Josie Morris Cabin — Local services in Vernal

The drive here is not a long one, and be sure you see Turtle Rock and Elephant Toes formations on the way in or out. There's also another petroglyph site to look at as well as just the amazing views all around you at any and every overlook. The road is mostly paved until just before the road splits to Josie's cabin and then it becomes unpaved. It is a well taken care of road, so don't hesitate or worry.

There are a few pit toilets in the parking area. Be courteous and aware that there are no defined parking spots when you arrive. We came early in the morning, around 9am on a Saturday (in late June) and only saw 2-3 other cars.

Josie is a legend here! You can read a lot about her and her adventures here in the area on the posted signs and more is in the auto tour book that you can pick up in the visitor's center for $1.

To know that she built all of this, a garden, had an orchard, had a chicken coop, had horses up box canyon, had to get creative with water rights (including creating her own spring) and so much more is just inspiring!

Take the time to walk around and just imagine what life must have been like for her. It is said she had friends who would travel to see her from Vernal. In the 50's and 60's it might not have been so bad, but times before that...what a trip it would have been!

In the main visitor's center to the park, they have audio sound bites of Josie being interviewed with more pictures of her and her life story as well. Take the time to...

There really isn't a way to rate this properly. This is a real Homestead hand built by a real lady who simply planted roots and created a life. To walk the grounds and thin about what it must have been like when she did this is just incredible. What we think of as hard work today is laughable in comparison to what folks dealt with years ago.

The remains of the cabin are a sight to see. Hand built and has stood the test of time. The craftsmanship is such a lost art form. This thing was built to survive and the fact it still exists today has just as much to do with build quality as it does the climate and area it is in. You will find it at the end of a gravel road that begins at the end of a paved road. Call it maybe ten or so miles from the visitor center. If you visit Dinosaur National Monument consider taking a ride to the cabin.

There are vault toilets at the site so that's a plus. No 4WD required but you probably shouldn't do it in just your average sedan. Probably could but not really worth the risk. Any SUV with some ground clearance can make this though I suspect after a rain it could get sketchy. I did this in a Honda Passport Trailsport for reference with...

In July 2025, we visited the Josie Morris Cabin, which is part of the Dinosaur National Monument, near Vernal, Utah. This was an amazing cabin, as Josie Morris lived in solitude for about 50 years until her death in 1964. It is understandable why Josie Morris lived here for so long in solitude, as the surrounding mountain scenery is rugged and beautiful. We enjoyed the splendid mountain scenery while driving to and from the Josie Morris Cabin. Likewise, we also enjoyed hiking on the nearby trail to the Jossie Morris Cabin. Visiting the Josie Morris Cabin and Dinosaur National Monument were both highly memorable and enjoyable experiences. We highly recommend visiting...