National Monument · Colorado, Utah · est. 1915

Dinosaur National Monument

150 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed here. Their fossils are still embedded in the rocks. Today, mountains, desert, and rivers flowing in canyons support a variety of life. Petroglyphs reveal the lives and connections of Indigenous people to this land. Homesteaders and outlaws found refuge here. Whether your passion is science, adventure, history, or scenery, Dinosaur offers much to explore.

$25 per vehicle Open 24 hours a day Cashless park 6 campgrounds 3 visitor centersDark Sky Place

Photos: National Park Service

2alerts
active

Echo Park Road and Campground Closure

Rainbow Park Closure

All 2 alerts ↓

1fire
active

D1 Pondo Rx (prescribed burn) · 42 mi from the park point · 532 acres

Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-14

Incident details ↓

Alerts

Closure
Echo Park Road and Campground Closure
The last five miles of Echo Park Road are temporarily closed to motorized vehicles from the junction with Yampa Bench Road to Echo Park Campground due to significant storm damage. The Echo Park Campground is also temporarily closed because of road damage. Current weather forecasts are predicting significant additional rainfall beginning October 10, 2026.
Closure
Rainbow Park Closure
The Rainbow Park Road, Rainbow Park Campground, and Rainbow Park Boat Ramp are closed as of September 25, 2026 due to significant storm damage until repairs are completed, likely through spring of 2027. The 3/4-mile Rainbow Park Road is closed to vehicles from the junction with the Island Park Road to the Rainbow Park Campground and boat ramp. The Island Park Road remains open to Ruple Ranch.

Fire nearby

Prescribed
D1 Pondo Rx
42 mi from the park's reference point · 532 acres

Within 50 miles, as of 2026-10-14. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Check the park's alerts and the managing office before you drive.

Fees & passes

Type	Covers	Cost
Private VehicleAdmits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15 passenger capacity or less) and all its occupants. Admission is good for seven consecutive days. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.	Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15 passenger capacity or less) and all its occupants. Admission is good for seven consecutive days. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.	$25
MotorcycleValid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.	Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.	$20
Per PersonAdmits one individual with no car. Typically used for bicyclists, hikers, and pedestrians. Youth 15 and under are admitted free. Admission is good for seven consecutive days. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.	Admits one individual with no car. Typically used for bicyclists, hikers, and pedestrians. Youth 15 and under are admitted free. Admission is good for seven consecutive days. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.	$15
Non-commercial GroupsNon-commercial group fees (per vehicle): Vehicle capacity of 15 or less: $25 Vehicle capacity of 16-25: $15 per person age 16 and older, not to exceed $60. Vehicle capacity of 26+: $15 per person age 16 and older, not to exceed $150. You may use Annual and Lifetime passes. A pass will cover the pass holder and up to three people traveling with the group. Pass is valid for reentry for 7 days.	Non-commercial group fees (per vehicle): Vehicle capacity of 15 or less: $25 Vehicle capacity of 16-25: $15 per person age 16 and older, not to exceed $60. Vehicle capacity of 26+: $15 per person age 16 and older, not to exceed $150. You may use Annual and Lifetime passes. A pass will cover the pass holder and up to three people traveling with the group. Pass is valid for reentry for 7 days.	$25
Education/Academic GroupsNational Park Service regulations allow school groups and other bona fide national and international academic institutions to obtain a waiver for park entrance fees, provided that the visit is for educational or scientific purposes, and the resources or facilities the group proposes to use support those purposes. Fee waivers must be obtained in advance and cannot be issued at the entrance…	National Park Service regulations allow school groups and other bona fide national and international academic institutions to obtain a waiver for park entrance fees, provided that the visit is for educational or scientific purposes, and the resources or facilities the group proposes to use support those purposes. Fee waivers must be obtained in advance and cannot be issued at the entrance…	Free
Commercial tours · by vehicle capacity
VanPass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	$50
Mini-busPass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	$60
Motor CoachPass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	$150
SedanPass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	$25
Per PersonPass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service.	$15
Passes
Annual Entrance - ParkAvailable to U.S. citizens and residents, only. Valid for one year through the month of purchase. Pass admits up to 15 passengers of a single, private (non-commercial) vehicle or up to 2 motorcycles (including passengers), or passholder and 3 persons walking in.	Available to U.S. citizens and residents, only. Valid for one year through the month of purchase. Pass admits up to 15 passengers of a single, private (non-commercial) vehicle or up to 2 motorcycles (including passengers), or passholder and 3 persons walking in.	$45

From the park

Standard Entrance Passes to Dinosaur National Monument are valid for seven consecutive days. Standard Entrance Passes do not cover camping or other use fees such as river permit fees.

