Free Day at This is The Place Heritage Park!

Huntsman Hotel at This is the Place Heritage Park

Here is your opportunity to visit This is The Place Heritage Park for FREE!  Jon and Karen Huntsman sponsor a free day at the park once a year.   This is a fun place to wander, learn a little about Utah history, experience pioneer life, and more. You can see baby animals, restored pioneer-era buildings, and artisans demonstrating their skills.  Sample a sarsaparilla, or take a ride on the train.  Volunteers and staff dress in period clothing and tell you about the early life of settlers in the Salt Lake Valley.  There is plenty to do at This is The Place.  Be sure to look at the statues and monuments when you drive in.

This year the free day is Friday, June 8, 2012.  Free admissions are available between 10am and 5pm, and there is also free ice cream, so pack up the kids and enjoy some time at This is the Place!

This is the Place Heritage Park is located at 2601 E. Sunnyside Ave. in Salt Lake City (north of Hogle Zoo).

Christmas Lights at Temple Square

Salt Lake Temple

The lights are on at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Traditionally, the thousands of lights in the trees at Temple Square are turned on the day after Thanksgiving.  Walking around in the glow of Christmas lights is one of my favorite things to do at this time of year, and always gets me in the right mood for the Christmas season.

Creche on display

Now the Christmas displays extend east across the Main Street Plaza and between the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and the Church Office Building.    Several creches representing different cultures dot the walkways.  Follow the luminaries around the path and pick out your favorites.

Japanese Creche

Luminary

From the east, you have a great view of the Salt Lake Temple.  Head back toward Temple Square, and take in the beauty of the reflecting pool.

Reflecting Pool on the plaza

At this point, we were getting pretty cold.  The Nauvoo Cafe was selling hot chocolate on the south end of the plaza for $1.50 a cup.  It was very hot, and quickly warmed cold hands and stomachs.  There is also a stand just outside the southwest corner of Temple Square where you can purchase hot chocolate.

The Assembly Hall on Temple Square

Once inside the gates on Temple Square, you can wander the walkways and go inside the Assembly Hall, the historic Tabernacle, and the two visitor's centers.  All the buildings give you a respite from the cold.  The south visitor's center has a beautiful model of the Salt Lake Temple that shows cut-a-way views of several of the rooms in the temple's interior.  There are audio/visual displays and artwork, including the famous Christus statue, in the North visitor's center.

Salt Lake Temple at night

The Salt Lake Temple is beautiful at night with all of the lights.  Although it seems like there are not as many lights this year, it is still beautiful.  One of the main attractions on Temple Square during Christmas is the nativity scene between the Tabernacle and the North Visitor's Center.  A short narration tells the story of the first Christmas, and the figures are lit at appropriate times during the story.

Shepherds in the Temple Square nativity story

Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus

The narration repeats about every 15 minutes, and includes music from the Tabernacle Choir.  If you miss part of the story, there isn't a long wait to see it again.

Wise Men from the east

At the end of the nativity story, a beam of light creates a star on the roof of the Tabernacle.  The lights will be on every evening at Temple Square through the Christmas holidays.  If you are looking for a family friendly Christmas activity, this is a great one.  Events at Temple Square are free of charge.

Christmas at Temple Square

If you go:  Parking at a meter is free in downtown Salt Lake in December, but there is a two hour limit.  Temple Square is open from 9am to 9pm daily. Tours for individuals or small groups need not be scheduled in advance and are free.  You may take a tour or explore on your own. 

Natural History Museum of Utah - Behind the Scenes!

Collections area of the Natural History Museum of Utah

One of the really fun things about visiting the museum on its opening day, November 18, was that the 4th floor was open to the public.  We were able to tour collections areas, see the new storage facilities, visit lab and research areas, and talk to scientists.  This was always our favorite thing to do on basement days at the old Utah Museum of Natural History, and it was still wonderful in this new space.  This particular storage area has a capacity to last another 15 years, with the option to expand their storage units after that.

Storage goes high-tech

Purchased with grant money, these lockers and shelving systems slide and can be compressed together to conserve space.  Controls allow someone to move an entire row of storage space next to another row, opening up a different aisle space so that needed items can be accessed.  These mobile units held shelving with acid free boxes, cabinets like the ones in this photo, and climate-controlled units that held textiles and fragile items.  This has greatly increased the storage capacity of the museum.

Pickled snakes?

The staff member working in the biology area joked that they have considered handing out pickles during these tours.  This collections area is filled with shelf after shelf of creatures in jars.  They are initially preserved in formalin, then stored in liquid.  The lids and seals on the jars break down from the solutions and have to be replaced, but the glass jars hold up very well.  Liquids have to be replenished upon occasion.  This area held amphibians and reptiles.  We saw frogs, snakes, and lizards in jars of varying sizes.

