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This was a surprise find when in Denver & at first glance, one might think it's one of those cheesy roadside tourist traps. But give it a chance. It's free to hike up the steep trail, which is a nice offer if you're fit & on a super tight budget but I really recommend the shuttle tour for $20, especially if the weather is hot, cold or rainy. Summer '26 was very hot so am glad we took the shuttle. In addition to the air conditioned bus, the driver - "Elaposaurus Ella" was delightful & well informed. There were only 4 guests (including us) so her first attempts to establish the intentionally corny banter feel a bit awkward, but hang in there - it's a really impressive site & you would miss a LOT by doing the self-guided walking tour. Expect to see Dino footprints across an ancient beach now tilted upward about 45 degrees & elevated to Denver's approx. 1-mile above sea level. See ancient fossils still encased in rock. Hold a stegosaurus back plate & learn how the site developed geologically as well as more recently as one of the early fossil sites, etc. And ask for Ella if you can. And a s usual, visit the gift shop for souvenirs.
Inside the Dinosaur Ridge Discovery or Exhibit Hall is a plethora of exhibits, placards and fossils to demonstrate which dinosaurs have been found in the nearby area. It is just fascinating to imagine what it was like when Dinosaurs ruled the world. Hint: It is not Jurassic Park. The center has done a very good job of explaining what happened when, and which dinosaurs were in Colorado all those millions of years ago. The docents or volunteers are most helpful and will answer all of your questions. My 7 year old grandson loved the exhibit, even though it is somewhat small. Outside he could dig for fossils, primarily sharks teeth and shells or he could unearth (pebbles) some bones. And there are replicas of Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Allosaurus and others. There is a bus tour available. Honestly, if you are in halfway decent shape, park at the entrance on the road, where the barrier is and walk the 1/2 mile to see the Hadrosaur, duck billed, dinosaur prints.
Naturally exceptional little place to park and go for a walk. They also have an option a little down the road for a driving guided tour but it is very simple to just park and walk if you have the stamina. The area is absolutely beautiful and there are so many signs showing exactly what you were looking at while you're walking the mountain side! I loved being able to see dinosaur tracks and where Colorado actually used to be underwater millions of years ago! My favorite thing was being able to go on a couple little side trails and getting higher than typical if you're walking on the road. Being able to see a few different animals in nature was gorgeous as well and they were very relaxed even coming very close to me on my walk! I love that they also had seating every so often so I could sit down and just relax and admire my view of the area! I hope to one day be back so I can see the Velociraptor tracks again!
Yes, dinosaurs really walked the earth and there's proof!! Dinosaur Ridge is one of the top dino track sites in the US. This is an outdoor tour one you can do free on your own or pay a tour guide drive you to the sites and lay out the facts and history. Dinosaurs aren't just for children. This is a place where anyone could learn something new! It's fun to bring all those imaginary dinosaurs to life by witnessing their prints in person!
Another cool roadside attraction close to Golden and not far from Denver. Good for all ages. Since it was 90° and the walk is mostly uphill. We opted for the $20 per adult shuttle ride that included a fossil guide. Would I normally pay this, no I feel it was worth about $10 a person. They did explain a lot which we would have missed had we gone on our own. Seeing the fossils and learning the history was very interesting. Interesting. The information center is very small but again pretty cool and they do have a couple of guides in there to answer questions as well. We did not go into the gift shop. We were there for about an hour and 15 minutes in total. The bus ride took about 45 minutes. It makes three stops where you get off of the bus and can take pictures and they help you better understand what types of dinosaurs were in the area, why they were in the area, what the area was like millions of years ago. They explain how the fossils and footprints were found, and what they are doing to preserve them.
A great spot for some fresh air and hiking or biking. Car traffic is prohibited, so it's safe. There's a paved road that inclines up for about 3/4 mile, and then down the other side of the mountain towards Red Rocks. Its exit 2 off 470 and there is a dinosaur museum and up the hill you can see dinosaur tracks. I like it for both hiking and road biking - especially when I am training and want to do hill work. As you go up the road near the top, there is a trail to the right. Combining both road and trail is about 1.3 miles each way. Great views.
