Discovering Dinosaurs in Colorado

Tyrannosaurus Rex

To see dinosaur fossils in the natural landscape, you’ll want to head to Colorado. Dinosaur fossil sites can be found across the state. Here are a few highlights to start your adventure.

Dinosaur National Monument

Located on the border of Utah and Colorado, this park offers a front-and-center view of the dinosaur bone excavation process. Archaeologists working at this site uncovered a logjam, where piles upon piles of skeletons had fossilized on top of each other over the millenia. After unearthing all that they needed for reconstruction purposes, a visitor center was built directly into the hillside, so that guests can come face to face with dinosaur bones still embedded in rock. A short tram ride through the stunning desert brings families to the Quarry Exhibit Hall, where 1500 dinosaur bones lie exposed in the rockface. Rangers lead guided tours, and guests are even permitted to touch some of the 149 million year old dinosaur fossils.

Explore the grounds of the monument to find ancient petroglyphs sketched on rock faces, or take to the river for some rafting. Then settle down for the night at one of the secluded, quiet campgrounds to enjoy a cozy evening amidst star-filled skies.

Picketwire Canyonlands

Dinosaur aficionados will want to travel to Picketwire Canyonlands, just south of La Junta, Colorado, to encounter the nation’s largest collection of fossilized dinosaur footprints. This half-mile walk is a truly interactive experience, as intrepid explorers can walk in footprints of dinosaurs. Look down as you walk, and find your footing amongst the 1,300 dinosaur tracks from as many as 100 different animals.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Volcanic eruptions buried a lush valley brimming with prehistoric insects and plants, leaving behind a rich array of fossils for young explorers to encounter. Venture out to Pikes Peak, Colorado, near Colorado Springs, to examine prehistoric fossils and gigantic petrified redwoods.