Visiting Dinosaur National Monument – An Amazing Guide
Do you love or do your little ones love dinosaurs? Are you wondering if Utah has a Dinosaur National Park? Well, it isn’t a national park but visiting Dinosaur National Monument is where you will find real dinosaur bones!
We recently went to the dinosaur quarry located on the Utah side of the Dinosaur National Monument. It is a site that your whole family will love. We love all the dinosaur Utah attractions and this is one worth visiting!
Dinosaur National Monument is located in both Utah and Colorado. It borders the state line.
In this post, we are going to give a complete guide to visiting Dinosaur National Monument. We will list all the fun things to do at the dinosaur monument area so you can plan the perfect Dinosaur National Monument itinerary.
Let’s explore everything you can do when visiting Dinosaur National Monument!
If you want to save this information for later be sure to Pin this to Pinterest.
Where is the Dinosaur National Monument Located?
Dinosaur National Monument is close to Vernal Utah, and Dinosaur, Colorado. Vernal, Utah is a great location to make your home base as there are many businesses, restaurants, and accommodations. Dinosaur National Monument is only 20 minutes away (19 miles).
The dinosaur quarry is on the Vernal Utah side.
Dinosaur, Colorado is where the entrance to Dinosaur National Monument is on the Colorado side. Although, you will still have to plan to drive another 30 miles to reach the dinosaur quarry which is located on the Utah side.
Dinosaur National Monument Utah Directions
Coming from Vernal, you will take U.S. Highway 40 in Jensen, then take Highway 149 north to the monument.
The entrance in Colorado is off of HWY 40 just two miles from Dinosaur, Colorado.
Where Should I Stay When Visiting Dinosaur National Monument?
Hotel
If you are wanting to stay in a hotel, Vernal, Utah is the best place. There are some great choices. We stayed at Spring Hills Suites and loved it.
Camping
If camping is more of the type of adventure you would like, there are six campgrounds accessible by roads within Dinosaur National Monument.
On the park’s east side, Gates of Lodore Campground is near CO-318 on the northern border of the monument. Deerlodge Park Campground can be accessed from Dinosaur Park Road east of Elk Springs.
How Much Does it Cost to Visit Dinosaur National Monument?
Admission to Dinosaur National Monument is $20 per car (or is included in the America the Beautiful Pass).
If you are planning on visiting Dinosaur National Monument you can check out the National Park website for monument entrance fees.
How Much Time Should I Spend When Visiting Dinosaur National Monument?
The amount of time you spend when visiting the Dinosaur National Monument really depends on how much of the dinosaur monument park you would like to see.
If you are only planning on seeing the Dinosaur National Monument quarry then you could be done in 2 hours.
Dinosaur National Monument is 210,000 acres! So you could easily spend a day or two exploring. We decided to go for about 5 hours. However, we only visited the Dinosaur National Monument Utah side. We went to the dinosaur quarry and hiked the most popular trails on the Utah side.
If you wanted to drive over to Colorado where another Dinosaur National Monument visitor center is located, you would want to plan an entire day. There is also camping available in the park, so breaking up your visit over a couple of days might be a good idea.
What to Expect While Visiting Dinosaur National Monument Utah
Dinosaurs once roamed at Dinosaur National Monument. Their remains are still visibly embedded in the rocks located in the dinosaur quarry.
Today, the mountains, desert, and untamed rivers flowing in deep canyons are some of the landscapes you will see at Dinosaur National Monument.
Petroglyphs hint at earlier cultures. Later, homesteaders and outlaws found refuge at Dinosaur National Monument. Whether your passion is science, adventure, history, or scenery, Dinosaur National Monument really has it all.
Visiting Dinosaur National Park Visitor Centers
There are two visitor centers at Dinosaur National Monument. One is on the Utah side and the other is on the Colorado side.
Dinosaur Utah Quarry Visitor Center
The Dinosaur National Monument Utah Visitor Center is located right as you enter the monument site on the Utah side. This is where you will want to be to gain access to the dinosaur exhibit hall.
Hours:
9:00 am – 5:00 pm (times may vary)
Canyon Visitor Center
The Canyon Visitor Center is located near the mountains and rivers and has more outdoor adventures that are available in the park. Dinosaur fossils are not found near this visitor center.
Hours:
9:00 am- 5:00 pm (times may vary)
Dinosaur Monument Quarry Exhibit Hall
The dinosaur monument quarry is one of the highlights of the entire park. The Quarry Exhibit Hall allows visitors to view the wall of approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones.
You can see the remains of numerous different species of dinosaurs including Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus, and Stegosaurus along with several others. These dinosaurs lived in the late Jurassic period.
Dinosaur National Monument Excavation Wall
The hall is an enclosed area that if you ignored the quarry wall, would look like a long two-story building. But what makes the hall so unique is that instead of fossils being displayed as you would expect in a museum, the main source of fossils is the quarry wall.
