Adventure Report - Dinosaur Ntnl Mnmt Area - Aug 29 to Sept 1, 2025 - Cool Cruiser Truck Club Camping Collab Continued

[allen.wrench]

Hey great gals & guys,

We continued a 2nd year of the multi-day/night overland style Dinosaur National Monument Cool Cruiser Club Camping Collab.

The base idea was: a multiple club, multiple day/night run adventure. The clubs are awesome, all the members are cool, and the trucks are even cooler so we should spend some time together. The Dino Monument area is amazing and generally approachable from many directions. Lots of campsites available, beautiful scenery, and needs exploring. What an opportunity for GREAT SUCCESS!

Continuing this year was BEAUTIFUL!! The summary of major reasons why this year was BEAUTIFUL:

• We explored 170 miles. Much more driving, easily twice the numbers of miles to last year.
• We adjusted on-the-fly together as Nature did nature things, and we discovered unknown unknowns
• We had a far larger turn out from both Wasatch Cruisers & Rising Sun clubs
• Friends and family joined-in! Friends & family of both the human and doggo variety, in addition from further across the US including Nevada & Louisiana
• Best of all, we spent much more time together getting to know each other, making awesome memories around the propane campfire (thank you @crunchy.taco.supreme), sharing a creole meal together (thank you @cody from LA and @Inukshuk for arranging), seeing some SWEET Cruisers including two limos (thank you EVERYONE), and so many smiles/gallon while driving

Dates: August 29th through September 1st were the event dates.

Basic as-driven itinerary:

• Friday, Aug 29th, meet at Camp #1 by the Green River.
  • Coordinates: 40.40484, -109.24060.
  • The main group made camp #1 via route: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=12...&trackId=8621a149-8c40-4996-8adc-c948882005b0
  • Several trucks came in the backway to camp #1 via route: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=12...&trackId=f10cc40a-0d65-4619-82dc-cb9f9d0e0891
  • All but four trucks were able to make the meet-up Camp #1.
  • Two limo Land Cruisers slept next to the first set of petroglyphs we explored on the next day. @Pendleton (WC) drove out late on Friday and snagged a comfy hotel room in Vernal, then met the main group at Josie Morris' cabin the next day. @SteveT stayed at the Green River CG, then met the main group at Josie's cabin the next day.
• Saturday, Aug 30th, leave Camp #1 and drive to Camp #2 - Stuntz Ridge "Cow Pie Basin"
  • Coordinates: 40.36852, -109.11973
  • Gaia link to as-driven to Camp #2: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=11...&trackId=6b8e3c19-df39-42b1-9ed6-2a52f1a471ec
    • Echo Park and Yampa Bench Roads were closed Friday due to heavier than expected rain. By Sunday morning we found the roads had been reopened to "high clearance" vehicles.
  • Saw some amazing petroglyphs, had lunch at Josie's cabin, and drove up Blue Mountain Road gaining nearly 3000' in a few miles.
  • Mileage: 14.5 miles
• Sunday, Aug 31st, leave Camp #2 and drive to Camp #3 - Echo Park
  • Echo Park Coordinates: 40.52152, -108.99339
  • Gaia link to as-driven to Camp #3: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=15...&trackId=d3f9f167-477d-43a2-aa05-f669c778bae3
  • Mileage: 24.9 miles
  • Explored along Yampa Bench Road up to Harding Lookout
  • Gaia link to as-driven to explore Yampa Bench Road up to Harding Lookout: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=17...&trackId=da82e44e-ec73-464f-820a-047a7ebf61cf
    • We learned there are indications of private property to Castle Rock. Prior mapping did not indicate private property. We turned around where it was safe/able to do so and continued further Yampa Bench Road to Harding Lookout. We will not explore toward Castle Rock in the future.
  • Mileage: 27.6 miles
  • Hiked the Echo Park east & west trails, and dipped into the Green River
• Monday, Sept 1st, drove to Harper's Corner, Echo Park Lookout, the Dinosaur Quarry, and Rainbow Park
  • Said our last goodbyes at Rainbow Park
  • Gaia link to as-driven to Rainbow Park: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=16...&trackId=30415852-bad8-46e3-bc26-d62e4819363f
  • Mileage: 103.2 miles
• Total mileage: 170.2 miles

