6 cool places to see dinosaurs in Utah
One of the most awesome things about living in Utah is the fact that dinosaurs are a short drive away, and there are some great exhibits located across the state.
Many of the “famous” dinosaurs that are instantly recognizable have inhabited the lands around the Intermountain West, leaving a lot to the imagination about what this area looked like when these reptiles roamed. There was the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Allosaurus, the Brontosaurus, the Stegosaurus, and even the Utahraptor.
If you’re looking for a fun day trip, or are just interested in dinosaurs, check out these dinosaur exhibits and museums in Utah:
1. Natural History Museum of Utah
The Natural History Museum of Utah is located in Salt Lake City, at the Rio Tinto Center on the University of Utah campus.
At the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Gallery, you can see how Utah’s ancient landscapes have changed over the years, along with life that has inhabited the area. Displays involving the senses are brought to life, including the diverse range of animals and plants, and you can even become a “paleontologist for a day” in the museum’s dinosaur dig.
There are over 30 skeletons on display, and the museum also has a display of 14 horned dinosaur skulls.
301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City
http://nhmu.utah.edu/
2. Dinosaur National Monument
OK, technically part of Dinosaur National Monument is in Colorado (Dinosaur, CO to be precise), but it’s just a quick trip up U.S. Highway 40 to Utah State Highway 149. The Visitor Center is two miles east of Dinosaur, CO, and is open late spring through early fall. The western portion of the monument is in Utah, and the Yampa and Green rivers carve out some majestic canyons for spectacular views.
Dinosaur National Monument was established in 1915, and now protects nearly 210,900 acres of fossils. Paleontologists still conduct research in the area, and in 2010 a team from Brigham Young University, the University of Michigan and researchers from Dinosaur National Monument uncovered a new dinosaur called the Abydosaurus mcintoshi, which is a large herbivore.
http://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm
3. The Ogden George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park
Prehistoric animals that are native to Utah are on display at Ogden’s George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park. You’ll find the Utahraptor, Parasaurolophus and Triceratops, as well as marine animals and a 20-foot high Tyrannosaurus on display.
The Park also has hands-on exhibits to let you actually experience prehistoric life with your hands, and a real, working paleontology lab.
Located near the mouth of Ogden Canyon, the Park is just a short trip away, and features more than 100 creatures from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. You can also experience sounds like footsteps and snapping trees, which make the exhibits really spring to life.
1544 E. Park Blvd., Ogden
http://www.dinosaurpark.org
4. The BYU Museum of Paleontology
Did you realize dinosaur bones used to be kept under the bleachers at LaVell Edwards Stadium? Since the BYU Earth Science Museum of Paleontology was expanded, the collections have been moved from the stadium to the museum, and are on display in the collections room
Built in 1976, the museum features rocks and dinosaur fossils gathered from locations across Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and Montana. According to BYU, about 25-thousand visitors come each year to see how dinosaur fossils are prepared, and to learn about Utah’s rich history and connection with these creatures.
The museum has displays like a dinosaur egg with an x-ray of the embryo inside, dinosaur skeletons and skulls, dinosaur skin fossils and a collection of minerals.
1683 N. Canyon Rd., Provo
http://geology.byu.edu/museum/
5. St. George Dinosaur Discovery at Johnson Farm
Now, this place has a pretty interesting back story.
The former owner of the land at this site, Dr. Sheldon Johnson, was trying to level the area in Feb. 2000, and flipped over a rock slap.
What he found probably took him by surprise– dinosaur tracks!
The tracks were left on slabs of sandstone dating back to the beginning of the Jurassic Period, and can be found at Johnson Farms. More than 3,500 tracks have already been found across 10 acres, and this area is also home to a rare dinosaur “butt impression”, which is one of only 5 in the world. How neat is that?
2180 East Riverside Drive, St. George
http://www.dinosite.org/
6. Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point
What list of dinosaur bones in Utah could be complete without mentioning the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point? Not to mention the fact that there are lots of great attractions you could also visit, like the Museum of Natural Curiosity, the Thanksgiving Point Gardens, and the movie theater next door to wrap up a perfect day.
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