Gluten-Free Dinosaur National Monument?

This week, I'm sharing some of my favorite trips to National Parks and Monuments. Plus, I'm eating gluten-free all the way, so you get to see firsthand how easy (or hard) it is to travel gluten-free! Yesterday I talked about eating gluten-free at Bryce Canyon National Park. Today, it's Dinosaur National Monument.

Ever wanted to see a real dinosaur? Forget Jurassic Park, Dinosaur National Monument is the place to go.

You can see dinosaurs still in the rocks where they were buried by a prehistoric river - all in the comfort of an air-conditioned building that surrounds the dinosaur quarry. Or, you can look for dinosaur bones along certain hikes.

Dinosaur National Monument is situated both in Utah and Colorado. Only the Utah side boasts dinosaur fossils, but it would be a huge mistake to pass up the Colorado side. 

On the Colorado side, you can visit the Jones Hole Fish Hatchery, fish along the Jones Hole Trail, and hike through forest and desert to the Green River.

On both sides of the park, you can see petroglyphs and pictographs. (Petroglyphs are carved into the rock, while pictographs are painted, like the one below.) 

Be sure to take the scenic Tour of the Tilted Rocks drive, where you can see incredible rock art and stunning landscapes. At the end of the road, you'll come to Josie Bassett's homestead. She was a pioneer in the truest sense of the word and a fascinating woman. 

As always, take plenty of water, and be sure to check with the park for current conditions.

There are lots of little state parks in the area, as well as reservoirs where you can fish and boat. If you're only going to make one side trip, be sure to check out Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area - a huge dam that was intended for the area around Dinosaur National Monument, but later relocated due to protests.

Gluten-free? This is one where I'll emphatically say, "bring a cooler." The surrounding towns are small, and there aren't many restaurants. Plus, all the places to visit are great for picnics (as long as you pack out your trash - you don't want to attract any bears).

Remember how I said to check with the park about current conditions? As of right now, Jones Hole Trail is closed until further notice due to rock slides. There are still plenty of awesome hikes and drives at Dinosaur National Monument, so be sure to check it out!

Have you been to Dinosaur National Monument? I'd love to hear about it!