat basin above the Green, and in the fall it’s a great place to view wildlife, especially elk, which you can hear bugling.”
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DAN JOHNSON is chief of interpretation and visitor services at Dinosaur National Monument. He has worked for the National Park Service since 1990, serving at parks all over the United States, including Shenandoah, Badlands, and Olympic.
If You Go
Getting There: The closest commercial airport is in Grand Junction, Colorado (which is two and a half hours from Dinosaur). It’s served by a number of carriers, including American Airlines (800-433-7300; www.aa.com) and United (800-864-8331; www.united.com).
Best Time to Visit: The Quarry Exhibit Hall is open year-round; many other sections of the monument are closed in the winter due to snow. Mid-May to late September is considered high season.
Campgrounds: There are six campgrounds in Dinosaur National Monument. Most are first come, first served, though some sites can be reserved at Green River Campground through Recreation.gov (877-444-6777). No hookups are available at any of the monument campgrounds; site fees range from $8 to $12.
Activities: Auto touring, river rafting, hiking, horseback riding, cultural sites.
Vermont
RICKER POND STATE PARK
RECOMMENDED BY Rochelle Skinner
“Long before I began working for Vermont State Parks, I was a camper,” Rochelle Skinner began. “One year I was planning a trip, and I looked at a map of Vermont and saw the Groton State Forest—a 26,000-plus acre preserve, with seven state parks nearby. I booked a week trip there by myself in September, with Ricker Pond State Park as my base camp. I had the time of my life. I set up camp in one of the park’s lean-tos right by the pond. The lean-to gave me protection from any wind and rain, and I could look out on the water and listen to the loons. From Ricker Pond, I had access to tons of hiking trails as well as the Cross Vermont Rail Trail, an old railroad line that was re-imagined as a bike trail. One great benefit of camping at a Vermont state park is that once you pay for camping at one park, you can get into any other parks for no additional charge during the day. With the six other parks in the area, I took advantage of that perk.”
Groton State Forest and Ricker Pond State Park rest in Caledonia County on the northeastern edge of the Green Mountain State. The region was intensely logged in the late nineteenth century; this, combined with severe forest fires, shifted the forest’s makeup from pine, fir, and spruce to the red maple and birch that predominate today. The trees are interspersed with granite bedrock, which survived the glaciers that scoured away softer rock, and a number of ponds and adjacent wetlands. Though just a half hour from the state capital of Montpelier, Groton State Forest remains quite wild, and is home to moose, black bear, mink, otter, and a variety of avian life (including the aforementioned loons).
Ricker Pond State Park rests toward the southern end of the forest, on the western shores of the pond. The Civilian Conservation Corps was integrally involved in creating the infrastructure at Ricker Pond and other campgrounds in the area; men were paid a dollar a day for their efforts, providing much-needed wages during the Great Depression. Testaments to their craftsmanship remain today in the shape of the great stone fireplaces that adorn some sites at Ricker Pond and other nearby parks, which include New Discovery, Kettle Pond, Stillwater, Boulder Beach, Big Deer, and Seyon Lodge. “At Ricker Pond, there’s even a picnic table hewed from stone,” Rochelle continued. “It’s like something out of The Flintstones. A nice facet of Ricker Pond is the range of different lodging options available. There are tent sites, RV sites, lean-tos, rustic cabins and two lakeside cottages. You can go from really basic to kind of luxurious.” Potable water and hot showers (for a fee) are available, as well as firewood and ice.
The mix of water and woods at Ricker Pond and the surrounding Groton State Forest make it an ideal retreat for a mixed bag of summer outdoor fun. “It’s easy to plan two or three different a
dventures for each day you’re visiting without ever having to repeat yourself,” Rochelle enthused. “For starters, there are seventeen miles of trails in the forest, from one-hour loops to all-day hikes. Two of my favorite walks are the Owl’s Head Trail and Peacham Bog Loop. Owl’s Head is an easy one-and-a-half-mile walk that takes you to the summit of Owl’s Head Mountain, where you get incredible panoramic views, including the Green Mountains and Lake Groton. I like the fact that you can’t see any houses from the summit. [The last portion of the trail features rock steps created by the CCC.] Peacham Bog is a longer loop, about 4.5 miles, that takes you through a variety of habitats—wet and dry, up and down—including deciduous forest and the bog itself, which is one of the largest bogs in Vermont.”
If you prefer to log your miles on a bicycle, you’ve come to the right place; a portion of the Cross Vermont Rail Trail passes right by the park. The trail—inspired by the idea of connecting many shorter trails that already existed in the state—uses Vermont’s natural east-west corridors that have been chiseled out over eons by several rivers. The portion of the trail adjacent to Ricker Pond unfolds on the historic railbed of the old Montpelier–Wells River Railroad. “The rail trail provides relatively flat, peaceful riding, with beautiful lakes and other pleasing scenery,” Rochelle said.
Once you’ve worked up a bit of a sweat, you may wish to cool down with a nice swim. Ricker Pond has a swimming beach, and there’s also an old-fashioned rope swing that lets you soar out over the water. Boulder Beach is one of the preferred swimming spots in the Groton State Forest. “There’s an extensive sand beach and a picnic pavilion,” Rochelle described, “and you can rent a canoe or kayak. There are also a number of little hidden picnic places along the shoreline, equipped with hibachi grills.” If you prefer to be on the water rather in it, consider bringing a canoe or kayak to Osmore or Kettle Ponds. Both are very tranquil, and come with nesting loons. Fly anglers will certainly want to pack their gear and wet a line at Noyes Pond at Seyon Lodge. Noyes is considered one of Vermont’s finest wild brook trout fisheries; to maintain the pond’s shorelines, all fishing must be done from rowboats provided by the park. (Fishing is at its peak in June . . . but so are the bugs!)
If you need a little dose of civilization during your stay at Ricker Pond, a number of options are available. “You can head northeast a half hour and reach St. Johnsbury,” Rochelle said. “The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium has great natural history exhibits with lots of interactive displays. There’s a little downtown with shops and a few places where you can find a creemee [Vermontese for soft ice cream]. A half hour to the west is Montpelier, where you can take a tour of the Vermont State House. If you’re thirsty afterward, the Three Penny Taproom features a host of Vermont’s fine craft beers.”
And if a creemee or a brew doesn’t quite wet your whistle, head a little further up the road to Waterbury, home of Vermont’s most famous export: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.
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ROCHELLE SKINNER is the sales and service manager for Vermont State Parks. She oversees centralized reservations and customer service, marketing, and emergent technology. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Rochelle has worked in the outdoor recreation field for over twenty years. She has camped in all of Vermont’s State Parks.
If You Go
Getting There: Ricker Pond State Park is approximately seventy miles from Burlington, which is served by many carriers.
Best Time to Visit: The park is open for camping Memorial Day through Columbus Day. June can be a tough month for bugs. Fall foliage is tremendous.
Campgrounds: The campground at Ricker Pond State Park (802-584-3821; www.vtstateparks.com) offers twenty-seven tent/RV sites, twenty-three lean-tos, and a handful of cabins and cottages. Sites begin at $22.
Activities: Hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding, swimming, and fishing.
Monolithic Mount Rainier, as viewed from the Klapatche Park Trail.
Washington—Ashford
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK
RECOMMENDED BY Bill Gifford
If you’ve ever flown into Seattle—or, for that matter, Portland or Vancouver—you’ve likely spied the massive stratovolcano that is Mount Rainier. Rising 14,410 feet above sea level, Rainier is the highest mountain in the Cascade Range and one of the most prominent peaks in the United States; it’s also the most glaciated mountain in the Lower 48, with more than twenty-five major glaciers. Though more than fifty miles from downtown Seattle, on clear summer afternoons it feels as though you could reach out and touch its flanks from the Space Needle.
Many will only admire Mount Rainier from afar. But visitors to Mount Rainier National Park can gain a greater appreciation of its volcanic roots, its glaciers, and its ancient forests.
“My family did a lot of camping as I was growing up, and my first visit to Mount Rainier was when I was about eight years old,” Bill Gifford recalled. “We pitched our tent at Ohanapecosh. It was a great place for kids, with lots of big downed trees to climb around on. I remember hiking the trail along the Ohanapecosh River up to Silver Falls, crossing the river, and coming back—a five-mile loop. It made quite an impression on me. When I had a family of my own, I took them to Ohanapecosh Campground.”
