Absolutely spectacular. It was amazing to see a wall of rock with thousands of actual dinosaur fossils, unexcavated, and have the pleasure of discussing them with a very knowledgeable ranger on site. The location is gobsmackingly beautiful - see photo. We also visited the Josie Morris Cabin, and riverside boat landings and campgrounds three times total during our stay. On one of these drives, I hiked up to the lizard petroglyphs for a closer look, keeping a respectful distance on the rocky ledge. Birdwatching was wonderful, rangers were very helpful and informative, and the visitor center's gift shop had everything an indulgent grandparent could ever wish for. read more

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DINO is amazing and huge. It would be difficult to see everything in one trip. The history, geology, and paleontology each could be a trip. The campgrounds are well run and well maintained, especially considering how Congress has been trying to starve the NPS. The welcome center is great, but you have to visit the quarry! read more

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You'll need the national park pass or plan to pay the $25 entrance fee to get into the park. I like to give that heads up since I wasn't expecting that hefty price. That said, I was very happy with the experience. The gift shop is modest in size, but does have some neat items in it. There's a shuttle that will drive you up to the wall of bones, if that's what you're here for (which I was). The shuttle driver was friendly and welcoming. Aside from this area, there's a handful of hikes you can do while you're here. read more

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Absolutely stunning! It's a 3.5 hr drive from Salt Lake City, so a bit out of the way, but WOW what a sight! The quarry visitor center is breathtaking. There are so many Dino bones in one spot and the history of the deposits are fascinating. You can even touch REAL dinosaur bones! These national park guide at the wall was so nice and answered all our questions. These Dino skeletons are all over natural history museums around the world, which is amazing. Recommend seeing the quarry visitor center, taking the shuttle to the dinosaur wall, and then doing the fossil hike back to the visitor center. read more

Dinosaur National Monument - Quarry exhibit hall - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Jensen, Utah

Awesome place to visit! Tons of dinosaur fossils still in the rocks! Modern visitor facilities. Well signed tour markers. A good place to see ancient petroglyphs. Awesome dark sky location for star watching! When clear, very little light pollution! Wonderful scenic park with varied geology! Vernal, UT is the closest civilization with hotels. read more

