Fossil Discovery Trail – Dinosaur National Monument

The Fossil Discovery Trail takes you deep into the geological history of Dinosaur National Monument. Along the 3.5-kilometre (2 mi) trail, which you can also easily halve with the free shuttle, you'll discover ancient dinosaur bones, fossilised shells and the heart of the monument: the Quarry Exhibit.

Start at the visitor centre car park on the Utah side of the national monument. The rangers here will provide you with information and leaflets about the trails and the surrounding area. The shuttle that takes you to and from the Quarry Exhibit also starts here. You can therefore decide whether you want to walk the Fossil Discovery Trail there and back or take the shuttle.

Along the way, you'll find several small detours that will take you to various rock formations from different geological eras. Take a close look at the Morrison Formation, where you can spot numerous small and large dinosaur bones in the rock face. In the Stump Formation, which is even older, you'll find relics of shells and snails, as there was once an inland sea here.

Last but not least, you shouldn't miss the Quarry Exhibit. In the exhibition, you'll not only find exciting information about the giants that once lived here – you can even touch some fossils on an originally preserved excavation wall. The 1,500 or so dinosaur bones include various species from the late Jurassic period such as Allosaurus, Stegosaurus and Diplodocus.