FINAL Final attendance roster:

• @TheYETI
• @crunchy.taco.supreme
• @Hulk and @Mrs Hulk
• @TMartinLVNV
• @GTBradley
• @Capriblue45
• @Inukshuk
• @cody from LA (our LA friend with an LX570)
• @larsb012 (WC)
• @MarkEva
• @devo
• @MountainGoat and @ColoradoDogMom and family
• @SteveT
• @ilya1967
• @Pendleton (WC)

Folks please feel free to post pictures in this thread. I appreciate the eager beavers that have already been posting pictures to the activity planning thread.

A notes list of major tidbits learned:
https://risingsun4x4club.org/xf/thr...ub-camping-collab-continued.38167/post-465882

For convenient reference:
Rising Sun activity planning thread link: https://risingsun4x4club.org/xf/thr...er-truck-club-camping-collab-continued.37135/

Wasatch Cruisers activity planning thread link: https://forum.wasatchcruisers.org/t...ollab-continued-please-read-first-post.13529/
Wasatch Cruisers adventure report thread link: https://forum.wasatchcruisers.org/t...er-truck-club-camping-collab-continued.13627/

Historical reference the 1st event in 2024 check link: https://risingsun4x4club.org/xf/thr...asatch-cruisers-club-ventures-planning.35435/

These are just my humble opinions. I am lucky to have had a chance to hang out with everyone and thankful for all the feedback. And as always, please let me know if I am missing any crucial details.

Thanks again y'allz!
Allen

 

[MountainGoat]

Thank you so much Allen for organizing and running the show. You did an awesome job. Everybody was so nice and accommodating to our family shenanigans. It was a true pleasure and our kids made some incredible lifetime memories.

It was so nice in fact that we camped an extra night last night at Rainbow Park and let the kids take another swim in the river. It was super cool and this morning as we hiked around the area we got to see many deer, ducks, an otter swimming in the Green River and even an eagle flying low down the river corridor.

I will get some pictures posted up tomorrow after we get sorted. Thanks again Allen, and literally EVERYBODY who came out.

 

[MarkEva]

That was a great trip and great campsites. Next year let's do the whole Yampa Bench Road from one end to the other. Here's what I did after the trip. The back is now lifted to match the front. Noticeabley more side to side wobble, but okay. When I picked up the truck after the instal they said "you have to re-torqe after 50 miles." I said "I'm about to drive to Denver." He said "you'll need to stop somewhere." I drove to Rifle, went to O'Reily, bought a socket, got a loaner torque wrench and did it in their parking lot. No problem.

 

[TheYETI]

Pics

 

[TheYETI]

more

 

[TheYETI]

More...

 

[TheYETI]

Even more....

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

Looks like a lot of fun!

 

[SteveT]

This was a wonderful trip! Thanks Allen for your planning, your guidance, and your calm flexible leadership in adapting to the situation and everyone’s desires. It’s easy to practice good followship with good leadership. The routes were pleasant, the scenery beautiful, the campsites comfortable, the weather accommodating, and the fellowship fantastic.

 

[MountainGoat]

Finally got around to the pictures. Taken by Jaeden and myself.

First night's camp on the Green River:








Second night's camp on Blue Mountain:






Third night's camp in Echo Park:

 

[MountainGoat]

Fourth camp at Rainbow Park:

 

[Hulk]

@Mrs Hulk and I had an excellent time on this trip. The landscape was stunning and it was a great crew of people. We had 17 trucks in all!

Campsite 1



















Ilya had the coolest tent!

 

[Hulk]

Our first day of exploring plus views from the overlook near campsite 2.