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I had been interested in visiting this place as a preschooler, when I had a keen interest in dinosaurs. That didn't happen. Neither was it convenient when my daughter was young and with similar interests. However, we recently had a reason for a long weekend in Salt Lake City, so we opted to do a couple of days extra to extend the family trip to include Dinosaur National Monument. We rented a car north of SLC and drove about 3.5 hours to Vernal, where we got a room in a motel. Vernal is the logical spot to stay when visiting this place, unless you want to go the camping route. The last 2 hours of the drive is mostly desolate, with only a couple of towns and the occasional rest stop to break up the drive. Vernal is about 20 - 25 minutes from the park's western visitors' center. At the time we visited, they had road crews doing drainage repairs on the only road into the park, so there was a brief wait while flagmen coordinated 1-lane traffic. You need to stop at the ranger kiosk to either buy or show your pass to get in. The visitors' center itself is fairly standard. They have an informative film that runs every 20 minutes to give you some background on the park. Rangers are available to answer questions. They also have a gift shop and some exhibits. Every 15 - 20 minutes, a shuttle arrives to take passengers up to the quarry wall, the marquee feature of the park. There is also a trail that leads up there, but the ranger advised that it is easier to take the tram up and walk back, which is what we opted to do. The ride up the hill is less than 5 minutes. The quarry wall was quite interesting. This was originally an open air dig site for an archeologist funded by the Carnegie Foundation. They excavated about 2/3 of the site and sent dinosaur skeletons to a variety of natural history museums all over the world. However, they opted to retain the last 40% of the exposed wall as a permanent exhibit at the site. They later constructed a building around it, which has been repaired and remodeled. The tram lets you off at a ramp, where you walk up 1 floor to the entrance. Inside, you can relax in the air conditioning and check out the huge wall of exposed dinosaur bones. The site was basically created by a drought followed by a flash flood, such that it washed a number of live and dead dinosaur bodies into a 'logjam' at one spot. Even what is left now is quite impressive, though. The ranger here was very willing to answer questions and discuss things related to the site. You then descend to the ground floor where there are some additional exhibits and alternate views up at the quarry wall. When you exit the building, you can either wait for the shuttle again or descend via the 1.25 mile / 2 km trail. We opted for the walk, which wasn't bad. There were a lot of stairs cut into the trail. You may want to avoid this in extreme heat also. There were a few short side trails along the way with a few exposed fossils (clams, etc.). One thing to note - there is no cafeteria in this area of the park. If you want to eat, you'll have to bring your own food. We opted for a break to drive back to the Vernal area for lunch. If you do that, you should budget and hour for travel time + whatever time you need for eating. We returned to the park after our lunch and opted for the scenic drive. You can purchase a guide from the visitors center or from a set along the road. This is worthwhile as it will direct you to the various sites. I think there were about 15 in total. These ranged from scenic overlooks to a spot close to the river, to campgrounds, to several petroglyph sites. We all enjoyed this and thought it was worthwhile. The only caveat I'll offer is about stop #14. This is a longer and steeper hike associated with petroglyphs. If you stop here, take time to find the actual trail marker. It is not obvious, but the correct trail is much easier to get to the cliff face (about 150 feet up, at least) than the alternate trail. The sign is somewhat obscured by bushes so we initially missed it. There are other points of interest in the eastern side of Dinosaur National Monument, but we did not drive over to see them. This was a fun and worthwhile stop for me but it is not trivial. There is also some sort of regional air service to the Vernal airport, so you could eliminate 3+ hours of driving by just flying here, but I don't know what the cost is versus a rental car from the SLC area. I'm glad we went, though. read more

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If you love dinosaurs and history, this is a must see. This was my second trip to Dinosaur National Monument and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. Our shuttle driver was super kind and friendly and really added to the experience. The visitor center/store staff appeared to be a bit moody the day we were there, but we didn't let it spoil our visit. The restrooms are clean and there are places to refill your water bottles to stay hydrated in the heat. If the weather isn't too hot, I definitely recommend taking the hike down the mountain. read more

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Dinosaur National Monument is a huge area with 2 visitor centers; the larger one is in Jensen, UT. I see that Yelp has a separate listing for the Quarry Exhibit Hall. For the overall monument, you should visit the Visitor Center first. Then take the van ride to the Quarry Exhibit Hall. You can then walk a scenic trail back that is all downhill and takes about 20 minutes. Then, get in your car and drive past the Swelter Shelter Petroglyphs, Turtle Rock, Cub Creek Petroglyphs, and other areas. At the end, park by the Josie Morris Cabin - see it - and take the half-mile out-and-back trail in Box Canyon. It'll take you about 2-3 hours for it all and you'll get the high points. read more

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Nice drive to the National park one to check off the list. Amazing views of the rocks and the bone wall. Come early if you want to take the small trail to see the fossils. read more

Dinosaur National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Jensen, Utah

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Really cool National Monument! Given the size you could easily mistake this for a park. If you are into dinosaurs/fossils, you've got to check it out. We visited in the winter so there were some trails that were closed due to weather, but the scenic drive and the Quarry Exhibit Hall on the Utah side were worth it by themselves! Highly recommend checking out if you are in the area or within a few hours drive. read more