My husband and I took our four year-old who is gaga for dinosaurs to Dinosaur Ridge a few weeks ago and had a nice time. Some things to be aware of that will make your trip better: there is no shade go in the morning or on a cloudy day or if you are gonna go on a sunny day wear sunscreen and a hat. If you're gonna do the free hike, there is some parking on the road. That's a little closer to the trail and then you don't have to park in the parking lot which if your kids are as crazy about gift shops as mine you can avoid entirely however if you choose to do this, that's where the bathrooms are so be aware of that. You can pay to do a bus tour of the of the sites. It was a little expensive for us and we like walking so we skipped that there's also a low cost museum that you could check out but again that's by the gift shop so if you're trying to avoid that maybe pass. You can't drive the trail. It's only accessible by walking or by biking and if you are gonna bike, it is pretty steep so it may not be appropriate for kids.
Thank you Jurassic Jim and Cretaceous Ken for making this trip a blast. We learned so much about Earth's history, dinosaurs, and climate. I was hoping for a new experience and this trip exceeded my expectations; I did not expect to actually hold fossils and bones. Plus we visited on indigenous people's day so we participated in an additional activity on native plants and food. Plan to spend about 2 hours here. I recommend getting the guided bus tour ($18/person). Sit on the left side of the bus (when boarding) for the best views. Alternatively, you can walk the trail on a self guided tour, but it seemed long and hot. The trail does not have a lot of shade and is uphill. Plus our tour guide Cretaceous Ken provided enthusiasm and a wealth of information on the bus and at each stop. The tour is great for all types of learners since you can listen, view the accompanying visuals, and hold/feel the footprints, fossils, rocks, and bones. The last stop on the tour provides beautiful views of the surrounding area including red rocks. Visit the exhibit hall before or after your tour depending on time. It is included with the tour price. Our tour was about 45 min after we arrived so we visited the exhibit hall first. I'm glad we did since we received a private tour and lesson from Jurassic Jim. It is difficult to put into words how awesome he is. He was so welcoming, enthusiastic, and knowledgable. Jim answered all of our questions and entertained us with interesting facts and dinosaur/animal noises. After the tour, we walked through the small gift shop and purchased a few small souvenirs. We also enjoyed watching The prairie dogs in the nearby fenced area. Overall, we had an excellent visit here and recommend this experience to others!
I used to come here for field trips as a kid and recently revisited this local site with some out of town guests. I was incredibly surprised to see how much has changed at this site for the better. First and foremost, there is a visitor center but we decided to skip it as I personally remember the history of the site and how the prints came about and were uncovered so we didn't feel like the $4/person fee was necessary. There is also a shuttle that can take you up the road and drop you off at each site, but it's a nice walk, and again, we decided to forgo this service. The biggest surprise to us was the fact that more dinosaur footprints were uncovered and on display on the mountain than the last time we were here. One thing that was nice was the fact that the footprints were also darkened which some sort of spray that helped us see and highlighted where the footprints are as before, it could sometimes prove difficult to see where the prints were depending on the sun. That issue is no longer prevalent. One other pleasant surprise was the many new signs and plaques dotted around the overall site. It was even easier to understand what we were looking at and how they were preserved thanks to the new signage. This site is something that is fun for the whole family, and it's amazing to see real dinosaur footprints so well preserved. It's definitely something you can't miss!
Not that exciting a bus tour, but if you go, do the bus tour because walking is hell. The footprints are pretty average and they should highlight them in red or something. This is good for kids and the staff and volunteers are nice. The views of the valley are actually the best part inside the park.
This is the third time I've visited Dinosaur Ridge but it was the first time to visit with my grandkids (under the age of five). The first two times I visited, I was younger and in better shape (and the weather wasn't quite as hot as it was today) and we walked to the top of the ridge. Today, being older (and wiser??) - with the grandkids and a hot afternoon, we only walked about half way to the top. Admission is free for anyone willing to walk up the hill. For "smarter" folks, there is a tour bus (fee) that takes you on a guided tour with a couple of stops on the way up. For walkers, there is also an audio tour that you can download to your phone for $6.00. There are some REALLY GOOD, well preserved dinosaur tracks and a number of signs that explain what you're looking at and the history of the region. The tracks are easy to find and to see. They definitely attacted the interest of my grandkids. As with any site of this nature, there is a visitor's center and the obligatoury gift shop. Outside the gift shop is a "sand box" where kids can dig and try to find dinosaur souvenirs.
