Dinosaur Ridge
Dinosaur Ridge is a segment of the Dakota Hogback in the Morrison Fossil Area National Natural Landmark located in Jefferson County, Colorado, near the town of Morrison and just west of Denver. Top of the list nearby is Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 1 mi away. For mild weather, aim for May, June and September (70–81°F highs).
A museum, 3 mi north of Morrison
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 19°, with about 34" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Lakewood is the nearest base
Lakewood is 4 miles east, with 47 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun and Sep
May, June and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–81°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
A month-by-month look
Pick a month for Dinosaur Ridge from the weather below.
Dinosaur Ridge
Dinosaur Ridge is a segment of the Dakota Hogback in the Morrison Fossil Area National Natural Landmark located in Jefferson County, Colorado, near the town of Morrison and just west of Denver.
- Type
- Museum
- Listed
- National Natural Landmark
- Wikipedia readers
- 12K a year
Nights near Dinosaur Ridge
To stay close, try Denver (258) and Lakewood (47).
- 1Red Rocks Amphitheatre
- 2Empower Field at Mile High
- 3Ball Arena
- 4Coors Field
- 5Columbine Memorial
- 6Elitch Gardens Theme Park
- 7Lakeside Amusement Park
Denver
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
740,613 people
18 mi east of Dinosaur Ridge
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Dinosaur Ridge | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 18 mi east | 25 min | 258 213 hotels · 19 motels · 9 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 5 hostels · 7 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 740,613 | $616K | D− |
| Lakewood | 4 mi east | 5 min | 47 28 hotels · 16 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 156,927 | $574K | D− |
| Golden | 5 mi north | 5 min | 19 10 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 3 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 20,390 | $838K | C |
| Wheat Ridge | 8 mi northeast | 10 min | 15 11 hotels · 1 motel · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 32,081 | $623K | D |
| Westminster | 16 mi northeast | 25 min | 23 21 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 116,182 | $532K | D |
| Littleton | 11 mi southeast | 15 min | 11 6 hotels · 2 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 46,246 | $631K | C− |
| Aurora | 25 mi east | 40 min | 64 48 hotels · 8 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 410,053 | $469K | D− |
| Ken Caryl | 8 mi southeast | 10 min | 7 7 hotels | 33,233 | $600K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Nearby, too
These well-known places are within 59 miles.
Big draw1in town TheatreRed Rocks Amphitheatre
Big draw210 mi Stadium & arenaEmpower Field at Mile High
311 mi Stadium & arenaBall Arena
Big draw58 mi MountainPikes Peak
412 mi Stadium & arenaCoors Field
58 mi LandmarkColumbine Memorial
611 mi Theme parkElitch Gardens Theme Park
710 mi Theme parkLakeside Amusement ParkPhoto credits
Red Rocks Amphitheatre: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Empower Field at Mile High: Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ball Arena: KM Newnham, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Pikes Peak: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Coors Field: Matt Kozlowski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Columbine Memorial: Denverjeffrey, CC BY 3.0 · Elitch Gardens Theme Park: USGS, Public domain · Lakeside Amusement Park: Atjoe1972, CC BY-SA 3.0
Know before you visit Dinosaur Ridge
What town is Dinosaur Ridge near?
Morrison, CO, about 3 miles south.
When is the best time to visit Dinosaur Ridge?
May, June and September, with highs of 70–81°.
How far is Dinosaur Ridge from Colorado Springs?
About 60 miles southeast of Colorado Springs, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Dinosaur Ridge?
Rocky Mountain Metropolitan (BJC), about 17 miles away. The nearest big hub is Denver (DEN), about 30 miles.
Where should I stay near Dinosaur Ridge?
Denver (18 mi, 258 places to stay), Lakewood (4 mi, 47 places to stay) and Golden (5 mi, 19 places to stay).
Local tips in Morrison
People in Morrison have not posted tips yet; their Town Square is open.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.