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Dinosaur is a must visit and be sure to get out and hike. Entering from the Utah side, the short fossil discovery trail is a nice introduction where you can see fossil bones in their natural state, then head to the quarry which is astonishing to believe that all of these bones would found exactly as you see them in the exhibit. Do the Tour of the Tilted Rocks driving tour (buy the $1 map or you will miss out!) to see the geology and nicely preserved petroglyphs at the east end of the drive. If it is not too hot hiking is a must. Towards the end of the Tilted Rocks tour is the relatively cool, creek side grassy Hog Canyon Trail which also has remnants of the Josie Morris homestead. For great geology, hike the sound of silence loop trail through the hog backs, a short mini maze like rock canyon, plus great views on the east side of the trail. If you have an extra half day, drive to the Colorado entrance and drive along the Harper;s corner road to see the Green River Canyon where rafters run their course. The 2 mile hike at the end of the road is a must do. Grab a $1 Harpers Corner Trail guide for excellent overview of the geology, fossils and history. You will walk on fossil encrusted slabs toward the end of the trail with a spectacular view down into the steep canyon. read more

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Easily a five star national monument! There are so many recreational activities to do here that it could be a park, plus it houses the largest known fossil bed in the world! It's a fair drive from any major city but Vernal is a pretty big nearby town. You'll be able to hike dozens of trails, kayak and boat the river passing through, or just camp and enjoy nature. There are multiple entrances to this huge monument, but the main one is at the Quarry Visitor Center. From there you'll find petroglyphs, river access, trails, and the dinosaur excavation site within a few minutes drive. You must pay to enter the monument unless you have a park pass (or unless you buy one as you arrive). Check the weather before arriving because there's next to no cover. As of May 2024 the visitor center is under construction so there's a temporary one in the parking lot along with portable toilets. read more

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The Quarry Wall embedded with dinosaurs bones is the highlight of Dinosaur National Monument near Jensen in northeastern Utah! It's incredible touching rocks and fossils that are millions of years old! Park and hike the mile long trail to the museum or take a shuttle with a running commentary. The entire countryside is amazing with rugged rocky hills on one side and the lush Green River valley on the other with a mesa in the background. read more

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Dinosaur National Monument is a wonderful place! We visited both the Utah and Colorado sides and both are great in different ways. The fossils and petroglyphs are found on the Utah side, which is the larger and more developed side. There's a nice hike from the main Visitor Center to the fossil building and there's amazing petroglyphs to see along the way. There are so many fossils located in situ at this site and it's truly a wonder to behold. You can even touch a few dinosaur bones, which was a thrill! The Colorado side of Dinosaur is quite vast and mainly consists of vistas and overlooks that you can stop at and admire the view. There's definitely areas where you can go offroading too if you have the proper vehicle and permits. Dinosaur National Monument is 100% worth the drive and was one of our favorite places to see on our road trip to Colorado and Utah! read more

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As a full time rver, we've been a lot of places. This is absolutely well worth the time to get here. To see so many dinosaur bones as they naturally rest is incredible to see! This is a highly suggested must-do ans in my top 5 places I've visited! read more

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Let me preface this by saying we did not use the shuttle (due to time constraints) to go up to the site-so this review is solely based on everything else. We also are pulling a 34 foot camper. Parking didn't have wonderful options for Rv parking. We kind of made it up like the rest of them. We didn't realize we couldn't get to the Colorado side, however our vehicle (f350) could have made it without the RV (we were told-could not confirm). We also were told there's dinosaurs along the drive-there aren't. The only two dinosaur figures we saw was the big long neck before we get to the park, and the stegosaurus in front of the monument building. For my 3 year old who is fascinated in dinosaurs-this was the main reason why we came - for big figures of dinosaurs. The ranger inside said the end of the road was big enough for a semi to turn around in. He was technically correct-our 22 ft truck with our 34 ft camper made a 3 point turn. The road has signs with numbers that to our disappointment doesn't correlate with anything on the map. So we weren't positive what we were looking for or at. But turtle head point was pretty obvious and also pretty adorable. So to *us* this park was a bust unfortunately. Yesterday we went to the museum of Rockies in Bozeman and my 3 year old LOVED all the dinosaurs there-she was in heaven. read more

Visited here today. Great place. The quarry was spectacular. Josie Basset Morris's homestead was very interesting

