Dinosaur National Monument
The wedding is at Split Mountain campground in Dinosaur National Monument. There is a $25 entrance fee per vehicle, good for 7 days after arrival. If you have a National Parks Annual Pass, it can be used here.
Dinosaur is set in the high desert, about 5,000 ft elevation at the river and 6,000 at the Visitor’s Center. In September it has an average temperature of 74° during the day and 52° at night, with an average humidity of 30%. Sunrise at 7am MT and sets 7:45pm MT. There will be a full moon during the weekend.
Because of the higher elevation and drier climate, it is important that you wear sunscreen and/or skin covering when out and about, and drink plenty of water.
Dinosaur is in MST. A high quality PDF map of Dinosaur can be found here. You can find a list of things to do at Dinosaur right here.
The Wedding
The ceremony will be on Saturday, September 10, in the evening. The dress for all events, including the ceremony, is casual. We’re going to be in a campground all weekend, so dress camp and activity appropriate. It may be hot during the day, and cold at night.
There will be a reception with dancing and an open bar at the campground immediately after the ceremony.
Travel and Accommodations
It can seem a little off the beaten path getting here, but it’s all highway and all the roads are good. It’s about 3 hours east of Salt Lake City airport (about 400 miles round trip), which is the closest major airport. Other closer airports are Grand Junction and Vernal. If you’re flying, you’ll need to rent a car to get to Dinosaur, or catch a ride with someone who is. Let us know if we can help you get here in any way. You can find more details about travel and accomadations here.
We have already reserved and booked the entire campground for the dates of September 8 – 12, 2022. We will be staying in our van at the camp ground all weekend, and invite you to tent camp, RV, trailer, or van camp with us! There are water spigots, but no electrical or water hookups at the camp sites. There are flushing toilets. You are welcome to run a generator until 9pm, and we will have some power hookups available for phones and cameras. There is cell reception across most of the park.
There are showers ($3 + a quarter per 5 minutes) and a dump/fill station ($11) 15 minutes from the campground at the Outlaw Trail RV Park.
Whether camping is your thing or you’ve never done it before, we would ask that you consider it for the weekend – all the activities, food, and hanging out will be happening at the campground, and you don’t want to miss out!
We recommend checking out a van or RV for the weekend. It acts as both your transportation and your bed, so if you’ve always wanted to check out what #vanlife is all about, here’s your chance! We’ve put together a pretty good list of RV and van providers in the SLC area here. We would love to pack the campsite so you can eat, drink, and hang out with us all weekend without having to leave and miss something. There is no cost to camp, as we’ve already rented the entire campground. We also recommend extending your trip if at all possible, and check out some of our favorite places in the area!
If you are planning on staying in the campground, we will assign your spot based on arrival, family, and need to be closer to bathrooms etc. Depending on size of vehicles, you may be sharing a spot with another vehicle.
If you would rather stay in a hotel, our non-campers can stay in Vernal UT, about 30 minutes away. We recommend the SpringHill Suites (~$150/night), but there are plenty of hotels to choose from, and you can find a list here.
Food and Drink
Dinner will be provided on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and breakfast (with coffee!) on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at the campground. There will be vegetarian options for each meal. You will be on your own for lunch, so please plan on bringing supplies for whatever you’d like to eat.
There will be an open bar on Saturday from 5-10pm ish. Please feel free to bring your own of whatever you like to drink for the rest of the time. Keep in mind that it is slightly harder to get alcohol in Utah, and some beer in Utah is restricted to lower ABV. Cups, plates, and utensils will be provided.
Rafting
The campground sits on the Green River. There is an opportunity for a half day, 5 hour white water rafting trip on Sunday. Seats are limited to 25, please let us know in the RSVP if you would like to go.
What to bring
Breakfast and dinner will be provided Friday night through Monday morning. If you would rather have something else, bring it! You’re also on your own for lunches. Sandwiches are easy, but make sure you can keep the meat cold. There are no restaurants or grocery stores close to the campground, the closest would be in Jensen/Vernal, about 30 minutes away, so please plan in advance.
Dinosaur is one of the darkest places in the US, so don’t forget headlamps or flashlights for everyone in your party.
If you are camping, you’ll need to bring all of your normal camping gear.