Buy the $80 America the Beautiful pass, not this park's $45 annual pass, unless this is the only park you will see all year. It covers entrance at every federal site for 12 months. Compare the passes

Hours

Dinosaur National Monument Hours

Daily · All Day

When to go

Month by month, 1979 to 2025 →

July draws the most visits here and February the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.

Bars are the average recreation visits in each month over 2021 to 2025. The line is the average temperature at Dinosaur 2 E, 18 miles from the park's reference point at 6,062 feet, station USW00094082 in the NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals. The lower panel is monthly rain from the same station, which publishes no snowfall normal.

See every month and year since 1979.

Campgrounds

Split Mountain Group Campground	Reservable · Flush toilets · Potable water · Cell reception	5 sites
$40 a night · The Split Mountain Campground is open all year, all day. Water is only available seasonally.
Green River Campground	Reservable · Flush toilets · Potable water · Cell reception	81 sites
$24 a night · The Green River Campground is located along the banks of the Green River in a grove of cottonwood trees at an elevation of 4795 (4162 feet). · 54 reservable, 27 first-come
Rainbow Park Campground	Reservable · Vault toilets · Tent sites	5 sites
$12 a night · Rainbow Park Campground is open year-round, but there is no winter maintenance on the unpaved road.
Echo Park Campground	Reservable · Vault toilets · Potable water · Tent sites	23 sites
$14 a night · Echo Park Campground is open year-round, but access is dependent on weather. The entire 13-mile (21 km) Echo Park Road is unpaved and impassable when wet.
Deerlodge Park Campground	First-come · Vault toilets · Potable water · Tent sites	8 sites
$14 a night · Operating Hours and Seasons for campground

Show all 6 campgrounds

Gates of Lodore Campground	Reservable · Vault toilets · Potable water	21 sites
$14 a night · The Gates of Lodore Campground is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week, year round. Access in the winter may be difficult due to snow and road conditions.

Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works

Visitor centers

Canyon Visitor Center - Colorado ↗Passport stamp
Located near Dinosaur, Colorado, at the base of the Harpers Corner Road, the Canyon Visitor Center is the gateway to the monument's mountains and river canyons. This building is open in summer and closed during the winter.
Quarry Visitor Center - Utah ↗Passport stamp
Located 7 miles (11 km) north of Jensen, Utah, off Highway 149, the Quarry Visitor Center is the gateway to the Quarry Exhibit Hall and the wall of dinosaur bones. This facility features a staffed information desk, gift shop, and theater with a 12-minute park film.
Quarry Exhibit Hall - Utah ↗
The Quarry Exhibit Hall is where you can see a wall of approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones. This includes the remains of numerous species, such as Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus, and Stegosaurus.

At a glance

Established: Oct 4, 1915
States: Colorado, Utah
Designation: National Monument
Coordinates: 40.5074° N, 108.9334° W
Campgrounds: 6
Visitor centers: 3
Visitors (2025): 315,725
Phone: (435) 781-7700

Cell signal

Verizon: no reported coverage
AT&T: 5G (fast)
T-Mobile: 4G LTE

Outdoor coverage as modeled by carriers in FCC filings as of 2025-12-31, at the park's reference point and its campgrounds. Terrain and trees change everything. This product uses FCC APIs and/or Data but is not endorsed or certified by the FCC.

Official links

All 12 links

Sister site

Campgrounds at Dinosaur National Monument

Every campground on federal land, whether it takes reservations or is first come.

Open Campsite Atlas →

Sister site

John Wesley Powell

Every national wildlife refuge, wilderness area, national forest and BLM monument.