This review is for the Fossil Bone Quarry Area of Dinosaur National Monument. It is located 7 miles off of US 40 in Jensen, Utah and situated about 35 miles northwest of the Canyon Area back in Dinosaur, Colorado. For this Fossil Bone Quarry...it is specifically catered to discovering the prehistoric dinosaur bones of the monument. The main attraction/highlight here is the Quarry Exhibit Hall which houses many dinosaur bone remains from the early ages of the world. It's open 8am - 6pm daily. This museum is a 2-story house that starts at the top-level floor and ends at the base lower level. For me I wasn't so impressed with this Quarry Exhibit Hall. Maybe I needed 20 minutes or so to walk around and grab a few photos. That's all. Tbh, it was a letdown. But for families and children, maybe they could find more fulfilling moments inside. I just could never get there. Unlike the Canyon Area where you can roam around and explore along the 32-mile road that runs through the heart of the park for free, here at this Fossil Bone Quarry Area, you have to pay $25 immediately upon entering. Upon driving past the entrance station, I'd suggest pulling into the Visitor Center parking lot and go inside the VC. The VC is great for buying gifts and souvenirs you may need along with getting your Parks Passport stamped as well. Plus...they do offer a park film inside though it was not running this past summer of 2021 when I was here due to the pandemic. Another good aspect about the Visitor Center is there were park rangers available to speak with you about any questions you may have or any attractions you may be interested in seeing. They can assist you with your itinerary. From the Visitor Center the park highly encourages tourists to ride the park tram up to the Quarry Exhibit Hall. This way they can reduce congestion and people can just leave their cars in the Visitor Center parking lot. For this past summer of 2021, in order to ride the tram...you must wear a face mask. I rode the tram. It was about a 10-minute trip. When arriving at the Exhibit Hall, I noticed plenty of parking spaces available. I realized I could have just taken my car. Oh well, this was my first time here and I didn't know any better. After this Quarry Exhibit Hall...the next best way to explore the grounds of this part of Dinosaur NM is to drive the 10-mile road through the park. It's definitely not nearly as scenic here in this Fossil Bone Quarry Area in comparison to the Canyon Area. Also, the drive here is only 10 miles long with fewer roadside stops as compared to the road in Colorado being 32 miles long. Here were some of the interesting stops I made along the drive through the park... - Swelter Shelter Petroglyph Site - walk a short path to get up close views of petroglyphs embedded in rock walls. Good for a few pictures. A 10 - 15 minute stop. - Sound of Silence Trail - 3.2-mile loop with moderate difficulty. I trekked along this hike and was afforded some pleasant valley views. Although it's mentioned you must navigate along an alternate route, about halfway through the trail I noticed the pathway was completely closed off due to fallen debris. Still, the trail was decent in general and guided me into some of the rugged rocky landscape. - Turtle Rock Viewpoint - one of my favorite stops! Located above the canyon walls, it really did look like a turtle was resting on top of a rock! I got some great photos of this. - Hog Canyon and Box Canyon Trails - these two trails are located at the end of the 10-mile road. I hiked both of them. Hog Canyon was 1.5 miles roundtrip, not a loop. Box Canyon was a 0.5-mile roundtrip, not a loop as well. Neither were difficult. Although they weren't too scenic or memorable, it was pleasant for going on a walk and getting a real feel understanding for the lay of the land here. Also, this section was great for setting up a picnic and having lunch beside Josie's Ranch - a log cabin and home to a real pioneer of the Jensen, Utah area. Btw, to arrive at Hog and Box Canyon's, you do have to drive a short way along dirt and gravel road, but not hard for any average car going slowly. One last thing, I was visiting in the middle of July and it must have been 100 degrees at the height of daytime. Be prepared to deal with heat as there's no shade other than being inside the VC and Quarry Exhibit Hall. Overall, I used about 3/4's of the day here at this Fossil Bone Quarry Area. Although I wasn't overly impressed with anything in particular here, it was still nice to discover what this part of Dinosaur National Monument was all about. When reflecting back, I think I enjoyed the Canyon Area more...good for quiet and remote touring without many families and children hanging around. In the end, I guess if it's not too out of the way to visit each section, both parts (The Canyon and The Fossil Bone Quarry) of Dinosaur NM should be explored. read more

