Dinosaur National Monument

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National & State Parks

Dinosaur National Monument

courtesy of the National Park Service

Contact Information:
Dinosaur National Monument
4545 E. Highway 40
Dinosaur, CO 81610
970-374-3000
http://www.nps.gov/dino/

Size: 210,278 acres

Location: Dinosaur National Monument is located in northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah. The visitor center is 2 miles east of Dinosaur, CO, off US 40.

Description: Spectacular canyons were cut in this area by the Green and Yampa rivers through upfolded mountains. The quarry here is the single most important Jurassic dinosaur paleontological site anywhere. The monument also has a nearly complete stratigraphic geological record.

Dinosaur National Monument
courtesy of the National Park Service

Activities: If your time is very limited, stop at Dinosaur Quarry, situated 7 miles north of Jensen, Utah, where you'll find a display of 1500 dinosaur bones as well as replicas of dinosaurs. If you have a few hours, visit the Quarry and take the self-guiding auto tour, which will give you an introduction to the rest of the park, its beauty, geology, wildlife, and petroglyphs (prehistoric Indian rock art). To add 1½ hours to your visit, walk the self-guiding Desert Voices nature trail along the Tour of the Tilted Rocks auto tour. Other activities that require more time include: a 62-mile self-guiding auto tour through a dinosaur ecosystem; one-day or multi-day river trips; a drive to Echo Park and the campground through two sandstone canyons; and a variety of other drives and hikes. Fishing is also a popular activity at the park.

History: Proclaimed on October 4, 1915.

See other National Monuments
See other Colorado National Parks

Lauren Himiak
National & State Parks Guide

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