Mount Rainier National Park comprises some 370 square miles, with nearly all of its terrain designated as wilderness. Thirty-five square miles of the park are covered in snow-fields and glaciers. Mount Rainier is America’s fifth-oldest national park, protected for posterity in 1899. Mount Rainier rises quite abruptly from the surrounding Cascade Range, suggestive of its volcanic origins; the lowest point in the park has an elevation of 1,600 feet, the highest over 14,000 feet. Rainier is, in fact, considered an “episodically active” volcano, which means that the question is not if it will erupt, but when. The last recorded eruption was in the 1890s; according to the U.S. Geological Service, some 80,000 residents could be threatened should Rainier erupt, not to mention the impact on commerce and transportation. All of this is to say: a visit to Mount Rainier does pose a very modest risk. Should you accept the risk, one of the great rewards is a rich array of wildflowers. From mid-July to early September, you can expect vibrant displays of blue lupine, red paintbrush, pink daisies, yellow cinquefoil, pasque flower, elephant heads, and yellow glacier lilies . . . to name only a few.
Mount Rainier National Park has three drive-in campgrounds—White River (in the northeast section of the park) and Cougar Rock (in the southwest section), in addition to Ohanapecosh (in the southeast section). “All of the campgrounds are nicely developed, with flush-toilet restrooms and potable water,” Bill continued. “And each is close to some wonderful hiking trails. I lead trips for Sierra Club here, and sometimes we’ll use one of the campgrounds as a base and do a variety of day hikes.” A favorite for Bill—and many others—is the Summerland Trail, which begins not far from White River Campground. “You start out in impressive old-growth forest,” Bill described. “As you continue up along Fryingpan Creek, the trail eventually breaks out into gorgeous Summerland meadow, well above timberline. At this point, you’re on the shoulder of the mountain, and you can take in glaciers above and the meadows below. In the earlier part of the summer, there are brilliant wildflower displays in the meadow. There are also many hoary marmots in the rocks. It’s about four miles to the meadow. You can continue another mile up to Panhandle Gap, which sits at 6,800 feet.” The panoramic vistas of Mount Rainier, plus the chance to spy mountain goats and herds of elk, make this fairly rigorous hike worthwhile.
Another day hike that Bill enjoys departs from a section of the park called Sunrise and leads up toward Skyscraper Pass and Skyscraper Mountain. “For much of the trail, you’re out in the open, above timberline,” Bill added. “The trail twists through meadows and past pretty streams, and there are great views from the ridgeline. You can go a little further to the top of Skyscraper Mountain (at an elevation of 7,078 feet). From here, you have panoramic views. To the east is the green cirque of Berkeley Park;
to the north, the meadow of Grand Park; to the west is Winthrop Glacier; and to the south is Mount Rainier. I have to say that a special thing about Mount Rainier National Park is that there are really no bad choices when it comes to trails. All the options are good.”
Those desirous of a bit more challenge might consider hiking the Wonderland Trail, which is ninety-three miles in length and circles Mount Rainier . . . or climbing to the summit. The former is generally done over ten days and entails 22,000 feet of elevation gain; the latter, while daunting, is in the realm of possibility for unseasoned climbers who are in good shape. (Roughly half of the 10,000 people that attempt to climb Rainier each year find success.) If you prefer to test your endurance on two wheels, consider the RAMROD (Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day), where cyclists attempt to cover 154 miles (and 10,000 feet of elevation gain) on one July day.
Not all of Mount Rainier’s wonders need be taken in on foot. One of the park’s most memorable vistas of Mount Rainier and Emmons Glacier (Rainier’s largest glacier) is found on clear days at Sunrise, the highest point (6,400 feet) in the park that you can reach by car. Another must-visit spot is Paradise, which boasts tremendous mountain views amidst a sea of wildflowers. It’s also the site of the Paradise Inn, a classic lodge dating back to 1919.
Fifty Places to Camp Before You Die Page 19