Dinosaur National Monument is located on the border of Utah and Colorado with 2 entrances (one on the Utah side and one on the Colorado side). My husband and I came to visit on a Monday afternoon around 1:40 pm. When we checked in with the friendly employee at the booth, my husband had asked if there were any tickets left for the dinosaur quarry. The employee told us yes she had tickets for us at 2 pm if we were interested. Please note that tickets are timed and can be reserved online (but I had no idea you could also get them at the entrance booth too). So, we drove right over to the visitor center to wait for the shuttle to take us to the quarry exhibit hall. At this visitor center, there are restrooms and a gift shop. There are also some information you can read about dinosaurs and the land that was here years and years ago while you wait for the shuttle. Although masks are not required at this national monument, there is a sign that says it is required while riding in the shuttle. But this shuttle is similar to those open air trams that you see at Disneyland. Anyways, it was a short drive up to the quarry. Here you get to see real fossils (and not replicas) that were found in Utah. The man who discovered these fossils was Earl Douglas, in 1909. He and his team were searching fossils for a museum. Because he had found a deposit of multiple prehistoric fossils, he decided to establish a quarry so that he could keep on searching. Surprisingly, he was able to find thousands of fossils! In 1915, former president Woodrow Wilson ended up making this area a national monument. Here at this quarry is a large wall of bones with over 1500 fossils on display. These fossils are still embedded into the wall. It is quite amazing how well preserved they are and how they had survived millions upon millions of years. These fossils were buried in an ancient river. But over time the sediments turned to rock, which ended up protecting the fossils, encompassing them in a stone like capsule. It was here that Earl Douglas and his team had discovered the Apatosaurus, which is an 8 tail vertebrae. And then eventually 10 more different species were discovered (barosaurus, dryosaurus, camarasaurus, diplodocus, camptosaurus, ceratosaurus, torvosaurus, stegosaurus and allosaurus). In addition to seeing numerous of fossils at the quarry, there are scenic back roads that you can take and view the rivers and canyons. There are also hiking trails throughout this national monument as well. But be careful. I ended up getting bitten by what I think was a fire ant on my calf. It was incredibly painful and burned. Even after icing the bite, it continued to burn and cause throbbing for 45 minutes (I'm okay now in case you were wondering). To visit this national monument, it cost $25 but if you plan on visiting other national monuments and also national parks, I highly recommend that you purchase an annual pass like the American the Beautiful pass that we purchased. It really does save you plenty of money and well worth spending $80 to get it. read more

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As you plan your visit, read thru other reviews. Also use the Google Machine and University of YouTube to familiarize yourself with the Dinosaur National Monument Park. It is a National Park, so Active Duty & Veterans be sure to get your passes. As a retiree, I paid a $10 processing fee for a Lifetime Pass to all National Parks. Upon arrival at the gate you're $free.99. Put on your thinking caps as you explore the vast history. As a child you read books, see movies, and talk about the first creatures that roamed Earth. Now, you actually get an opportunity to see for yourself fossils from the Jurassic period. Initially, you'll drive thru the entrance to stop at a park ranger check-in. Once pleasantries and transactions are completed you'll hang a left to the visitors center. Park and make your way inside the visitors center. Talk to the park rangers to get guidance on how to navigate your visit. For kids, ask the counter for an activity booklet. Once completed at the end of your trip you'll turn it in for them to raise their right hand to oath to take care of the lands prior to receiving a cool little wood badge. We picked up our souvenirs at that time towards the end. We drove our vehicle up to the quarry that I mentioned before that is separate from the visitors center. Once up on the hill you'll park to foot it into the quarry building. I say building, because decades ago it was a tin shack housing the quarry fossils to protect the fossils from being weathered. Wow! Just WOW! The kids were fascinated as we saw actual dinosaurs fossils from the Jurassic period (see photos attached). After we footed it down into the trails, then after back up to our vehicle parked in the quarry parking lot. The advice we got from one of the rangers at the visitors center is; unless you're trying to just get exercise there isn't much to see if you walk up to the quarry from the visitors center. Don't forget to take the 10 mile self/road tour. Grab a booklet for $1 that will help explain the stops along the drive. At the end of the drive you'll see Josie Bassett Morris latest cabin that was built roughly in 1935. It is an actual cabin from her time that has been upkept and still sits there today. Use the Google Machine to look up Josie Bassett Morris. Happy Yelping! read more