Rodents in abundance.

In another are of the 4th floor, we learned that these animals are preserved by skinning them.  The skins dry quickly, like parchment, and then are stuffed with a cotton material so that they have a shape.  The bones are cleaned (beetle larvae are used in the process) and then stored as well.  Skeletal material is tagged to match up with the skin, so that insides and outsides can be studied together.  We saw various mice, a pika, and a tiny water shrew while we visited with a researcher.

Black and white style pottery

With the increased display space in the new museum, items like these pots are on display instead of being relegated to shelving units in the basement.  On the fourth floor, we were also able to see beautiful snail shells in all sizes, stack after stack of plant specimans, and more.  The paleontology lab was also open to visitors.

"Navajo Sand Monster"

Fossil finds like this one were not displayed in the old museum due to lack of space, but could often be seen on basement days.  It was wonderful to be able to access so many items from the many different collections of this museum.

For information on visiting the museum, click here.

If you would like to see more about the museum's activities and displays, check out my previous blog post.

Natural History Museum of Utah - Opens Today!

Walking up to the new museum

If you are a fan of the Natural History Museum of Utah, it has been a long wait for the museum to move its collections from President's Circle at the University of Utah to a new facility on Wakara Way.  Today is the official opening day of the museum.  We were fortunate enough to schedule a time slot and free tickets to explore the museum.  It is much larger than the previous facility, and although we spent about two hours there, we did not see and do everything.

Wall in the Canyon Lobby

When you enter the museum, you are greeted by this wall in the lobby.  It displays everything from fossils to clothing and blankets.  When you are on an upper floor, you can see parts of this wall up close from the other side.  From the lobby, you may also enter the gift shop and museum cafe.

Shoshone dance regalia

We were advised to begin our exploration of the museum at the top level (5th floor) and to work our way down.  The upper floor has displays of Utah's five native cultures:  Navajo, Ute, Goshute, Paiute, and Shoshone.  

View from a patio at the museum.

We stepped outside to look at a weather station and to see the Salt Lake Valley. This museum is located in a beautiful setting.

Parasaurolophus

Of course, one of the main attractions of the museum has always been the dinosaur fossils. More fossils than ever are now on display in this new expansive space.  A puzzle of a fossil allosaurus skull made its way from the old museum to the new one.  At the museum, kids can participate in mock paleontology and archeaology digs.

Ceratopsian skull

One wall holds a display of various ceratopsian fossil skulls.  There are several familiar fossil mounts here, but conspicuously missing was one of my favorites:  the stegosaurus.  If I somehow missed it, please let me know, but I couldn't see a stegosaur anywhere!

Dinosaurs galore!

We saw some beautiful birds and mammals on the biology floor, and also watched amazing animations of cells, including cell division, osteoblasts making bone, red and white blood cells and more.  It was fascinating.

This beaver is one of the mammals on display.

The earth science area still has a seismograph, and you can still jump and make it move.  The shake table wasn't working when we were there.  This trial day was to help the museum staff work out the glitches.  There was a repair man there fixing some of the interactive displays while we walked around.

Assemble a cell!

There are ample interactive opportunities for children of all ages.  There is an erosion table, a shake table for earthquakes, this cell puzzle, and many visual and audio displays.  We even found an area where you can smell a decaying dinosaur era forest!  Many of the displays are stunning, and I greatly enjoyed our afternoon at the museum.

Mineral on display

We needed the map to find the geology specimans, but enjoyed the display area.  There are minerals under uv lights so you can see them glow in astonishing colors.  Who doesn't enjoy seeing a relatively plain rock glow neon red and green?  Overall, I give the new museum a gold star.  Although there were many people there on the day we went, the design of the floor plan and exhibits flows well, and it did not feel crowded. 

Butterfly in the display wall in the Canyon lobby area.

As a family, we are mourning the loss of some of our favorite things which did not make the transition to the new space.  We did not find the stegosaurus, the geiger counter display where you could measure the radioactive output of different rocks, or the old mine that fourth graders have been climbing into on field trips for generations. I am glad I have memories of these favorites, as well as wonderful ramblings through the cramped warrens of the old museum building during "What's in the Basement?" days.  However, we are amazed at all the planning, donations and hard work that went into creating this beautiful new building and exhibits.  

If you go:  The museum is located at 301Wakara Way, near Red Butte Gardens.  It is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with extended hours (until 9pm) on Wednesdays.  The building is large, and while the floor plan flows smoothly, we had to consult a map a few times to locate specific sections we wanted to see.  Happy exploring!

(Areas normally closed to the public were open today...stay tuned for a look at the museum behind the scenes!)