Cody Romero, president of Bayou State Land Cruiser Association with Karie @Mrs Hulk. They had been on numerous phone calls over the last decade but had never met in person!

 

[Hulk]

Our second day of wheeling took us into Echo Park. It was an awesome drive.



@allen.wrench was curious about this cave way up on the cliffside. I brought my Sony 200–600 mm telephoto lens so we got a good look.



There was a cool arch on the side of the cliff as well.







Loooooong Cruiser! @Inukshuk


This is the view from the top before you descend into Echo Park. Spectacular!

 

[Crash]

Were any of the camp sites pictured non-permit?

 

[MountainGoat]

They were all inside Dinosaur National Monument, so an entrance fee was required.

The first camp was a wild camping site with no amenities or fees.

The second site was wild camping with one picnic table and no fees.

Echo Park and Rainbow Park were both developed campgrounds with designated sites. They had picnic tables and pit toilets. Only Rainbow Park had trash cans.

The fee schedule can be found here.

 

[Hulk]

Here's another good cave photo! @ColoradoDogMom

 

[allen.wrench]

Thanks everyone for posting up your sweet pictures!

I love it! Haha it's like having my own private photographer(s) following me on the adventure full disclosure a few shots might get shown off to my family in Romania, non-Land Cruiser friends, my parents in SoCal, aerospace coworkers, and even potentially on my dating profile(s). Thank you again everyone.

Also I appreciate you being patient with me. I finished a Gaia remap of the as-driven adventure. The first post is updated with links to as-driven remapping and mileage tally. To get an accurate remap, it worked a lot better in Gaia to breakup the remap into multiple pieces. So to see the whole as-driven tracking you will have to open multiple tracks. Sorry about that. Please let me know if the Gaia links give you a hard time.

I intend on at least one more major update the first post with a list of golden tidbits learned this year.

Allen

 

[allen.wrench]

Golden tidbits took a little longer than I wished to type up, but it is how these things go, and I find it takes time to reflect on everything learned.

Please be gentle on judging them, I want to share in case they help others, and some are definitely meant most so I remember. I'm putting them in their own post here and will add a link in the first post.

Here we go as copied/pasted from my notes app:

Dino Adventures lessons 09-01-2025​

• #1 lesson: Type up lessons and notes for future internal & external leadership. Plus other neat & fun important lessons picked up along the way
• 
  
• What worked well - probably more than only typed.
• Getting to camp early
• Calling NPS people
• Dropping truck bed contents to make a nice sleep setup real each night
• Running a few miles each night after driving all day
• 
  
• Gadgets, hacks, tips & tricks, suppliers
• Bring laser range finder to the Whispering Cave
• Carry a Ziploc full of nitrile gloves
• Carry a bag of rags
• Swiffer for cleaning dashboard
• Solid woodworkx
• NPS app
• Windshield film to block UV or infrared to keep dashboard temps down
• Headliner rack for light stuff
• Portable shower/sponge bath hose and tent - a slowish drip rate uses little water but still cleans. Use coarse sponge or exfoliating glove.
• Starburst and vanilla wafer s'mores
• National Geo Trails Illustrated will soon no longer be printed. They will be available in digital form.
• Having 3/4" big washers for regular screw pin bow shackle is great in a situation needing medium hardness shims/spacers - worked for body mount bushing
• Triflo works great as a penetrant for fasteners
• Definitely carry extra cash - cash is king
• Skull lava rocks in the propane fire pit are sweet
• Definitely build or buy a propane fire pit
• National Parks Pass is totally worth it vs just a day pass
• Laser range finder for Whispering Cave
• Cruiser Fest is Sept 6th 2025 - double check on website
• Electric Fan and switch for the transmission cooler radiator
• Geiger counter for fun of the Utah geology and history of uranium exploration
• 
  