This is a great often overlooked area in Denver. Highly recommend for some prehistoric education and astonishment. This is one of the few place where dinosaur footprints exist, especially on this scale. I also recommend getting the walking or bus tour ($) as I think you miss a good bit without it. Also, it helps fund the preservation. Only takes an hour or two.
2 years ago
2 years ago
Lived in CO 16 years and this year was my first time visiting. We had out of town guests visiting from Wisconsin, and one of them loves dinosaurs. we thought this field trip would be a great opportunity to explore in addition with to the other dinosaurs exhibitions in CO. Plus we were seeing the NEWEST Jurassic Park movie after the ridge tour. Staff is super friendly and highly recommend parking and taking their shuttle and guided bus tour for the experience but also for the amazing knowledge that the staff shares about each stop along the ridge. It is walkable and bike friendly and free to walk in but cars are not allowed unless with a tour. There is a small exhibit, museum and outdoor activities for kiddos. We had a blast and there are some incredible views at the ridge of Red Rocks. This is great and accommodating for all ages. The Dinosaur Ridge area is one of the world's most famous dinosaur fossil localities and only located west of Denver. LOTS OF DINO footprints and tracks plus some rare fossil findings too! Cool fossils of Apatosaurus and smaller prints of a young Stegosaurus. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Wonderful local museum about nearby paleontology. We had a great time learning about Dino bones, geology, and local history. They have a small museum where you pay, and a nice gift shop. The discovery center was closed so I'm going to have to go back for that. The tour was $10 and it was still pretty crowded on a Monday. The bus is nice and modern, and the drive short. I enjoyed the tour and thought our guide was nice and informative. The money is worth it if it's your first time or with visitors. I enjoyed the ripples and bones. I wish they would identify more of the bones on the other side. I would have liked to learn more about the animals there. Even a sign with pictures of them would be nice. Like the side with the tracks, showing the three dinos who made the tracks. Very fun time and great place for visitors. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
The dinosaur tracks were super cool, loads of them and very well marked. The main path was paved and an easy walk. The trail was moderately challenging but so worth it for those gorgeous views. read more
Awesome views and trails. We did the self walk audio tour. One mile each way. Not a loop. Everything was covered in snow (mid December) so it wasn't as visible but still cool. Bundle up, It's an uphill walk there. Steep with stairs We couldn't figure out the audio thing, so we just walked it ourselves and read the signs. Wasted $12 but still cool read more
3 years ago
This is a cool stop. It's not huge and you won't be here long, but our family enjoyed it. The day was sweltering hot, so the guided bus tour was WELL worth the $. My 10 and 12-year-old both enjoyed digging for fossils in the sandbox. Definitely worth visiting if you are in the area! read more
7 years ago
We decided to check this place out because my son loves dinosaurs. They are known for having "the World's largest persevered dinosaur tracks". We took the tour which was really nice because the tour guide gave us the history of what the area was like when the dinosaurs roamed there. She also went into detail on the types of dinosaurs that were found. The little museum that was there was nice too. The thing my kids really enjoyed was being able to dig for their own dinosaur bones. Once they found one they could turn it in for the real thing. Anyhow, this was a very fun and affordable thing to do with our family. read more
5 years ago
8 years ago
This was really fun and not superbly challenging for a chonky gal as myself who hasn't hiked properly in a few years. I like the calf and glute burning but I didn't need to stop that often like I used to do on some trails here in Orange County, California. They start off on the ground floor where you can park your car and check out their museum and shop. I got a magnet for a friend back home. You want to make it back before sunset though because they do have gates and they will lock you in. You can also park on the street on the hills too! We did the Dinosaur Ridge and I really liked it. It was around 4000 elevation feet high plus this part of Colorado is also naturally higher than Southern California. Greg started me on this baby beginner burner because he and I were both afraid that my lupus lungs weren't going to make it. I did, I conquered! It was fun. I got some good pictures too. :) read more