Open Wilderness Atlas →

Built from official data and refreshed daily. This site is independent and is not affiliated with the National Park Service. Confirm anything critical on the official park page before you travel. How the data is built

Explore

Things to do

Hike the Jones Hole Trail2-10 Hours
8.5 miles (13.6 km) round trip, out and back trail. Jones Hole Trail is a popular hike along a babbling brook near the northwest corner of Dinosaur National Monument. The creek offers good trout fishing. A Utah State fishing license is required.
Opens on the Park Service site
Be a Dinosaur Junior Ranger
Junior Rangers help to "Explore, Learn, and Protect" our national parks. Anyone can be a Junior Ranger! Once you learn about the monument and the amazing resources found here, you will be able to share your knowledge with friends and family!
Opens on the Park Service site
Hike the Confluence Trail30-120 Minutes
1.25 miles (2 km) round trip, out and back trail. Easy. The Confluence Trail provides a short and easy walk to the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers at Echo Park. No pets allowed.
Opens on the Park Service site
Hike to the Swelter Shelter Petroglyphs10-30 Minutes
400 feet (122 m) out and back trail. Easy. This short hike to Swelter Shelter offers visitors an opportunity to view a variety of petroglyphs and pictographs very close to the road.
Opens on the Park Service site
Picnicking in Dinosaur
The Plug Hat Butte picnic area is located along Harpers Corner Road on the Colorado side of the monument.
Opens on the Park Service site
Hike the Gates of Lodore Trail45-120 Minutes
1 mile (1.6 km) round trip, out and back trail. Easy. The Gates of Lodore Trail is a short but scenic walk to a view of the Green River as it enters the Canyon of Lodore. A trail booklet is available at the Visitor Centers. No pets allowed.
Opens on the Park Service site

Show all 12

Hike the Harpers Corner Trail1-2 Hours
2 miles (3.2 km) round trip, out and back trail. Moderate difficulty. The Harpers Corner Trail runs along a narrow ridge to a spectacular viewpoint with views of the rivers far below. Along the way, hikers can gaze across the remote canyon country.
Opens on the Park Service site
Hike the Ruple Point Trail4-12 Hours
9.2 miles (14.8 km) round trip, out and back trail. Moderate to difficult. For most of its length, Ruple Point Trail crosses a rolling terrain filled with sagebrush and juniper.
Opens on the Park Service site
Hike the Plug Hat Trail15-45 Minutes
0.25 miles (0.4 km) round trip loop trail. Easy. The Plug Hat Trail offers scenic views of Dinosaur's rugged landscape from atop a sandstone butte. This trail is paved and wheelchair accessible. Leashed pets are allowed.
Opens on the Park Service site
Hike the Box Canyon Trail20-60 Minutes
0.25 miles (0.4 km) round trip, out and back trail. Easy. The Box Canyon Trail is a relatively level and shady walk into a dead-end canyon. The trailhead is located on the north side of the parking area for the Josie Morris Cabin.
Opens on the Park Service site
Hike the River Trail at Dinosaur National Monument1-3 Hours
3 miles (4.8 km) round trip, out and back trail. Moderate difficulty. The River Trail in Dinosaur National Monument connects the Split Mountain and Green River campgrounds.
Opens on the Park Service site
Hike the Hog Canyon Trail30-90 Minutes
1.5 miles (2.4 km) round trip, out and back trail. Easy. The Hog Canyon Trail is a pleasant hike into a box canyon near the Josie Morris Cabin. The trail is relatively flat and shaded, typically good for small children.
Opens on the Park Service site

Films

Vitrual Hike: Fossil Discovery Trail · 9.5 min · on NPS.gov ↗

Welcome to the Quarry Exhibit Hall · 8.7 min · on NPS.gov ↗

National Park Service productions, public domain.

Webcams

Camera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies

News

Dinosaur National Monument Implements Stage 2 Fire Restrictions ↗2026-06-23
Superintendent Phil Akers announced today that restrictions on open fires will go into effect on Friday June 26, 2026, at 12:01 am.

Map

Interactive map by the National Park Service

Historic landmarks nearby

All Colorado landmarks on Register Atlas →

National Historic Landmark · 20 mi

Quarry Visitor Center

Built 1958Open to visit

Public land nearby

All of it on Wilderness Atlas →

National Conservation Lands unit · 8.7 mi

John Wesley Powell

BLM29,478 acres

National Wildlife Refuge · 18.6 mi

Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge

FWS12,104 acres

National Forest · 35.5 mi

Ashley National Forest

FS1,401,248 acres

Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.

