party in the usa: dinosaurland!

northeast utah is beautiful!

didja know it’s also considered “dinosaurland?”

according to www.viamagazine.com:

Dinosaurland is simply larger than life—a region of towering rock formations, time-chiseled cliffs, tumultuous rivers, and prehistoric giants. Some of the world’s finest fossilized specimens have been pulled from this desert. Hundreds still remain, offering dinosaur lovers old and young the chance to come face-to-face with these awe-inspiring monsters of the past.

if you haven’t heard, i kinda love dinos…so this was extra exciting!

vernal, utah is home to all sorts of dinosaur kitsch.

dinah the pink brontosaurus greets you as you enter vernal:

as you drive through vernal’s main street, you’re greeted by cartoon-y dinosaurs beckoning you into local businesses and of course just begging for a photo:

this t-rex is all about a balanced diet…

east of vernal at the colorado border, you’ll find dinosaur national monument. this national monument is one of the most productive dinosaur excavation sites in the world.

we didn’t stumble on any prehistoric fossils, but there were plenty of breath-taking views:

i love this part of the country…it’s so pretty ❤

have you ever been to a national park/forest/monument?

i think i’ve visited most of the major western one in the US. when i was growing up we always took a road trips every year…maybe even a few times a year to visit national parks. i didn’t always love being stuck in the car with my parents for days but i feel lucky to have seen so many beautiful views.

next stop: denver!