Loading...
Loading...
The Morrison Formation is the most famous Jurassic dinosaur-bearing rock formation in the world. Spanning Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, it preserves a spectacular record of the Late Jurassic Period — 155 to 148 million years ago. Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, Diplodocus, Brontosaurus, and Camarasaurus all came from here.
During the Late Jurassic, the Morrison region was a vast semi-arid floodplain with rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Seasonal flooding buried animals rapidly while dry seasons concentrated them around water sources — ideal conditions for fossil preservation. The Morrison's distinctive variegated mudstones — layers of green, red, purple, and gray rock — are signatures of ancient soils that buried an entire ecosystem.
The formation sits on the Entrada Sandstone and is capped by the Dakota Sandstone. Famous localities include Dinosaur National Monument, Como Bluff in Wyoming, and Garden Park in Colorado. These sites have produced some of the most complete dinosaur skeletons ever discovered.
$200–$5,000+
The apex predator. Serrated, blade-like teeth are the most commonly collected Morrison carnivore fossil. Claws are rare and valuable.
$300–$8,000
Iconic plated dinosaur. Tail spikes (thagomizers) are among the most coveted — rare and dramatic. Dermal plates are distinctive.
$100–$3,000
The giant sauropods. Pencil-like teeth are common and affordable. Vertebrae are impressive but often crushed. Limb bones are massive.
$75–$1,500
Most common Morrison sauropod. Spoon-shaped teeth distinct from diplodocid pencil teeth. Excellent starter fossils.
$500–$4,000
Medium predator with nasal horn. Teeth rarer than Allosaurus with distinct serrations. Command premiums.
$800–$6,000
Largest Morrison predator — bigger than Allosaurus. Material is rare and highly sought-after. Robust teeth.
Morrison fossils on the market almost always come from private land. The formation underlies thousands of square miles of private ranches in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Landowner release documentation is required on Jurassic Depot.
Dinosaur National Monument and BLM lands contain Morrison exposures. Fossils from federal lands cannot be sold. Always demand private land documentation.
Jurassic Depot scores every listing for provenance, authenticity, and documentation. The best way to avoid fakes is to demand proof — and to know what to ask for.