Dinosaur Ridge

4.6(364)google

4.2(191)yelp

Free(Walking the outdoor dinosaur trackway trail is entirely free. Accessing the indoor Exhibit Hall costs $4, while the temporary Deep Time Detour exhibition tickets cost $10 for adults and $8 for children)

EducationalFamilyFossilsHiking

Overview

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. In 1877 Arthur Lakes, a clergyman, teacher, and amateur paleontologist from Golden, CO, and Henry Beckwith, a retired naval officer, discovered the first ever dinosaur material in the Morrison Formation at Dinosaur Ridge. The same year, excavation began under the direction of Yale paleontologist Dr.

Practical Info

Dinosaur Ridge, Colorado 80401, USA

Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours

Best TimeYear-round, though spring and autumn provide the finest weather for the outdoor paved walking trail. Aim for 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM; the morning sun hits the massive, tilted sandstone slab at an angle that creates deep shadows, perfectly defining the 300+ authentic Cretaceous dinosaur tracks and fossil bones embedded in the wall.

Getting ThereLocated in Morrison with the main visitor center at 16831 W Alameda Pkwy. Drive west from Denver on I-70 W, take Exit 259 for Morrison, merge south briefly, then make an immediate left eastbound onto W Alameda Pkwy. Drive 0.5 miles to the large paved customer parking lot. Guided shuttle bus tours up the ridge are available on-site.

Travel Tips

The core paleontology track, Dinosaur Ridge Trail, is a strictly gated, pedestrian-only asphalt thoroughfare where private vehicular entry is illegal. All drivers must route directly to the expansive complimentary lot at the Discovery Center (16831 W Alameda Pkwy) and either execute a 2-mile trek or buy official tour shuttle passes.
Classified as a highly sensitive National Natural Landmark, this ridge implements protective fossil ordinances. Scratching, scaling, touching, or stepping onto exposed fossiliferous sandstone walls is strictly illegal; triggering any electronic security perimeter prompts natural resource degradation charges and arrest.

Photo Tips

Best LightDocumenting the world-renowned Cretaceous dinosaur foot-prints along the exposed main Trackway slope mandates a tight morning window between 7:00 AM and 9:30 AM. Low-angle horizontal sunlight casts crisp geometric shadows into the deep indentations; harsh midday sun flattens all topographical relief entirely.

Reviews

Positive

Being able to see real dinosaur tracks and bone fossils embedded right in the rock face offers a visual impact unmatched by indoor museums.
Highly recommend taking the official shuttle tour; the guides are humorous, professional, and explain complex paleontology in simple terms.
The indoor Visitor Center is well-maintained, featuring interactive dinosaur exhibits that are highly engaging and fun for kids.
The main walking ridge is free to the public, providing excellent value for road-trippers who just want to walk along and see the fossil walls.

Heads up

If you choose to hike the ridge on foot, the entire path is a steep, completely unshaded asphalt road, making it brutal in the summer heat.
The shuttle buses suffer from long wait times during peak tourist seasons; missing your slot means waiting under the hot sun for the next opening.
While there are basic English interpretive signs near the fossils, the lack of multilingual translations makes it less friendly for foreign visitors.
The gift shop and snack counters inside the visitor center are overpriced, with standard water bottles and ice cream costing way more than in town.