Rainbow Bridge And Grand Staircase Dinosaurs

Rainbow Bridge National Monument has reopened and is accessible again from Lake Powell.

The bridge was closed a couple weeks ago after floods washed out the trail. A temporary train has now been opened, debris has been cleaned up and docks have been repaired. The Park Service released this information:

The damage included the loss of approximately 150 feet of trail between the dock and the first shade structure, with a 21-foot drop-off into Bridge Creek.

Repairs were completed by the National Park Service Roads and Trails crew, ARAMARK, and Brown Brothers from Loa, Utah.

Big Water Dinosaur Festival

Big Water is the name of a small town along Hwy 89, just northwest of Lake Powell. It is bordered by the lake and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the south. Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and Vermilion Cliffs National Monument wrap around the town from other directions.

The Big Water Dinosaur Festival will be held October on 4th, 5th, and 6th in the area around the Town Hall and Fire Station at 60 Aaron Burr, just off Hwy 89 on. The festival provided this information:

The Big Water Dinosaur Festival is celebrating the many past and ongoing dinosaur fossil discoveries in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and other areas surrounding Big Water, UT. The festival will have arts, crafts, food, and entertainment. There will be tons of kids’ activities, including the BLM Dinosaur Murder Mystery, dinosaur drawing and coloring contests, lots of dinosaur games and activities and “Funtime Inflatables” with a bounce house, giant slide, etc. There will be evening music and entertainment and a dinosaur cake contest.

Friday, October 4
Opening event – Lecture from keynote speaker Dr. Joseph Sertich, PhD
Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm AZ time at Carl Hayden Visitor Center

Saturday, October 5
Arts, Crafts and Food Vendor Fair
Kids Activities - “Funtime Inflatables”- Dinosaur themed games and activities
8:00 am to 6:00 pm AZ time (9:00 am to 7:00 pm UT time)

Live Music and Entertainment
“Dance with the Dino” with The Band Sage
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm AZ time (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm UT time )

Sunday, October 6
Driving Paleo-Tour on Cottonwood Canyon Road
With Paleontologist Alan Titus
Big Water Dinosaur Festival Paleo Tours
Cottonwood Canyon & Half-Mile Canyon Dinosaur Site

Reservations: Beginning on September 19 until October 5, 2013, call the BLM Kanab Visitor Center between 10:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 435- 644-1300. The tours are free to the general public. If you are unable to participate, please call and cancel your registration well in advance so others may be able to take advantage of this special opportunity. Limit of 25 participants per tour.

Participants may register for one or both parts of Tour #1 or Tour #2 (See Tour Itineraries on PDF download below). The first part of either Tour (1A or 2A) focuses on geological features along the Cottonwood Road. The second part (1B or 2B) highlights Four Mile Bench Road and includes a tour of a dinosaur excavation site.

Paleo Tour #1A & #1B Itinerary
Presenter Guide: Dr. Alan Titus, GSENM Paleontologist
Support: Larry Crutchfield, GSENM Public Affairs Officer
Tour #1A: Begins 8:00 a.m. at South Entrance to Cottonwood Road and ends approximately 12:00 p.m. at Grosvenor Arch.
Tour #1B: Begins 12:00 p.m. at Grosvenor Arch and ends approximately 5:00 p.m. at Grosvenor Arch

Paleo Tour #2A & #2B Itinerary
Presenter Guide: Tylor Birthisel, GSENM Paleo Lab Manager
Support: Mary Dewitz, GSENM Interpretive and Environmental Education Specialist
Tour #2A: Begins 10:00 a.m. at South Entrance to Cottonwood Road and ends approximately 2:00 p.m. at Grosvenor Arch.
Tour #2B: Begins 2:00 p.m. at Grosvenor Arch and ends approximately 7:00 p.m. at Grosvenor Arch

The first 20 minutes of this video with Dr Alan Titus, features the dinosaur discoveries being found right behind Big Water in the Grand Staircase Monument.