Touring the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
This diamond-shaped National Scenic Byway not only offers visitors the unique chance to see, touch and learn about the gigantic creatures that once roamed this land, but view prehistoric Native American art in natural settings and try out world-class recreation adventures among forested mountains, wildlife-rich rivers, red rock canyons and cliffs, and wide-open spaces.
Explore Dinosaur National Monument
A great place to begin your travel is Dinosaur National Monument, a highlight of the byway, which spans over 200,000 acres across the Utah and Colorado border. Thousands of dinosaur fossils were first unearthed on the Utah side in 1909; after 30 years of scientific and cultural discovery, the protected national treasure was greatly expanded in 1938, cementing it as one of the most significant prehistoric sites in the world.
Starting in Jensen, head north on Highway 149 to the Quarry Visitor Center. From there, drive or take a shuttle (during the summer) to the Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall, a protective quarry building where you can view a Jurassic boneyard wall of 1,500 protruding skulls, femurs, vertebrae and more — preserved in their original form. You’ll also get the chance to touch real dinosaur fossils, which no doubt will result in a jolt of wonderment in all ages.
Vernal: Dino-Selfies and Much More
Take the short drive west on U.S. 40 from Jensen to Vernal, the heart of “Dinosaurland”, and visit the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, which houses fossils, dinosaur skeletons, educational exhibits and cultural displays.
A grand feature at the museum is the Dinosaur Garden, an outdoor diorama with numerous full-sized dinosaur replicas including a 20-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus Rex and a 6-ton Stegosaurus. These prehistoric creatures make the perfect backdrop to your vacation selfie.
"This majestic geography [is] considered the best place in the world to experience dinosaurs."
When you’re ready to stretch your legs, Vernal and the surrounding area offer myriad activities for every type of outdoor enthusiast, from the beginner to the extreme adventurer.
Mountain biking trails wind throughout the rugged and cloud-reaching Uinta Mountains, also a popular destination for fishing, hiking, camping, backpacking and ATV. Nearby reservoirs, lakes and rushing rivers provide ample opportunities to get wet — from boating to whitewater rafting and kayaking.
Head South for Scenic Vistas
From Vernal, the byway travels west and south on U.S. 191 and into the Ashley National Forest, through which you’ll experience the Indian Canyon Scenic DriveByway. Hundreds of shades of green welcome you as the road climbs through steep cliffs into a forest of pinyon pine, juniper and Douglas fir before cresting at the 9,100-foot summit with amazing views of deep rugged canyons. On the descent, the vista opens up into the former mining and railroad town of Helper along U.S. 6.
A Must-See Museum and Active Quarry
The prime visit in Price is the Utah State University Eastern Prehistoric Museum. Displays reveal exclusive archeological and paleontological wonders such as a cast of the Huntington Mammoth, ancient artifacts from the Fremont Indians and the skeletal remains of the Utahraptor, discovered in 1989 and known as the “super-slasher” because of its 15-inch claws. (Read: A Deep Dig into Utah's Deep Time)
The museum is unique in that the items on display were discovered nearby at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry. The working dig site is known internationally for having the densest collection of Jurassic-era dinosaur fossils ever discovered, and many of those bones are of the flesh-eating Allosaurus.
Bringing it down to pint-sized fun, kids will devour the children’s digging room with a realistic quarry where the youngest of budding archeologists can dig for dinosaur bones, play games and piece together puzzles.
Get Away to Green River
An hour down the road to Green River offers plenty of lodging and dining options. The small town was once the stomping ground for Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch. An outdoor haven for river rafters as well as campers, hikers and, yes, golfers, all will find their happy place at Green River State Park. The town is also known for its homegrown watermelons, the cold-water Crystal Geyser (one of only 15 of its kind in the world), and the John Wesley Powell Museum.
Tremendous Trackways
If you’ve been yearning to inspect footprints of massive prehistoric dinosaurs, you’ll be immensely rewarded with opportunities after heading south off Interstate 70 on U.S. 191 toward Moab.
Your first stop will be at mile marker 148, turning east on a dirt road to the trailhead of the Copper Ridge Dinosaur Trackways — a 15-minute easy trek to see tracks in the red rock likely left by the Apatosaurus and the Diplodocus.
