Dinosaur National Monument in Dinosaur, Colorado
Summer is when Dinosaur National Monument is its most crowded cos that's when kids are on vacation, but the heat, the heat! Good Lord! Used to San Francisco's temperate climate, I am totally not used to this heat. People comment that "at least it's a dry heat". Well, to me heat is heat and you're only comparing sticking your face in an oven or over a pot of boiling water. Both are hot, regardless of humidity.

Anyhoo, this place is definitely returning to (although the park ranger told me to come back in September or October, when the weather is a fabulous 74°). There's tons of stuff to do -- dinosaur digging, white water rafting, hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, and more. However, since it's a sweaty 97°, I prefer to do the air-conditioned auto tour. Most people drive to a certain spot, leave their car (and A/C) running and hike up to whatever it is they want to see. After shutting my car off at the first spot, I return to my car to find it's as hot inside as outside. I don't want my camera equipment, etc. to melt so I do what everyone else does and leave the car running at all times.

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