• Self improvements - internal leadership
• Truck AC, desert climate, and high altitude likely combine to produce nose bleeds. Maintain good hydration, nose hygiene, mouth hygiene, and maybe nose lotion to combat possibility of nose bleeds.
• Dress sharp & clear - confirmed
• Triple and quadruple check layers in Gaia, Google Earth, property searches of areas via Uncle Google, consider OnX subscription
• Carry extra socks
• Carry paper towel in pockets - South Park Towelie wisdom. Get perforated Scott industrial towels and maybe Pig mats
• When in doubt, over communicate - per Mr McRaven Wisdom of the Bullfrog
• Fully 100% dismiss someone else's input at your own risk
• Definitely good to memorize people's names and forum handles and partners names, kids names, pets names
• Park service people's are fun and very good to talk with - as Dr. D says - "always make friends with the techs"
• Definitely chat up the cute NPS women and avoid the highschool foreign exchange kids - just a professional observation.
• When confronted by a person lashing out. Remember they feel hurt and that's ok, emotions are to be respected. For their intent/purpose they are hurt. Establish understanding if there are any physical injuries or other outright problems. Agree with them on the important thing that no one is physically hurt and never was the intention to hurt if feelings have been slighted. Do not let yourself be hurt in the process - neither physically, nor mentally, nor emotionally. Remember the drowning man/woman habit of drowning the rescuer.
• Keep your act together, both physically, emotionally, and mentally. Pack things simply and maintain physical and food and drink discipline
• Definitely worked to provide clear direction in-person and on the forum. Need to do better on radio transmit/reception next time around
• Let feelings of failure flow through and pass, then engage 2nd order cognitive processes to evaluate options, adjust plans, communicate to everyone, and execute. OODA loop - observe, orient, decide, act. Also reread Gracie’s flow book.
• 
  
• Trail leading improvements - external leadership
• Great to run on the trails on foot for 4-6 or maybe more miles if time allows. Provides an intuitive sense of the conditions. Plus confidence.
• John Marshall - Coyote Tour - where you are, where you want to go, etc. Lookup the method
• Better radio hardware setup - have antenna outside cab
• Better channel selection - avoid channel 6, it is cursed
• Memorize trail and road names for the update & adjustment of plans - worked pretty well.
• 
  
• Areas for future exploring
• Wyoming BDR - Lookup maps on their website and potentially Gaia layer
• White Pocket camping in southern Utah
• 
  
• Plans for future Dino Adventures:
• Bear Wallow along Island Park Rd - not great. Further down the road on the left there is a branch Daniel found before getting to the private property
• Harper's Corner, Dinosaur Quarry, and Rainbow park are great last day additions to the roster
• The Utah Welcome Center getting back to Jensen is a good spot for gathering back together and dropping trash
• Definitely do Yampa Bench Road - Harding Lookout was great. Avoid Castle Rock. Katy's Nipple and Cleopatras Couch are good terrain features to show off
• Echo Park has hiking trails to the west and east sides of Steamboat Rock
• Definitely have folks hike to Cub Creek #14 petroglyphs, Josie's Cabin, Echo Park petroglyphs, Whispering Cave, and around Cow Basin
• Maybe - Next year start at cow basin, go down to Josie's cabin, see the cub creek petroglyphs, go to the Quarry, see rainbow park, hit Echo Park for the 2nd camp. 3rd day head out to Elk via Yampa Bench road, then Harper's Corner and back to cow basin
• Maybe - Next year start at southern river canyon, go down to Josie's cabin, see the cub creek petroglyphs, go to the Quarry, see rainbow park, hit Echo Park for the 2nd camp. 3rd day head out to Elk via Yampa Bench road, then Harper's Corner and back to cow basin

---

I'm stoked for future adventures. Some time by end of the year, maybe early January, I will begin a 2026 planning thread.

Hope everyone is doing well, excited for Halloween, also close to my bday and thanks for your patience on the adventure reporting!

Allen

 

[Beach Boy]

Allen, in your previous post. Been to White Pocket many times over the years. Love the area, very remote, but getting more popular. Love the sign at the beginning of the road to White Pocket.