Type
National Monument
Age
Late Jurassic (Morrison Formation), ~150 mya
Established
1915
Best time
Late spring through early fall (May–October) for full quarry access and river trips
- ◆~1,500 bones exposed in situ on the Quarry Wall
- ◆Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus
- ◆Over 210,000 acres across the Utah–Colorado border
- ◆Bones you can actually touch in the Quarry Hall
Photos
Overview
Dinosaur National Monument protects one of the richest Late Jurassic dinosaur quarries ever discovered. Paleontologist Earl Douglass found the site in 1909 while collecting for the Carnegie Museum, and over the following 15 years crews shipped hundreds of tons of bone to museums around the world. Rather than excavate the wall completely, the decision was made to leave a section of bones embedded in the rock — creating the Quarry Exhibit Hall, a building constructed directly over the fossil-bearing sandstone so visitors can see roughly 1,500 bones in place.
Geology
The bone bed sits within the Morrison Formation, a sequence of river and floodplain deposits laid down across the western United States during the Late Jurassic. A braided river once washed dinosaur carcasses onto a sandbar, where they accumulated and were buried rapidly — the kind of concentrated, rapid burial that produces a dense bonebed. Later mountain-building tilted the once-horizontal sandstone to roughly 67 degrees, which is why the Quarry Wall stands at such a dramatic angle today.
What You See
The centerpiece is the Quarry Exhibit Hall, where the angled wall of Morrison sandstone is packed with the bones of long-necked sauropods, plated stegosaurs, and predatory allosaurs. A lower section of the hall lets visitors place their hands directly on real 150-million-year-old bone. Beyond the quarry, the monument's backcountry preserves petroglyphs, deep river canyons cut by the Green and Yampa Rivers, and exposed badlands.
Famous Finds
The quarry produced near-complete skeletons of Apatosaurus (then 'Brontosaurus'), Diplodocus, Camarasaurus, Stegosaurus, and Allosaurus, plus the small ornithopod Dryosaurus. Carnegie's mounted Diplodocus skeletons — copies of which were gifted to museums across Europe — came largely from this site, making it one of the most influential dinosaur localities in the history of the science.
Visiting
The Quarry Exhibit Hall is reached from the Utah side near Jensen; during busy seasons access is by shuttle from the Quarry Visitor Center. The Colorado side offers the Canyon Visitor Center, scenic drives, hiking, and river trips, but no displayed bones. Plan for high-desert conditions: carry water, and check seasonal hours before you go.
Best time to visit
Late spring through early fall (May–October) for full quarry access and river trips. Summer mornings beat the heat on the Utah side. Winter closes some roads; call ahead for shuttle schedules.
Getting there
From Vernal, Utah: drive 20 minutes north on US-40 to Jensen, then follow signs to the Quarry Visitor Center. From Grand Junction, Colorado: ~2.5 hours via CO-318 and US-40. The Utah quarry side and Colorado canyon side are connected by unpaved roads that are often impassable in winter.
Map
Jensen, Utah & Dinosaur, Colorado — approximate location only. Exact fossil localities are not published to protect sites from looting.
Market & Provenance
Material labeled 'from Dinosaur National Monument' on the commercial market is a red flag — collecting inside the monument is illegal. Legitimate Morrison fossils must trace to private land outside park boundaries with a landowner release.
Collecting & Legality
Collecting is strictly prohibited. As a unit of the National Park System, every fossil, rock, and artifact is federally protected — removing anything is a federal offense. This is a place to see dinosaurs in the ground, not a source for the market. Genuine Morrison Formation material for sale must come from private land with a landowner agreement, never from the monument.
FAQ
Can you collect fossils at Dinosaur National Monument?
No. All fossils, rocks, and artifacts are federally protected. Removing anything is a federal offense.
Which side has the dinosaur bones?
The Utah side (Quarry Exhibit Hall near Jensen). The Colorado side has canyons and petroglyphs but no quarry display.
Can you touch the fossils?
Yes — a section of the Quarry Hall allows visitors to touch real 150-million-year-old bone.