National Monument · Colorado

Dinosaur National Monument

Dinosaur National Monument is an American national monument located on the southeast flank of the Uinta Mountains on the border between Colorado and Utah at the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers. Its setting is 5 mi northeast of Jensen. It is managed by the National Park Service. The 2025 count was 316K visitors.

Photo: Photo by Michael Overton., CC BY-SA 2.5

Visitors in 2025

316K

record 360K in 2021 · National Park Service

Busiest month

July

67% of visits Jun–Sep

Where

5 mi northeast of Jensen

1 place to stay in Jensen

Established

1915

National Park Service

In brief

A national monument, 5 mi northeast of Jensen

Winters are cold

January nights drop to 5°, with about 19" of snow a year. When to go ↓

67% of visits come in Jun–Sep

July is the busiest month, with about 65,152 visitors. January sees about 4,135. When to go ↓

You can sleep inside the park

3 places to stay are inside the park: Green River Campground and Split Mountain Campground. The nearest town with more is Vernal. Where to stay ↓

Summers are hot

July highs run 93–93°, and about 59 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓

Established in 1915

Dinosaur National Monument dates from 1915 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓

Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.

When to go

Crowds, highs and lows

Plan a visit to Dinosaur around the crowds and weather below.

Jan29° / 5°4.1K

Feb39° / 13°4.2K

Mar55° / 25°7.3K

Apr63° / 32°16K

May74° / 42°35K

Jun86° / 50°58K

Jul93° / 56°65K

Aug90° / 54°57K

Sep80° / 44°39K

Oct65° / 33°26K

Nov48° / 21°10K

Dec32° / 10°7.8K

Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average. Visitors: National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Jensen. Jensen’s full climate →

About

Dinosaur National Monument

Dinosaur National Monument is an American national monument located on the southeast flank of the Uinta Mountains on the border between Colorado and Utah at the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers. Although most of the monument area is in Moffat County, Colorado, the Dinosaur Quarry is located in Utah, north of the town of Jensen, Utah. The nearest Colorado town is Dinosaur while the nearest city is Vernal, Utah.

Type: National Monument
Established: 1915
Run by: National Park Service
Listed: International Dark Sky Park (2019)
Wikipedia readers: 39K a year
Official site: nps.gov/dino

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Facts: Wikidata.

Plan your visit

The essentials

Address11625 E 1500 S, Jensen, UT 84035(435) 781-7700

HoursAll dayThe outdoor areas in the monument is open 24 hours per day. Facilities such as visitor centers and the Quarry Exhibit Hall have specific hours of operation. Visit the Operating Hours & Seasons page for more information on facility hours. Some areas of the monument may close in the winter due to snow.

Entrance fees

Private Vehicle$25
Motorcycle$20
Per Person$15
Commercial Entrance - Van$50

Getting thereDinosaur National Monument is located on the Colorado and Utah border with parts of the monument in both states. Dinosaur fossils are only visible in the Utah portion of the monument, not on the Colorado side. The Quarry Visitor Center and Exhibit Hall (where you see the dinosaur fossils) are located approximately 7 miles north of Jensen, Utah. The Canyon V…

National Park Service. Check the park’s site for closures and alerts.

Where to stay

Bases for Dinosaur National Monument

You can sleep inside the park (3 places). Nearest for a night are Vernal (27) and Naples (3).

Visitor centerPark landHighways12Places to stay in town

1Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum

Inside the park

Stay in the park

3 places · 3 campgrounds

Green River Campground campground
Split Mountain Campground campground
Deerlodge Park Campground campground

20 min drive

Vernal

27 places to stay · 14 hotels · 4 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds · 3 RV parks

The closest town with somewhere to stay.

10,671 people

12 mi west of Quarry Visitor Center - Utah · 11 mi to the park

15 min drive

Naples

3 places to stay · 2 hotels · 1 motel

2,488 people

10 mi west of Quarry Visitor Center - Utah · 8 mi to the park

10 min drive

Jensen

1 place to stay · 1 RV park

258 people

5 mi southwest of Quarry Visitor Center - Utah · 4 mi to the park

Compare 8 towns

Town	From the visitor center	Drive	Places to stay	People	Typical home	Safety
Vernal	12 mi west	20 min	27 14 hotels · 4 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds · 3 RV parks	10,671	$253K	C⁻
Naples	10 mi west	15 min	3 2 hotels · 1 motel	2,488	$305K	B⁺
Jensen	5 mi southwest	10 min	1 1 RV park	258	—	—
Flaming Gorge 79% vacation homes	32 mi north	50 min	5 1 hotel · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park	21	—	—
Rangely	37 mi southeast	1 hr	7 1 hotel · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 3 RV parks	2,304	$187K	—
Dutch John 66% vacation homes	34 mi north	50 min	4 1 hotel · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins	135	—	—
Manila 69% vacation homes	44 mi northwest	1 hr	7 1 hotel · 3 motels · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park	317	$244K	—
Ballard	35 mi west	55 min	3 3 hotels	1,303	$272K	—

Getting there

Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center

VELVernal Regional11 mi

RKSSouthwest Wyoming Regional81 mi

GJTGrand Junction Regional100 mi

SLCSalt Lake City · major hub142 mi

Places to stay: Overture Maps (hotels, motels, inns, lodges, campgrounds, RV parks; not vacation rentals) · roads: Overture Maps / OpenStreetMap contributors · park boundary: National Park Service · town figures: U.S. Census ACS · Safety: TownRatings Safety grade · airports: OurAirports. Distances are from Quarry Visitor Center - Utah; drive times are estimates.

Make a day of it

Next door to Dinosaur

Pair a visit with these, within 29 miles.

129 mi MuseumUtah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum: An Errant Knight, CC BY-SA 4.0

Visitors

The 2025 count: 315,725

Visits each year from 2016 to 2025.

Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2021). National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits by calendar year.

Common questions

Questions people have about Dinosaur

What town is Dinosaur National Monument near?

Jensen, UT, about 5 miles southwest.

When is the best time to visit Dinosaur National Monument?

May and September, with highs of 74–80°. July is the busiest month (about 65,152 visitors).

How many people visit Dinosaur National Monument each year?

315,725 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 359,560, set in 2021.

What is the closest airport to Dinosaur National Monument?

Vernal Regional (VEL), about 11 miles away. The nearest big hub is Salt Lake City (SLC), about 142 miles.

Where should I stay near Dinosaur National Monument?

Inside the park: Green River Campground, Split Mountain Campground and Deerlodge Park Campground. Nearby: Vernal (12 mi, 27 places to stay), Naples (10 mi, 3 places to stay) and Flaming Gorge (32 mi, 5 places to stay).

From locals

Local tips in Jensen

Ask a question, or answer one, in Jensen’s Town Square.

When do you go to beat the crowds at Dinosaur? Where do you eat after a visit to Dinosaur? Is Dinosaur worth it with small kids? What do visitors to Dinosaur usually miss?

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.