Hiking the Little Cottonwood Trail

Ruins of a mill

Tucked away in the trees beside Little Cottonwood Creek are the ruins of an old mill.  It is a pretty easy hike to reach the spot where you can view the mill.  The ruins are actually across the creek, which was still running fairly high when I went on this hike.  The mill-side of the creek also has a high wall rising from the creek bank to the mill, making access difficult.  I would NOT recommend crossing the creek and attempting to get to the mill at this point of the trail.

Little Cottonwood Creek

The trail leaves from a parking area on the south side of the road up Little Cottonwood Canyon.  If you cross the street, you will see the trailhead for Lisa Falls.  It is easy to do both hikes in one outing.  The trail to the mill ruins dips down from the road.  When the trail forks, turn left and head east up the trail to the mill ruins.

View from the trail.

This hike is fairly shady.  The trail is used by mountain bikers, so be aware of that as you hike.  You will have glimpses of the creek as you hike as well.

Wall on the mill-side bank of the creek.

When you reach the mill viewing area, you can perch on the wall and have a snack or some water.  If you continue on a little further up the trail, you will discover the remains of an old car.  It is an odd place to find a vehicle, and I wonder what story this pile of metal would tell!

Old car parts

View from the trail.

This is a pretty hike and is only 1.6 miles round-trip.  It is an out-and-back hike, and the parking area is located about 2.7 miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon. You may park on either side of the road.  The trail is wide and easy to follow, and is not very steep.  In fact, the guide book I looked in gave this hike a net elevation loss of 170 feet!  This is a great hike to do when you are short on time.

Mill ruins in Little Cottonwood Canyon

Witches Invade Gardner Village

Crash Landing

Gardner Village in West Jordan, Utah is celebrating its annual Witchfest, and the entire complex is decorated for autumn.  This is a charming place to walk around throughout the year, but is particularly fun on a warm fall day.

Barn at Gardner Village

In 1877, a large mill was completed on this site.  The mill building and waterwheel are still at the site, along with many historic buildings that have been relocated here.  It is a quaint place to stroll and shop.

  

Shops at Gardner Village

  

Gardner Village is home to Archibald's Restaurant and a collection of unique shops.  The brick-paved pedestrian walkways make it easy to get around to the shops and restaurants.  Some of my favorites include the Village Quilt Shop, Storybook Nook, the Naborhood Bakery, and Sweet Afton's.

Candy store at Gardner Village

Stop in at Sweet Afton's to see a wide variety of candies, and while you are there, sample the fudge.  This time I brought home the divinity and pumpkin cheesecake varieties.

Batter up!

Pumpkins, hay bales, and cornstalks, oh my!  There are many great places to take photographs all around Gardner Village.  Many moms were out taking Halloween photos of their children.

A witch bicycles through the air.

From mid-September through the end of October it is all about the witches at Gardner Village, and they are everywhere.

Of course, some witches get around better than others.

With events such as Breakfast with a Witch, Witches Night Out, Witchapalooza, and Ride To a Witch, there is something for everyone.  Some of these events require tickets.  Of course, if you wish to avoid crowds, stop by early in the week, and earlier in the day.  Evenings and weekends bring many people to this popular event.  

Clever signs dot the village

However, if you are willing to brave the crowds and parking, you are in for a treat.  In previous years, we have seen witches parading, people exhibiting live bats, and music groups performing.  This is a wonderful way to celebrate autumn, harvest, and Halloween.

One of many witches at Gardner Village

And if your legs get tired, you may even find a bench and a friendly invitation to sit-a-spell.

Gardner Village is open year round.  Click here for information about the site, activities, calendar, and more.  It is located at 1100 West 7800 South in West Jordan, Utah.

Happy shopping!

Hiking to Lisa Falls

Lisa Falls - Little Cottonwood Canyon

This little waterfall is only about a tenth of a mile off the road in Little Cottonwood Canyon.  It is secluded enough, and far enough off the highway that it is a welcome escape.  The last part of the trail is a scramble over rocks in the stream bed.  It may be wet in the spring, but is dry in late summer and fall.  The water flows down smooth granite, giving off a cool and refreshing spray.

Lisa Falls

To the right of the falls, climbing anchors are embedded in the granite walls.  Obviously, this is used as a climbing site, but no one else has been there the times I have visited the falls.  There are large boulders and flat areas that beg to be a picnic site.  One of these times I am going to remember to bring lunch!

Lisa Falls is definitely worth a look and the short trail makes it accessible to many types of hikers.  It can get steep in places, and the rocks can be slippery, but it is a short walk.

The falls are a great destination for all ages.

The trailhead is about 2.7 miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon (Utah hwy. 210).  There is parking on either side of the road.  The north side is the trail for Lisa Falls, while the south side is the Little Cottonwood Trail. There are no facilities here.