Utah story
Dinosaur National Monument's Utah fossil side and Colorado canyon side
The quarry wall holds approximately 1,500 bones; river launches and remote roads require a separate current permit-and-area check.
Start by choosing the right side of the monument. The Quarry Visitor Center is in Jensen, Utah, and the Canyon Visitor Center is in Dinosaur, Colorado. The fossil quarry is on the Utah side; there are no dinosaur fossil sites on the Colorado side.
Inside the Quarry Exhibit Hall, approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones remain exposed in the rock wall. The rock is part of the Morrison Formation, and the remains are from the Late Jurassic.
The rivers and remote roads call for a different kind of planning. A permit is required to launch a vessel on rivers inside the monument, and the current-conditions page separates its Utah and Colorado areas. Check the exact area, road, and permit doorway before a river trip or remote drive.
Where to see it
Begin at the Quarry Visitor Center in Jensen, Utah, for the fossil side of Dinosaur National Monument. Check the current area details at https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm?fullweb=1
Sources behind this story
Reviewed against these sources on July 26, 2026.
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