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This place is awesome. I wouldn't suggest the hikes if it is super windy. Hikes are safe and fun for kids. read more

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I told a ranger I would give them a 5 star review on yelp. So here it is. I agreed because I'm a fan of the national parks new social media manager and the rangers here were phenomenal. We visited to get some stamps in our local summer activity passports. In order to get our stamp, we had to ride on the shuttle from the visitor center to the monument... I've typically just driven to the monument rather than taking the shuttle and I'm new to the strolled gang so I'm still making rookie mistakes. One of those rookie mistakes was getting on the shuttle with a supersaurus jogger. Fortunately, the bus driver and rangers got a good laugh at me and offered to help. One ranger held the supersaurus on his lap on the shuttle ride up to help save me some embarrassment... by the end of that ride I was grateful for the helpful ranger, but would've loved to be one with the dinosaurs on the wall by that point. 10/10 recommend a really tiny stroller if you're going to shuttle up or you can just make the drive in your own car haha! Also, if you get bored in the main parking lot count how many Subaru outbacks you see read more

Dinosaur National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Jensen, Utah

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Great exhibits, and presentations, the gift shop was great, I would definitely go back 10 out of 10

We camped at Green River Campground. We had a wonderful time at this park. All of the Staff were so nice and helpful. From the Visitor's Center we took the shuttle up to the Museum. Wow, is all I can say about the wall of bones. The scenic drive to Josie Morris Homestead is amazing and her whole story is fascinating. I just love this National Monument. read more

This place is just absolutely amazing. It has been a bucket list thing for me since I was like 4 and I finally got to go. I camped out at echo park campground and it was one of the best experiences ever. No cell phone reception was a total plus as well. read more

First things first - there is so much more to this park than the Quarry Exhibit Hall - petroglyphs, riverside trails, unique rock formation, colorful ash, stark canyons, high plateaus....you name it. Of course, the thing that makes this place truly unique is its Dinosaur-infused history and story. This is a park you can easily spend a full day in, especially since there are several different entrances and roads to explore, all spread apart based on accessibility. This is an exciting park with something for everyone - we came in the Fall and enjoyed moderate temperatures with gorgeous skies. read more

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I visited the Dinosaur National Monument last year and unfortunately the dinosaur quarry was closed to visitors so we were only able to do the hiking trail. We did the fossil discovery trail and it was moderate and we were able to pinpoint a few fossil bones and fragments. It was a bit of a workout walking the trail because of the landscape and it being very hot outside with no shade on the trail. I would definitely bring water to stay hydrated because this area is no joke with the heat. Overall, this is a great place for hiking trails, just come prepared. read more

Dinosaur National Monument - 06.09.20 - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Jensen, Utah

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Veery nice place, the fossils are well preserved and the fossil discovery trail is short and easy to hike.

This park and museum is a long ways from anywhere but worth the drive - especially with kids. The way the park is laid out really lends itself to an easy tour in about 4 hours. There is a campground on the park grounds, but it lacks a shower or electricity. If you are okay with that, the park is really clean and convenient to the monument. I recommend arriving early and touring the visitor center, taking a team ride to the museum quarry. At 10am there is a ranger guided hike back to the visitor center which is only about 1.4 miles and takes a bit more than an hour fifteen minutes. Unless you really like back country hikes, you can make the drive down the main road on an auto tour using the pamphlets found in the visitor center and then call it a day. Total time about 4 hours, 3 in a pinch. Dont let this park fool you - it was amazing to see real dinosaur fossils sticking out of the rock and learning about the petroglyphs from ancient civilizations. Really amazing experience read more

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Quarry is about 5 minutes in and out. Area is really not that pretty. Overall was just very unimpressed.