A few miles south at mile marker 141, turn west on Mill Canyon Road to explore the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail, a self-guided short hike featuring fossilized bones and wood, as well as more exotic dinosaur tracks.
Dinosaur Tracks Trail (also known as Poison Spider Dinosaur Track) is an easy hike to a tilted boulder above the Colorado River featuring the tracks of the three-toed Allosaurus. To get there, keep traveling south on U.S. 191 and turn right on S.R. 279/Potash Road. Drive south for 6 miles to a right turn toward Poison Spider Mesa trailhead and continue to a parking area and the Dinosaur Tracks trailhead.
Moab: Dinos, Arches, Slickrock and City Strolls
The dramatically weathered red rock formations of picturesque Arches National Park perfectly showcase the meaning of a “natural wonder”. This vast park includes more than 2,000 natural stone arches in addition to scores of soaring spires, pinnacles, massive fins, and gravity-defying balanced rocks. You can view many of the beautiful structures right from your car. Or, set out to explore the area on foot through short or long hiking trails.
After a dazzling visit to Arches, take advantage of Moab’s easy-going downtown full of artistic shops and one-of-a-kind eateries, or take a guided raft trip along the Colorado River. Many lodging options exist for the bed-loving traveler, or if camping is your thing, hundreds of campsites abound, including nearby Dead Horse Point State Park and inside surrounding BLM lands. And of course, Moab is internally known for its mountain biking trails perfect for beginners, experts and those willing to test their mettle on the popular Slickrock Trail.
For one last Utah-dinosaur outing, take a stroll through the Moab Giants Dinosaur Park and Museum, combining indoor and outdoor displays (including an interactive paleo exhibit) to capture the interest of everyone in your family.
From Moab back to Interstate 70, you’ll travel alongside the Colorado River on S.R. 128. The copper-tinged waterway is sandwiched between multi-story rock walls and bluffs on one side and luscious greenery and the roadway on the other. Along the route, you may recognize the famous Fisher Towers that jet up from the wide-open and sage brush-filled earth like expertly designed urban high-rises. A 2.6 mile-trail at the towers beckons you to a stunning 360-degree view of the Colorado River Basin.
Cap Your Adventure in Colorado
Complete the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway through western Colorado with stops in Fruita to visit the Dinosaur Journey Museum and Dinosaur Hill. Then head north toward Rangely to explore the Canyon Pintado National Historic District.
Read the inspirational seven-day itinerary: Trekking Along the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
What's Nearby?
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Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands is home to many different types of travel experiences, from sublime solitude in the more remote stretches of the park to moderate hikes through the Needles district to the opportunity to create your own version of one of the West's most photographed landforms, Mesa Arch.
Canyonlands National Park
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Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
With more than 200,000 acres of land and water, Flaming Gorge is a scenic playground for boating, waterskiing, windsurfing, camping and backpacking in addition to some of the best fishing in the west.
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Huntington State Park
Enjoy leisurely hikes, a beach, grassy campgrounds and the opportunity to fish morning, noon and night — or use as a base camp to hiking and riding the San Rafael Swell and Manti-La Sal National Forest.
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Following the Dinosaur Tracks of Red Fleet
Explore Red Fleet State Park's cleverly built trail that crosses sandy washes, ribs of exposed stone and a dinosaur trackway.
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Why a Visit to the Blanding Dinosaur Museum is a Must
The Blanding Dinosaur Museum, off U.S. 191 in Southeastern Utah, is a hidden gem: The artifact collection here includes bones, dinosaur eggs, and even fossilized skin! The museum also has three wonderfully preserved petrified trees and unique movie memorabilia.
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Dinosaurland Top 5
Vernal, Utah, is an adventure base camp to the best of eastern Utah. Uintah County around Vernal — called Dinosaurland — is home to diverse outdoor recreation and natural history at three state parks, Dinosaur National Monument and countless trailheads to the Ashley National Forest.
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Time Traveling at Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park
Many have dreamed of exploring jungles and forests only to discover a land filled with dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes? The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is the place to bring that dream to life, with 100-plus exhibits and realistic, full-sized dinosaur replicas, capturing the imagination of young and old alike.
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A Matter of Geological Consent
A billion years of geological history surrounds Salt Lake City, where a modern landscape reflects ancient constraints.
