Want an Exciting Family Vacation? Visit a Dinosaur!

Okay, so last year’s vacation was to Disney World. The year before that it was Disneyland. And the year before that it was … Disney World. Ready for a change? How about visiting a dinosaur this time?

The state of Utah is home to the biggest concentration of dinosaur exhibits in the United States, so no matter where in Utah you visit, you’re probably a day trip away from walking in the path of a prehistoric dinosaur.

Vernal, in northeastern Utah, is known as “Dinosaurland,” and is home to the largest quarry of prehistoric Jurassic dinosaur bones. Although currently closed for repairs, the Quarry at Dinosaur National Monument has on display over 2,000 dinosaur fossils embedded and exposed in sandstone. The Quarry boasts that they provide more complete skeletons, skulls, and bones of dinosaurs than any other quarry in the world. Visitors to The Dinosaur National Monument have over 200,000 acres of land on which to hike, fish, camp and river raft.

If you want to see life-size replicas of dinosaurs, the Utah Field House of Natural History Museum near Vernal has a dinosaur garden with 17 life-size replicas of dinosaurs, including a 20-foot tall Tyrannosaurus. You can also view displays of ancient fossil skeletal reproductions, archaeological and geological exhibits, fluorescent minerals and other aspects of the nearby Uinta Mountains and Uinta Basin.

While Dinosaurland near Vernal is thought of as ‘the” dinosaur vacation spot, there are other areas in Utah where you can view dinosaur fossils. Also located in Northeastern Utah is the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, one of the world’s best fossil sites. Formed about 147 million years ago, the quarry is open daily during the summer and on a shorter schedule during the spring and fall.

Some of the other more noteworthy dinosaur spots around Utah are:

Ogden, Utah

Ogden is located thirty-five miles north of Salt Lake City on the banks of the Weber River, and is home to a many dinosaur exhibits, including Ogden's Historic Union Station’s Gem and Mineral Museum at 2501 Wall Ave. Here you’ll find one of the world’s oldest dinosaur eggs, estimated to be around 120 million years old. That’s right, this egg’s not for scrambling. The egg, however, was not discovered in the Utah area, but, rather, in China and later donated to the museum. There are several dinosaur bones, eggs and tracks from North America on display.

Another good dinosaur exhibit near Ogden is the North American Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point. Here you’ll find more than near Ogden is home to the world's largest dinosaur museum, the North American Museum of Ancient Life. With more than 60 mounted dinosaur skeletons and thousands of ancient fossils. You’ll also find a six-story movie screen and theater, which features 3-D movies and specialty films.

Moab, Utah

If your travels take you to Moab, you have a few wonderful opportunities to view dinosaur fossils up close. Just 13 miles north of Moab you can walk The Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail, a self-guided trail where you can walk among dinosaur fossils and actual dinosaur tracks left in the sedimentary rocks.

Moab has two exhibits with displays on archaeology, paleontology and dinosaur bones. These are the visitor center at Dead Horse Point State Park north of Moab on SR 313, and the Dan O’Laurie Museum, 118 East Center Street.

For a truly unforgettable family vacation, dinosaur trekking through Utah is a must-do. Remember, however, that fossils are protected, which means you cannot remove them from the environment. The only thing you should be removing from your hikes through Utah is your own trash. Be sure to leave all fossils ad plant life undisturbed.