The building was built along where digging has occurred, and the fossils are still in the earth. You can reach out and touch some of these fossils.
There have been 13 dinosaurs that have been completely excavated in this area.
Dinosaur National Monument Utah Shuttle Bus
The only way to get to the Quarry Exhibit Hall is to take a shuttle bus or caravan from the Quarry Visitor Center. You will be able to access the shuttle bus when visiting the Dinosaur National Monument Visitor Center.
Dinosaur National Monument Hiking
As you prepare for Dinosaur National Monument hiking there are two areas to consider. On the Utah side, there are six trails and on the Colorado side, there are three additional trails. There are also remote or unmaintained trails that will not be included in our list.
Hikes at Dinosaur National Monument
| Fossil Discovery Trail -Utah | 1.2 miles |
|---|---|
| Sound of Silence Trail – Utah | 3 miles |
| Desert Voices Trail -Utah | 1.5 miles |
| River Trail -Utah | 2 miles |
| Box Canyon Trail – Utah | .5 miles |
| Hog Canyon Trail – Utah | 1.5 miles |
| Plug Hat Trail | .2 miles |
| Ruple Point Trail – Colorado | 4.2 miles |
| Harper’s Corner Trail – Colorado | 1.5 miles |
Hike to the Petroglyphs
Our first hike was to see the petroglyphs.
1. Swelter Shelter
Location: A half-mile from the Quarry Visitor Center along the Tour of the Tilted Rocks Scenic Drive
Difficulty: easy walk, about 200 feet from the parking area
Description: a variety of both petroglyphs and pictographs designs. Swelter Shelter has no protection from the sun so wear sunscreen. It is a flat path that comes to a rock wall. You can get close and examine the ancient writings.
2. Cub Creek
Location: 9 miles from Quarry Visitor Center along the Tour of the Tilted Rocks Scenic Drive
Difficulty: easy walk arriving at a panel with a variety of designs, about 50 feet from the parking area; moderately strenuous hike on ¼ mile trail.
Description: petroglyph panels featuring a variety of typical Fremont designs, including several large lizard figures. Lizard figures are not common at other sites.
3. Pool Creek
Location: about 37 miles from the Canyon Visitor Center along the Harpers Corner Scenic Drive
Difficulty: easy walk, few feet from the parking area; driving on this road is hit or miss. If the weather is bad do not plan to go.
Description: dotted pattern designs above the creek
Tour of the Tilted Rocks Scenic Drive
We decided to take a 12-mile scenic drive down Cub Creek Road. Some of the stops along the way are the Swelter Shelter, Split Mountain viewpoint, Green River, Turtle Rock, and the Josie Bassets Morris Homestead.
This drive allows you to get out of your car and explore. There are many areas to park along the road. The last 2 miles of the road leading to Josie’s Homestead are unpaved. We have a mini-van and it was able to handle the off-road adventure.
Picnic at Josie’s Cabin
Our favorite part of visiting Dinosaur National Monument, besides the dinosaurs, was Josie’s Cabin. This abandoned cabin is a kid’s dream. Seriously, my kids did not want to leave. They loved exploring the cabin, pretending it was their house, and imagining different furnishings in each room. They could have played all day in it.
History at Dinosaur National Monument
The history of the cabin and its owner is very interesting. We learned some about Josie at the cabin, as well as at a museum in Vernal. Josie married five times, and then struck it out on her own until she died at age 90. She seemed to be a remarkable character, and through the generosity of those in the surrounding community, the cabin has been preserved.
We thought this area was perfect for a picnic lunch. There are picnic tables and bathrooms available in this area as well.
Dinosaur National Monument Hiking – Box Canyon Trail
Location: Box Canyon Trail near Josie’s Cabin
Difficulty: Easy walk through woods.
Description: Flat path through a forest; great views. It was shaded and relatively easy.
Visiting Dinosaur National Monument Gift Shop
After we explored the monument we headed back to Dinosaur National Monument Quarry Visitor Center. We were able to check out the gift shop and buy a few souvenirs.
Prices were really reasonable and we were able to get a few things to help us remember our trip to Dinosaur National Monument.
Visiting Dinosaur National Monument
Are you ready to visit Dinosaur National Monument? Hopefully, this helps you prepare and plan your Dinosaur National Monument itinerary so that you can have a great time exploring the area.
There is also plenty of things to do in Vernal, Utah which is located nearby. This area is also a great place to plan a Utah family reunion.
Facebook Community
If you have any questions join my Facebook Travel Community. You can ask any questions you have about upcoming trips and everyone is happy to help you plan your trip. I also try to give exclusive travel deals that companies send me. It is a great group to join!
What a super cool National Park to explore. I know I would love to see the fossils in the quarry hall and the petroglyphs look super amazing. I love that these ‘pictures’ have survived all these years for us to explore and learn from.