I've avoided this place like the plague. Just because I thought it would bore me. Just because it's too touristy. I was pressed for time. I didn't wanna drive to hike. I had the itch to climb something. And it's a walking distance from my house. So I went yesterday. If you're like me and you hate hiking on any fire road or paved trail because you feel that disconnect; then the beginning trail along the front should be avoided. Instead start at the parking lot near the motocross area and come down the same way. On Rooney Rd. That would put you on a North to South hike and all downhill with a few uphill climb. If you like going uphill than downhill then follow the crowd and start from the front. All uphill but with a few steps that will take you down. This is what I did. Well I'm a fan of this hike. It's immediate uphill climb is not bad. The views on both sides i.e. Red Rocks or Mt Falcon to the east and Green Mountain on the west side is just too pretty too ignore. Highest point is 6660. Exposed top. Hot during summer. I'm already dreaming of coming back in winter! read more
19 years ago
I was here sometime back in Early June this year with Sean and my parents. Did you know several hundred years ago, Colorado is actually an ocean? Due to geographical errosion, earth movement, volcanic ash bed that form the current ridge line, and where a large number of Dinosaur remains are found on our Colorado soil, you can explore Dinosaur Ridge to your fullest. It was indeed an eye opener for us. To find dinosaur fossils, bones, Dinosaur footprints alike right here in Colorado! Its a must see for families with children alike who love to explore and get further education with regards to Dinosaurs and how land is form here in Colorado. Just be warned since the weather is getting alot warmer these days, dont forget to bring lots of water, sunscreen, a good pair of tennis shoes to walk up the trail. Admission to this area is FREE. But its nice to allocate some donations for the park. There is a $2 fee per person for a ride up to the first checkpoint of the Dinosaur Ridge, then from there you can walk down. If your little ones are too tired to walk you can just hail the ride and the driver would bring you down to the entry gate of Dinosaur Ridge. That was the day when we came to Dinosaur Ridge on Saturday June 02 2007. It happens on that day coincide with National Trails Day. Each station of the Dinosaur Ridge have a guide who are so willing to tell you about what it was all about and to answer any questions with regards to the Dinosaur Ridge. Do refer to the website regularly for Dinosaur Discovery Days, regular hikes, updates or guided tours thru the Dinosaur Ridge... read more
5 years ago
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8 years ago
This was cool! We walked the attraction and did not take the shuttle. Our kids are 5 and 8 and they loved the walk. I would say if you have small kids take the shuttle. My only issue was we had one biker fly down the hill/mountain and he almost took one of the kids out. It was within inches. Watch the signs at the entrance to what side of the path you should be on. I missed it, but regardless unless his breaks failed on his bike it was extremely reckless. I got the sense he was making a point, true jerk move. Fair warning some of those bikers are flying down the mountain on a death mission. Read the signs and stay on the correct side of the road. I felt horrible that I put my kid in danger. Possibly another reason to take the shuttle. It's very cool to see and the back side you even can see the Red Rock amphitheater! Cheers Dino lovers! read more
8 years ago
My friend and I took the tour as I am a (visibly) disabled veteran and needed the ride. Our tour guide was Allosaurus Allie, a local guide who really, really, loves her job, and it shows. She was good at engaging with the kids on the tour (two small children, maybe 2 and 5, very shy) and I can easily picture her handling excited kids well also. She handled the pacing well, gave us the opportunity to make some informed choices as a group about how to spend our time, and wove interesting stories about the history of the location into the tour. I asked her in a quiet moment about the Yelp reviews about that guy who spoke sharply with other people's kids, and she said she's "pretty sure he's not working there any more." Her comment was that *of course* kids get excited about dinosaurs! You can't just squash that, though, you have to find a way to redirect it. Allosaurus Allie for the win! read more
5 years ago
So much fun. My grandson loves the exhibit hall and the bus tour of all the fossils. I highly recommend a stop here if you have time. read more
4 years ago
Dinosaur Ridge is right near Red Rocks and could definitely be done together. We came to check out the tracks and were not disappointed. For $8 per person, they offer a guided tour in a comfortable small tour bus. Our guide was a second year anthropology masters student and she was wonderful. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and seemed excited to be showing us the points of interest. The best part was the first stop with the visible tracks of a mother and child dino. It was impressive to see. The coolest part was that we were allowed to touch the tracks closest to us and even allowed to climb up a couple feet to get a closer look at the ones higher up. There were two more stops, but they're definitely not as impressive as the first stop. I feel they should have done this tour in reverse. Start at the base of the hill (oldest area) and show us the bones, then progress to "younger" areas until we got to the tracks. It would make for a more exciting tour since they'd end with the coolest part. Why four stars and not five? The draw are the dinosaur tracks and there just weren't very many of them. It's essentially one wall with a ton of tracks, but rest of the tour was just okay. If you're okay with doing a small hike, you can enter the area for free and walk it yourself. The sites are well-marked and you can read about each area. Perhaps had I done that, I would have had a five-star experience since the hike would have added to the experience. The $8 bus tour was nice, but it made it an abbreviated experience. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