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How to Experience Utah's Dinosaur History at the Prehistoric Museum in Price
Central Utah’s Prehistoric Museum in Price houses fossils from more dinosaur species than any other museum in the country. World-class exhibits of the region’s unique paleontology, archaeology and geology can all be found under one roof.
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The Real Story Behind the Dinosaur Quarry
What universal energy do you share with your terrestrial predecessors? At Dinosaur National Monument, you can touch 149-million-year-old fossils and feel for yourself.
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Reef Walking, Petroglyphs and Bones
Check out the world’s densest concentration of dinosaur bones at Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry and explore other prehistoric wonders around Utah.
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Hidden Secrets of the Jurassic National Monument's Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry
The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry of Jurassic National Monument is an opportunity to learn about prehistoric animals and see a working paleontologist dig.
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Searching for Dinosaur Bones in Capitol Reef Country
The Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry dates back to the Jurassic Period and is approximately 150 feet wide by 600 feet long. Hundreds of dinosaur bones have been discovered here, including those of the Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus and Brachiosaurus.
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How to Maximize an Afternoon at the Natural History Museum of Utah
Spanning five floors and tucked along the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, the Natural History Museum of Utah is a must add to any Salt Lake City itinerary.
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Tracing the Outlaw Trail
Cowboys and dinosaurs don’t always come to mind in tandem. At Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah, however, they do share one thing: an incredible landscape as a backdrop. This landscape, as well as some wild history, make Dinosaur a must-visit part of the state.
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Vernal Equinox: A New Season in Vernal, Utah
Looking for things to do in Vernal, Utah? Read our guide to the town here for attractions, restaurants, breweries and more. Make plans to visit Vernal!
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An Old Favorite Fishing Hole at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Visit Utah columnist Dan Potts takes us to his "secret" fishing hole on Utah's Flaming Gorge Reservoir, one of the world's most diverse fisheries set among the brilliant red rock walls of Red Canyon in the easternmost corner of the state. Along the way, Dan takes us through some of his favorite landscapes on the drive to and from Salt Lake City.
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AndShesDopeToo's Insider's Guide to Ogden
AndShesDopeToo is a worldwide adventure community of women run by Jennifer and Taylor Killian from Ogden, Utah. This insider's guide video highlights their unparalleled access to both the outdoors and the city's "fun counterculture vibe" at the foot of the mighty Wasatch Mountains.
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A Grand Tour of the San Rafael Swell
This grand tour goes into the heart of Utah's Swell from north to south, connecting the uplift’s spectacular views with playful slot-canyon hikes, bike excursions, rock art, dinosaur bones, and soft-serve cones in town.
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Discover Dinosaur Astronomy
Dinosaur National Monument's celebrated dark skies can offer some of the most inspirational looks into our universe given the monument's unique context: see the stars on an unblemished canvas like our human — or dinosaur — predecessors did.
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Digging Salt Lake City for 48 Hours
Looking for fun things to do in Salt Lake City? Check out our 48-hour guide to get the scoop on the most popular and under-the-radar attractions.
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View Millions of Years of Geologic History in an Afternoon
Unlock new levels of understanding about the land you are traveling through, around and on by learning about the geology in Utah.
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A Family Drive Through Utah’s Quiet Places
A vacation where reservoirs and rocks, sagebrush and fossils provide wisdom along the way.
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A Deep Dig into Utah’s Deep Time
Utah is one of the most important archeological zones on the planet. Discover how dedicated, local paleontologists and volunteers teach stewardship alongside exploration.
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Get Your Spook On: Northern Utah's Most Haunted Places
Looking for a different kind of adventure? One seemingly outside the realms of possibility? Here are some of Utah’s most haunted places.
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The Unknown & Otherworldly Near Vernal, Utah
UFOs, dinosaur bones, ghosts — there’s a chance to see all of them in the wild, weird and existential landscapes of Northeastern Utah.
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Seeing the Dinosaurs of Utah Valley
Tons of dinosaur fossils have been found in Utah, and plenty of them are on display in museums in the Utah Valley area. Ranging from smaller collections to one of the world’s largest collections of complete dinosaur skeletons, there’s something for every dinosaur lover to enjoy!
