Located within Colorado National Monument's 32 square miles is a fascinating landscape of deep canyons and soaring cliffs. It's a beautiful park that has smaller features similar to the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon.

One of the road tunnels

Brody and Cam pointing out some wildlife to us

Mom and the boys playin' around in the rocks

The boys and I spent about 30 minutes chasing lizards around this area. Some were pretty big. We never caught one.

Some of the canyon walls in the background

The boys with their National Parks Passports, displaying their newest cancellations and Colorado National Monument stickers

More cool scenery

Cam trying to peg that guy with a rock!

Downtown in the city of Grand Junction, on the western side of the Rocky Mountains

Shelling tree seeds

Cam "feeling up" a statue!

Downtown Grand Junction was full of all kinds of unique sculptures. Here's a "prince frog" with the boys hanging onto his crown.

A steel dinosaur riding a bike

The boys officially completed their first real hike on this vacation - 2 1/2 miles round trip, on Hanging Lake Trail.

Hanging Lake Trail is hidden within the steep walls of Glenwood Canyon 7 miles east of Glenwood Springs up a side canyon, which leads to a beautiful lake and two waterfalls.

This was no easy hike. It was about 1 1/4 miles up terrain like this, and the boys did it all on their own. The total hike, including hang out time at the top, took about 3 hours.

Here's Brody climbing up. They got a few scratches and bruises, but the fun outweighed the light injuries.

Brody smilin' away

Climbing to get closer to a waterfall...

...got there!

We crossed about 6 bridges built by Boy Scouts.

Hiking wasn't enough. Brody collected and carried rocks along the way.

These are the some of cliffs that surrounded us.

We passed over lots of creeks.

Walking the trail holding hands

More waterfalls

Recovering from a little fall

Takin' a snack break

Water and fruit snacks

This is Hanging Lake. It is gorgeous. A clear, blue lake filled by water falls, which has a magical, mystical feel to it.

Brody resting

Brody and Cam

Holding their ears because of the noise from the waterfall

A large tree fell across the lake, providing a balance beam to walk across for brave ones!

Here I am in the middle of the lake, after removing my shoes. No, I didn't fall in!

Polliann had to give it a try too!

Check out Brody's walking stick (in his left hand)!

What?! This ranks as one of the most bizarre exit signs we've ever seen!

Entering Utah!

Dinosaur National Monument is one of the most fossil rich dinosaur quarries in the world.

How cool would it be to see a real dinosaur roaming the park?!

The boys getting their stickers and cancellations for their Passports.

Cam holding a Diplodocus vertebra.

Brody holding it.

Pretty big leg, eh?!

Hiking around the park looking for fossils

A rock with shells in a formerly "aquatic" area

The boys looking for fossils

Helping the boys up a hill

Taking a water break

After staring at the side of this mountain for 30 minutes we finally spotted a fossil!! It was NOT marked. Look at the spine, which is over 150+ million years old.

Cam standing just below it.

Me touching it! It was pretty cool touching a 150 million-year-old dinosaur fossil embedded in a mountain.

This is just a very, very small portion of the mountain wall we were staring at. Can you see it?

Look at that hanging rock!

Pull! We can get it out of the ground!

Brody and Cam in a small cave.

The Fremont Indians lived in the canyons in Dinosaur National Monument 800-1,200 years ago. Following the Fremont were the Ute and Shoshone, who are still found in the area today. Check out this petroglyph of a 4-legged animal.

Having fun!

Wiped out!