This monument would be a 5 just for the awesome dinosaur bones that are RIGHT THERE. But, the super kind staff made our experience that much better! There were two ladies at the Visitor Center who were patient with our brood of 5 kids total (ages 2 1/2 - 17). The ranger in the quarry was also patient with the kids as they asked questions, confused timelines (thanks, Ice Age! ), and just kept saying "dinosaur!" (2 year old). read more

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Amazing, even more so than we expected! We honestly could have spent several days here, (we did spent one full day). Apart from the Quarry which is sort of mind-blowing and wonderful presented, we visit the cabin of Josie Morris (who I had never heard of!), we hiking to some canyons and Petroglyphs and drove the CO side where we wish we had had more time to hike. So worth the trip! read more

This place is cool. Lots to see. Easy hikes. Helpful employees... Polaris? who was a great Ranger Rick. read more

Oh my goodness was this worth the stop! What an incredible place. We almost didn't stop in order to continue on our cross-country road trip but this was worth every minute, so if you're on the fence, DO IT! :-) Kids & adults will love it here!! read more

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Stellar customer service. Arches National and Carlsbad Caverns could both take pointers from these good folks. The park was nice. If you have time take a walk down the 1.2 mile trail from the exhibit hall to the visitors center. You'll see stuff the others won't see. Then take a left and go down all the way to the cabin. Make sure to grab one of the $1 tour brochures on the side of the road just past cut to visitors center. It is pretty thorough about all of the stops on the way. read more

Outstanding park. The museum was exceptionally well done. We spent a good deal of time identifying the bones left in place. The rangers were so helpful and knowledgeable. Highly recommend. read more

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This is a top NPS site. Great infrastructure. Beautiful scenery. Friendly rangers. Well done junior ranger program. The quarry hall is worth a visit on its own. Definitely worth checking out. read more

This was the second NM visited during my recent 14 day road trip, and it still stands out as a favorite. It's competing with the big five NP's in Utah, too. I was not as impressed with the quarry as I had expected, although that's probably my fault for getting myself so hyped up. I was under the impression that I could touch everything on the quarry wall, but it's actually just a small section. Still impressive, though. The park is also filled with really neat things, from petroglyphs to animals. It's also really beautiful, and there is plenty of hiking to be done. Take the road all the way to the end, and be sure to stop and hike up to see the amazing petroglyphs really close. My only complaint: I had to buy a shuttle ticket for each one of us to do the quarry. The website makes it seem that there is a still a shuttle happening, and that you MUST be there on time. I was running late as I had to turn back to get gas, so I flew at about 90mph to get there on time, only to find out the shuttle was NOT operating, the quarry was absolutely DEAD (we were the only ones in there) and the ranger didn't even care if I had tickets or not. Ugh. Update your website, will you? read more

Awesome museum! Lots of dinosaur exhibits. My family also enjoyed the Jane Goodall exhibit. Overall a 10 for me. Recommend to do list when in town. read more

My gravy, this place is truly breathtaking. We visited both the quarry (a personal lifelong want), and then hiked the trail back to the visitor center finding fossils and pictographs all the while. Just wonderful. I appreciated the reservation system and thought that a ticket and following orderly process was an absolutely trade off for the peace of mind provided. The next (two) days we went to the Colorado side and drove to harpers corner. That hike was a simple jaunt out that my younger kids did just fine with (2.6 miles, according to strava). The views of the road are mind boggling beautiful, and I cannot wait time come back to road bike this 31-or-so-mile fantasy road. I grew up in Utah and had yet to visit here. Don't make the same mistake. read more