There are many places to hike in CO but Dinosaur Ridge has some pluses. You can either pay a mere $4 for a guided bus tour that stops at 3 of the stops or hit the trail by foot and take in the scenery while getting some exercise. They have a small exhibit which is a good place to get some background on Dinosaur Ridge. It is only 2.5 miles round trip so I decided to go by foot. There are about 15 stops pointing out the geology, history and other tidbits about the sites. The amount of fossils in this one area is amazing. Worm holes, ripples, foot prints and dinosaur bones are vast. You also get a great view of the mountains and part of Red Rocks. Seeing traces of dinosaurs in nature is truly amazing. read more
19 years ago
One of the coolest ways to impress tourists is to show them REAL dinosaur tracks from over 145 million years ago. Most likely you pass Dinosaur ridge more often then you think, and some of you may have even been near this great landmark and never checked out the site. The location is the same exit as Red Rocks and is barely off the beaten path of I-70. You can hike all around the ridge, but on a hot Colorado Summer day, it will be brutal with the sun, so make sure you bring plenty of water and sun protection. If you don't have much time visit the most popular Dinosaur attractions, the Dinosaur tracks on the east side of the Ridge and the Dinosaur Bone Quarry on the west side of the Ridge. Personally, I think this would be a great date stop.... Perhaps on your way to Red Rocks for a picnic on the steps. On top of being creative, interesting, and fun, both date ideas are FREE, which just means you better spend a little cash on the next date so that you don't seem too cheap. * Star one is for land preservation ** Star two is for the Brontosaurus footprints, way cool *** What a workout star three is for doing an entire circle around the ridge, hot and high altitude **** Easy to find star four is for free parking and an easy to find historic site ***** Sexy star five is for turning me on... Dinosaur style read more
5 years ago
10 years ago
This is a Great attraction for children and families. You can buy a Guided Bus Tour Pass or just a Hop on Hop off shuttle pass. You can also walk up and over Dinosaur Ridge to see all the fossils. There is an inexpensive Exhibit Hall and a gift shop. The parking can be a little challenging on a busy day. There are restrooms available. There is a Snack Shack, but it is open seasonally. There are several replica dinosaur statutes on the grounds where the parking lot and attractions are. It is pretty inexpensive, family fun. read more
7 years ago
Came here expecting a bad tourist trap, but it ended up being interesting and not crowded at all, despite it being Labor Day weekend. We needed something to kill the time before we were meeting up with friends for lunch, so we stopped by here. The trail is actually the paved road that the tour buses drive on, and if you hike, it's free and pretty easy, with information along the way about the different fossils and rocks. Not having too much time though, we decided to do the bus tour. It was $6 a person [plus whatever you put in the tip jar] and about 45-60 minutes long, depending on how long people want to spend at the three different stop locations. The first stop was easily my favorite -- the huge wall of dinosaur tracks. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the different dinosaurs who made the tracks and answered all of our questions. The second stop was to look at different dinosaur bone fossils embedded in the rocks. Apparently, it would take years to chisel them out, and since there are no complete skeletons, they decided to just leave the bits and pieces of fossil in there. The last stop was to look at molds of different footprints. While there, take the time to look out at the surroundings. The view is breathtaking. I absolutely want to come back and hike it. While we got a lot of information from the tour guide at the three stops, we did pass by other interesting locations, and it'd be good exercise in some fresh air. read more
More info about Dinosaur Ridge
16831 W Alameda Pkwy
Morrison, CO 80465
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(303) 697-3466
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http://www.dinoridge.org
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Is there an inside area for older folks to sit and wait while the younger folks go hiking?
There is a museum indoors but not much seating. There are shaded picnic tables outside where you can wait.
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