A loooooong time ago, before any of us Homo sapiens were around, dinosaurs ruled the earth. The land of Colorado was very different from the world we know today. It was roamed by cold-blooded giants. Stegosaurus, triceratops, tyrannosauruses, and many more of these extinct creatures used to call Colorado home. In fact, Colorado is one of the best places to visit if you’re looking to find some dinosaur bones. There are a lot of different places around the state you can visit to check out bones, footprints, and other signs of life left by the dinosaurs. Below is a list of places we’ve compiled so you can check out some of the best places to see and learn more about the dinosaurs of Colorado.
Places to see the Dinosaurs of Colorado
- Dinosaur Ridge
16831 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison, CO 80465
This site is one of Colorado’s most famous dinosaur fossil localities. You can take a self-guided tour of excavation sites and see some pretty neat exposed fossils along the way. - Triceratops Trail at Parfet Prehistoric Reserve
Golden, CO 80401
Just north of Dinosaur ridge lies Triceratops Trail. This 1.5 mile trail includes a bunch of fossils from dinosaurs, birds, mammals, and insects. - Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater
18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison, CO 80465
This iconic music venue isn’t famous for just the amazing shows, but for all the dino bones you can find wandering around the park! - Morrison Natural History Museum
501 CO-8, Morrison, CO 80465
After spending some time wandering around Red Rocks, make sure to check out the Morrison Natural History Museum to serve the curious side of your dino learning journey. - Picket Wire Canyonlands
1420 E 3rd St, La Junta, CO 81050
Here you’ll find the nation’s largest collection of fossilized dinosaur footprints from over 100 different species. - Rabbit Valley (Mesa County)
Grand Junction, CO
Home to the Mygatt-Moore Quarry, over 4,000 dinosaur bones have been excavated from this place since the 1980’s. - Dinosaur Hill (Fruita)
Fruita, CO 81521
Located just south of Fruita, this 1.5 mile trail is in the heart of Colorado’s dinosaur country and features several displays of bones and footprints along the way. - Denver Museum of Nature and Science
2001 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80205
As soon as you walk into the museum, you’ll see the remains of a full-on t-rex. This is just the beginning of all the cool dino-related stuff this place has to offer though. - Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center
201 S Fairview St, Woodland Park, CO 80863
This resource center features a spectacular display of marine reptiles, flying reptiles, fish, and dinosaurs from the late Cretaceous period. - Dinosaur National Monument
11625 E 1500 S, Jensen, UT 84035
While the address is technically in Utah, this park is actually in the state of Colorado. You can see a ton of fossils still embedded in the rocks. It’s gorgeous out here!!! - Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
15807 Co Rd 1, Florissant, CO 80816
There are a vast amount of petrified remains in this area due to giant volcanic eruptions. Here, you’ll find all kinds of neat looking petrified redwoods and detailed fossils. - Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience
44895 W US-50, Cañon City, CO 81212
Featuring a custom build 16,000 sqft museum, this area is filled with all kinds of fun dino activities for the whole family, including a multi-story ropes course! - Dinosaur Journey Museum
550 Jurassic Ct, Fruita, CO 81521
This awesome museum has robotic displays of dinosaurs discovered in the area and features several hands-on experiences giving you an in-depth look into the world of these extinct beasts. - Garden Park Fossil Area
3501-3767 Garden Park Rd, Cañon City, CO 81212
Fossils have been excavated from this area for the last 130 years, and still going! This active research site features trails filled with interpretive displays that tell you about the fossils, rare plants, and other wildlife discovered there. - Delta County Museum
251 Meeker St, Delta, CO 81416
Want to see some bones up close? Check out the Delta County Museum; where you can check out the bones of 15 different animals excavated from the nearby Dry Mesa quarry site.
Colorado State Fossil
Did you know that Colorado has a state fossil? No? Well… We do. It’s the Stegosaurus. This 30ft long giant roamed the state of Colorado during the late Jurassic Period. It’s the perfect state fossil because some of the most important stegosaurus fossil discoveries have been made here in the state. What’s super cool is there are still a ton of bones and signs of these creatures everywhere around the state. You don’t have to travel far to see ‘em!
But anyways, there’s obviously a ton of places you can go to learn more about the time of the dinosaurs and their lives here in Colorado. Make sure to share your experiences with us after checking out all of these awesome places!