Yes, it is so cool to learn and see these sites.
My boys would love to visit there! We have a similar dinosaur park in Alberta that we love to explore but it would be nice to take a trip there and tie this in with a visit to other areas of Utah.
Yes, there are so many National Parks and Monuments in Utah.
What a cool park! My son would love this. I’ll have to add it to my places to visit!
It is a dino lovers dream!
Hiking and dinosaurs what a kids dream. I love all the trails to be discovered. Go Josie, total rebel of her time.
She totally was a rebel.
Neat place! Super cool to learn about!
It is a fun site!
This place is so cool! Would love to hike these trails and check out the petroglyphs especially. And love that there’s an option to take a scenic drive to other places of interest.
Yes, just be prepared for some off-roading on the drives!
I want to take my grandson here. He loves dinosaurs.
This would be the perfect place!
This would be so fun! It’s so unique to have the fossils part of the walls still, instead of completely excavated! I’d love to hike here
It is a a great park!
What a great looking place to visit! I love anything educational AND interesting. so cool.
Totally best of both worlds
So fun! My kids would have loved this when they were young.
It is great for all ages.
What an awesome place! I had no idea about this this park! I’ll definitely have to save this for future reference. That wall with the bones still in looks really neat; my family would love to see this.
It is in a pretty remote area!
This looks sooooo fun!! My boys were obsessed with dinosaurs when they were little. I bet they’d still love this place today, even though they’re 18 and 22! Thanks for the detailed descriptions, hike recommendations, and thorough post!
This is great for all ages!
Looks like such an amazing place, and it’s definitely on our list of places to visit. In fact, we are going to Utah for Thanksgiving, and I might try to fit it into the itinerary! I’ve always heard great things about Dinosaur NM, and now I see why! Thanks for the great info! 🙂
I haven’t been to NM but I bet my family would like it!
Dinosaur National Monument is a place that I would like to visit. I enjoy history and learning.
It is perfect!
This is a great family trip. We love visiting museums, the outdoors and exploring so this would be the perfect trip for our family.
It is a perfect combination!
We were here when the boys were little. I went back and found the photos in a scrapbook. It was so much fun for them, especially for my oldest. He adored dinosaurs for so long.
That is so awesome that you have been able to go!
A great trip for the entire family! I clips see my nieces enjoying this! Thank you for sharing!
They would love it!
There is so much great dinosaur fossils in this area. Looks like a fun visit.
They have already pulled 13 full dinosaurs from this area.
What a fun trip for the whole family! I travel Utah frequently but have not been here! Thank you for sharing your trip… it’s on my list for our next trip!
It is off the beaten path but there is enough to do in the area to make a fun weekend trip!
Another awesome National Park. Anxious to get to Utah and explore all of these wonderful places.
There are so many parks and monuments in Utah!
This looks phenomenal for families, especially with the option of a petroglyph hike. We would love it.
It is a great monument!
This looks like a fun spot to visit with family.
It is a perfect family vacation.
I SO WANT TO GO HERE! It is literally on my to-do list and every time I read about it I wonder why I haven’t gone yet! Next summer I have got to knock this off my to-do list!
It would be a fun road trip!
My kids would love to see Dinosaur National Monument. I really hope we make it there.
It would be a fun trip for the kids!
This sounds like a fun stop. I love the idea that the wall of the building is actually the quarry wall!
It is cool because you can enjoy it in all weather!
That looks so fun! I would love to take my teens there next summer! We are planning an out west trip and I definitely want to look more into this!
If it is one your way then for sure!
What an amazing adventure! It sure looks like a great family place to visit.
It was a great place to visit!
This looks so great to explore and learn lots of dino facts!
For sure! Lots of fossils!
This looks like a beautiful park. I hope to visit it soon.
It is worth a visit!
My 4 year old is obsessed with dinosaurs and would love this! I didn’t know they were so prominent in Colorado.
I knew Utah was a big excavation place and I assume that Colorado shares some of that.
Why haven’t I heard of this? What a fun and interesting place especially for kids who love dino’s!
It is really cool because it is real!
What a wonderful place to explore, especially for all dinosaur lovers!
Dinosaur lover must go!
It’s such a great place; I hope I can take my grandkids there one day.
They would love it!
Kids would love it. The scenic drive will add to the fun too!
The drive is cool too because you can just pull over wherever you want!
Looks like such a cool place in a lovely setting! Thanks for all the great details. I can’t wait to take my kiddos here someday!
They would love it!
I have a very irrational fear of dinosaurs, but my son would love this and I’m always looking for road trip spots! Thanks for posting and I’ll be bookmarking it!
That is funny, I have a fear of alligators so Florida scares me but I love it.
This definitely looks like the type of place my kids (and Hubby and I) would love! Not only are dinosaurs interesting to learn about, but wow, the landscape is gorgeous!
It is an awesome place!