Dinosaur National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument is a protected area located in the Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado. It was established in 1915 to preserve one of the largest dinosaur fossil beds in the world, featuring over 1,500 dinosaur bones and fossils that were first discovered in 1909.
The Dinosaur National Monument Visitor Center provides exhibits, interactive displays, and educational programs to help visitors understand the significance of the fossil beds and the science around the field of paleontology.
VISIT Dinosaur National Monument:
Park Details
Dinosaur National Monument was established on October 4, 1915.
| Address | 11625 E 1500 S, Jensen, UT, 84035 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 435 781-7700 |
| Hours | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, varys by season |
| Entrance Fee | $25 per vehicle, valid for 7 days |
| Learn More | Official Website |
When to Visit: Weather vs. Peak Visitation
We crunched 30 years of historical weather and/or park service data to find the best months to visit Dinosaur National Monument. We looked for the optimal temperatures, the least amount of snow and rain, and stayed away from peak visitation months if we could help it. All this data then helped us paint a picture as to what the absolute best time to visit Dinosaur National Monument is.
Our data shows the best months to visit Dinosaur National Monument are May, June, September & August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Visits | 6,962 | 4,017 | 8,660 | 14,991 | 42,235 | 70,251 | 68,362 | 63,472 | 41,103 | 24,750 | 10,289 | 4,468 |
| Precipitation | 16 | 16 | 25 | 30 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 21 | 14 | 15 |
| Avg Temp | 31 | 34 | 44 | 56 | 68 | 80 | 86 | 83 | 74 | 59 | 42 | 31 |
| Max Temp | 39 | 44 | 57 | 70 | 81 | 89 | 93 | 90 | 84 | 73 | 57 | 41 |
| Avg Temp | 19 | 22 | 28 | 33 | 41 | 48 | 56 | 55 | 46 | 36 | 27 | 20 |
| Min Temp | 2 | 4 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 35 | 46 | 45 | 32 | 23 | 12 | 2 |
Dinosaur National Monument Road Trips
Many family vacations consist of stringing one or more national parks together during a week-long trip. Creating these types of trips is our specialty! Here are the road trips we've created where Dinosaur National Monument is visited.
| Trip Name | Trip Miles | Trip Days |
|---|---|---|
| Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway Road Trip | 700 | 8 |
| Rocky Mountains, Dinosaur Monument, Grand Tetons to Yellowstone | 920 | 10 |
Other Nearby National Park Sites
From national monuments, to historic sites to seashores and more, here are the other parks closest to Dinosaur National Monument.
| Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Colorado National Monument | 104 mi |
| White River National Forest | 130 mi |
| Fossil Butte National Monument | 131 mi |
| Arches National Park | 131 mi |
| Timpanogos Cave National Monument | 143 mi |
| Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park | 152 mi |
| Curecanti National Recreation Area | 168 mi |
| Canyonlands National Park | 169 mi |
| Rocky Mountain National Park | 173 mi |
| Capitol Reef National Park | 199 mi |
Nearby Campsites & RV Parks
If you are looking to pitch a tent or park an RV at a campsite near Dinosaur National Monument, here is a list of the closest campsites in the surrounding area. They all have slightly different amenitites, so its best to check them all out instead of just chosing the first on the list.
| Name | Details | Miles Away |
|---|---|---|
| Echo Park - Dinosaur National Monument | Maybell, CO more | 1 miles |
| Gates of Lodore - Dinosaur National Monument | Maybell, CO more | 14 miles |
| Split Mountain - Dinosaur National Monument | Jensen, UT more | 16 miles |
| Green River - Dinosaur National Monument | UT more | 16 miles |
| Crook - Browns Wildlife Area | Maybell, CO more | 19 miles |
| Swinging Bridge - Browns Wildlife Area | CO more | 21 miles |
| Red Fleet State Park | Vernal, UT more | 23 miles |
| Irish Canyon | Maybell, CO more | 24 miles |
| Deerlodge Park - Dinosaur National Monument | Maybell, CO more | 25 miles |
| Bridge Hollow | Vernal, UT more | 27 miles |
Nearest Ski Resorts
For those of you who are the diehard outdoors type, visiting a national park on a ski trip can be quite the adventure. Here are the ski resorts within 100 miles of Dinosaur National Monument:
None Found.
Nearest Airports
When visiting a National park, many people are faced with either a very long drive across country, or a much shorter flight. For those of you looking to fly into Dinosaur National Monument, we've listed the closest airports in the area.
Large Airports
A large airport has scheduled major airline service with millions of passengers per year. This type of airport always accepts international flights. Here are the closest large airports to Dinosaur National Monument.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City International Airport | SLC | Salt Lake City, UT | 158 mi |
| Denver International Airport | DEN | Denver, CO | 232 mi |
| Harry Reid International Airport | LAS | Las Vegas, NV | 454 mi |
Medium Airports
A medium-sized airport has scheduled regional airline service. This type of airport may or may not accept international flights. Here are the closest medium-sized airports to Dinosaur National Monument.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport | RKS | Rock Springs, WY | 73 mi |
| Grand Junction Regional Airport | GJT | Grand Junction, CO | 100 mi |
| Eagle County Regional Airport | EGE | Eagle, CO | 125 mi |
| Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field | ASE | Aspen, CO | 144 mi |
| Provo-Utah Lake International Airport | PVU | Provo, UT | 146 mi |
| Ogden Hinckley Airport | OGD | Ogden, UT | 165 mi |
| Laramie Regional Airport | LAR | Laramie, WY | 181 mi |
Credits: Campground data provided by USCampgrounds.info. Map shapes from CartographyVectors. Weather data from NOAA. Airport data from OurAirports.com. Images from Unsplash, Flickr and Parks&Trips. All data has also been updated and augmented by Parks&Trips.