Dinosaur National Monument

Visited: Sept 2017

Nearby city: Vernal, UT

“At last, in the top of the ledge where the softer overlying beds form a divide, a kind of saddle, I saw eight of the tail bones of an Apatosaurus in exact position. It was a beautiful sight.”

-from the journal of paleontologist, Earl Douglass, August 17 1909

Near the northwestern-most corner of Colorado and the northeastern corner of Utah, lies a veritable treasure trove of dinosaur fossils, one of the most lucrative in the entire world. The park contains over 800 paleontological sites. Millions and millions of years ago, this corner of the globe was home to dozens and dozens of dinosaur species: Apatosaurus, Allosaurus, Deinonychus, Abydosaurus, and a wide variety of sauropods. The quarry on site allows one to see hundreds of fossils in the mountain side. If you have ever wanted to see dinosaur bones/fossils...this is the place to be.

Start your visit on the western side of the Park (in Utah) at the Fossil Bone Quarry site. The visitor’s center has lots of great information, and a couple of dinosaur statues on display.

When you are ready, take the tram and make your way up to the quarry site, this is where the real magic begins.

The cliff side of this mountain (enclosed by the quarry site building) contains one of the most concentrated finds of dinosaur fossils in the world. In July 1909, paleontologist Earl Douglass explored this area, searching for fossils for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On August 17, 1909, Douglass spotted a downright bonanza for bone collectors...eight tail bones...all connected together...sticking out of the mountain side. Douglass had stumbled upon the most complete Apatosaurus skeletons ever discovered...to this day. Douglass reported his find, and meticulously and delicately unearthed the skeleton for many years. In 1915, the Apatosaurs skeleton was shipped to Pittsburgh by train, and eventually put on display at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. The skeleton is still on display at the Carnegie Museum to this day. Douglass remained in the area, unearthing skeletons and fossils with the help of his wife and son, until 1923. The discovery had generated a lot of interest in the area, and many tourists came to see the dig in process. Dinosaur National Monument was established by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915.

As soon as you enter the Quarry, you are greeted by a beautiful mounted cast of an Allosaurus, a vicious carnivore similar in shape and size to the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Right next to it is a preserved skull of an allosaurus. It is incredibly rare for complete skulls to be preserved (because there are parts of the bone that are very thin). The skull on display here is one of the most intact and best preserved dinosaur skulls ever found.

The quarry site is the highlight of the park, so make sure to take your time and go through all the displays, exhibits, and get up close and personal with the many fossils still present in the mountain side. This is a very cool place to visit, and kids will love it.

Bear in mind, that you cannot access the Quarry Site in your personal vehicle (you need to take the free tram/shuttle from the visitor’s center). There is a lot more to the Park than just the Quarry Site. Once you are back at the Visitor’s Center, get back in your car and head further down the road to the Green River for spectacular views.

If you have time, make sure you head over to the Colorado side of the park and take the scenic Harpers Corner Road. This will take you to fabulous canyon overlooks, and access to Echo Park (the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers. There is lots of camping, hiking, and whitewater rafting available here. Or, just scenic driving if you don’t have a lot of time. The views here are immense, expansive, and breathtaking. It’s a very remote, quiet, and peaceful area.

This National Monument is a must-see for any dinosaur enthusiast, young or old. If you ever find yourself in this corner of the globe, Dinosaur National Monument is well worth the stop. For more info: https://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm