Posts Tagged With: Thermopolis WY

Thermopolis WY Monday June 14

Have you touched a 149 million year dinosaur bone? Today I had the opportunity to do so-and it was legal. Dinosaur National Monument was first made a national monument in 1915 to protect 80 acres around a spectacular site of dinosaur bones from the Jurassic period. Bones from ten different dinosaurs were found in this location, starting in 1909. The eighty acres were designed to protect the site from vandals and preserve the specimens for scientific usage.

In 1938 the monument was expanded and includes areas in Colorado and Utah that represent the geologic history of that time. The monuments expanded size has presented an area rich in recreational opportunities. We, like many others, spent most of our time at the Quarry Exhibit Hall. This hall was proposed by the paleontologist who discovered the first dinosaur bones. Earl Douglas advanced the idea that the quarry site be preserved in situ for normal people to experience the thrill of seeing the bones embedded in the rocks where they have been entombed for 149 million years. Scientists theorize that during a drought, dinosaurs looking for water died near a river’s edge. When it rained, the heavy bones of the dinosaurs washed downriver, collecting in one general area.

Today this quarry site is no longer being actively dug out. Bones in the quarry were sent to museums around the United States. What is left is still awesome and breath-taking. Reservations are required to enter the Hall; one is given a window in time when you can board a tram which takes you from the visitor center to the quarry exhibit hall. Once there, you can take as long as you like to explore the hall and the bones. While dramatic, we did find that it only takes 30-45 minutes to explore the display. A fossil guide is available for a $1 donation that assists in understanding which bones from which dinosaurs you see.

Rather than taking the tram back to the visitor center, we walked the one mile fossil discovery trail that leads you through rock layers similar to the ones with dinosaur bones entombed. Sharp eyes should be able to observe fossils jutting out of the rock. We did not have sharp eyes. At one location, there were petroglyphs in the rocks. At 10 AM, the temperature was only in the low 80s; later on it hit 103.

Leaving Dinosaur National Monument, we headed north into Wyoming, this time driving along the east side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. We stopped at the dam which creates the reservoir. It is part of the Colorado RIver Storage Project; a 1960s era effort to increase irrigation, create hydro electric power, limit flood damage and add recreational opportunities. This occurs through multiple dams and reservoirs; Flaming Gorge being one of the major reservoirs. Flaming Gorge is on the Green River and its spectacular red canyon walls were first publicized by J. Wesley Powell in 1869.

Dam tours are not currently given but we walked where we were allowed and took pictures. Several picnic tables were located under pavilions that produced a shady, cool spot for lunch. The journey to Thermopolis took five hours; again the vistas were alternating between sage desert, mountains, rock cliffs, and finally some natural greenery. The greenery did not last too long.

Our major stop was in Farson WY (population 143) at the Mercantile store for ice cream. The servings are huge! It took us 20 minutes to finish ours and we had a baby size and a one scoop size. Side Note: We got gas at a Sinclair station in Farson, the logo for Sinclair is a dinosaur.

In Thermopolis we are staying at an Airbnb located along the Bighorn River. Tomorrow, on to the Beartooth Highway.

Ed Heimel, Chris Klejbuk June14, 2021