Guidebooks for Dinosaur National Monument and Colorado's national parks

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

FalconGuides® to Dinosaur National Monument
Jane Gildart, 2023
Find at Bookshop.org
Guide to the Green and Yampa Rivers in Dinosaur National Monument
Duwain Whitis and Barbara Vinson, 2013
Find at Bookshop.org
Best hikes Rocky Mountain National Park
Kent Dannen, 2020
Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.

Reference

Wildlife

271

Bird species

Mammal species

Species seen this month

Seen this monthGolden Eagle 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist

Full checklist: 271 birds, 68 mammals

Birds

Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Burrowing Owl · Cooper's Hawk · Ferruginous Hawk · Flammulated Owl · Golden Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Long-eared Owl · Merlin · Northern Harrier · Northern Pygmy-Owl · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Prairie Falcon · Red-tailed Hawk · Rough-legged Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Short-eared Owl · Spotted Owl · Swainson's Hawk · Turkey Vulture · Western Screech-Owl

Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Bittern · American Coot · American White Pelican · American Wigeon · Barrow's Goldeneye · Black-crowned Night-Heron · Blue-winged Teal · Bufflehead · Canada Goose · Cattle Egret · Cinnamon Teal · Clark's Grebe · Common Goldeneye · Common Loon · Common Merganser · Double-crested Cormorant · Eared Grebe · Great Blue Heron · Great Egret · Greater Scaup · Greater White-fronted Goose · Green Heron · Green-winged Teal · Hooded Merganser · Horned Grebe · Lesser Scaup · Long-tailed Duck · Northern Pintail · Pied-billed Grebe · Red-breasted Merganser · Ring-necked Duck · Ruddy Duck · Sandhill Crane · Snow Goose · Snowy Egret · Trumpeter Swan · Tundra Swan · Virginia Rail · Western Grebe · White-faced Ibis

Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Avocet · Baird's Sandpiper · Black Tern · Black-bellied Plover · Bonaparte's Gull · California Gull · Caspian Tern · Forster's Tern · Franklin's Gull · Greater Yellowlegs · Killdeer · Least Sandpiper · Lesser Yellowlegs · Long-billed Curlew · Long-billed Dowitcher · Marbled Godwit · Mountain Plover · Pectoral Sandpiper · Red-necked Phalarope · Sabine's Gull · Semipalmated Plover · Semipalmated Sandpiper · Spotted Sandpiper · Stilt Sandpiper · Upland Sandpiper · Western Sandpiper · Willet · Wilson's Phalarope · Wilson's Snipe

Gamebirds & dovesBlue Grouse · California Quail · Eurasian Collared-Dove · Gambel's Quail · Greater Sage-Grouse · Mourning Dove · Ring-necked Pheasant · Rock Pigeon · Ruffed Grouse · Wild Turkey

WoodpeckersAmerican Three-toed Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Lewis's Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Red-naped Sapsucker · Williamson's Sapsucker

Hummingbirds & swiftsBlack-chinned Hummingbird · Blue-throated Hummingbird · Broad-tailed Hummingbird · Calliope Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · White-throated Swift

Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Dipper · American Goldfinch · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Audubon's Warbler · Bank Swallow · Barn Swallow · Belted Kingfisher · Bewick's Wren · Black Rosy-Finch · Black-billed Magpie · Black-capped Chickadee · Black-headed Grosbeak · Black-necked Stilt · Black-throated Gray Warbler · Black-throated Sparrow · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Bobolink · Bohemian Waxwing · Brewer's Blackbird · Brewer's Sparrow · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-capped Rosy-Finch · Brown-headed Cowbird · Bullock's Oriole · Bushtit · Canvasback · Canyon Wren · Cape May Warbler · Cassin's Finch · Cassin's Kingbird · Cassin's Vireo · Cedar Waxwing · Chipping Sparrow · Chukar · Clark's Nutcracker · Clay-colored Sparrow · Cliff Swallow · Common Grackle · Common Nighthawk · Common Poorwill · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Cordilleran Flycatcher · Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed) · Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) · Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) · Dusky Flycatcher · Eastern Kingbird · European Starling · Evening Grosbeak · Fox Sparrow · Gadwall · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Grasshopper Sparrow · Gray Catbird · Gray Flycatcher · Gray Jay · Gray Vireo · Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch · Great-tailed Grackle · Green-tailed Towhee · Hammond's Flycatcher · Harris's Sparrow · Hermit Thrush · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Juniper Titmouse · Lapland Longspur · Lark Bunting · Lark Sparrow · Lazuli Bunting · Lesser Goldfinch · Lincoln's Sparrow · Loggerhead Shrike · MacGillivray's Warbler · Mallard · Marsh Wren · Mountain Bluebird · Mountain Chickadee · Myrtle's Warbler · Nashville Warbler · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · Northern Shrike · Northern Waterthrush · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Orange-crowned Warbler · Ovenbird · Pacific-slope Flycatcher · Pine Grosbeak · Pine Siskin · Pinyon Jay · Plumbeous Vireo · Purple Martin · Pygmy Nuthatch · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-winged Blackbird · Redhead · Rock Wren · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Sage Thrasher · Sagebrush Sparrow · Savannah Sparrow · Say's Phoebe · Scott's Oriole · Snow Bunting · Song Sparrow · Sora · Spotted Towhee · Steller's Jay · Swainson's Thrush · Tennessee Warbler · Townsend's Solitaire · Townsend's Warbler · Tree Swallow · Veery · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Virginia's Warbler · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Tanager · Western Wood-Pewee · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-throated Sparrow · White-winged Scoter · Willow Flycatcher · Wilson's Warbler · Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay · Worm-eating Warbler · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-headed Blackbird

Mammals

Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · Black-tailed Jackrabbit · Bushy-tailed Woodrat · Canyon Mouse · Cliff Chipmunk · Common Muskrat · Deer Mouse · Desert Cottontail · Dwarf Shrew · Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel · Great Basin Pocket Mouse · Hopi Chipmunk · Least Chipmunk · Long-tailed Vole · Merriam's Shrew · Montane Shrew · Montane Vole · Mountain Cottontail · North American Porcupine · Northern Grasshopper Mouse · Northern Pocket Gopher · Olive-backed Pocket Mouse · Ord's Kangaroo Rat · Pinon Mouse · Red Squirrel · Rock Squirrel · Sagebrush Vole · Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel · Western Harvest Mouse · White-tailed Jackrabbit · White-tailed Prairie Dog · Wyoming Ground Squirrel · Yellow-bellied Marmot

PredatorsAmerican Badger · American Black Bear · American Mink · Bobcat · Coyote · Gray Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · Mountain Lion · Northern Raccoon · Northern River Otter · Red Fox · Ringtail · Striped Skunk · Western Spotted Skunk

Hoofed mammalsBighorn Sheep · Elk · Moose · Mule Deer · Pronghorn

BatsBig Brown Bat · Big Free-tailed Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · California Myotis · Fringed Myotis · Hoary Bat · Little Brown Myotis · Long-eared Myotis · Long-legged Myotis · Pallid Bat · Silver-haired Bat · Spotted Bat · Townsend's Big-eared Bat · Western Pipistrelle · Western Small-footed Myotis · Yuma Myotis

Weather & climate

Dinosaur's climate is semiarid with temperatures averaging between 0°F to 30°F in January and 50°F to 100°F in July. Extreme winter low temperatures may reach -40°F and summer highs can top 110°F. Elevations within the park vary between 4,700 and 9,000 feet. Winter snow may be heavy at higher elevations while only light to moderate snow is found at lower elevations. Summer thunderstorms may cause heavy downpours and localized flooding, but fail to dampen parched soils less than a mile away.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to enter Dinosaur?

Entrance is $25 per private vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bike. Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15 passenger capacity or less) and all its occupants.

Source: National Park Service

Which passes work at Dinosaur?

The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Dinosaur-only annual pass is $45.

Source: Is the pass worth it

Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?

No. Dinosaur takes cards only at the entrance.

Source: National Park Service

When is entrance to Dinosaur free?

Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.

Source: Free entrance days

Do I need a reservation to enter Dinosaur?

No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Dinosaur. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.

Source: National Park Service

Is Dinosaur open year-round?

Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.

Source: National Park Service

Can I camp in Dinosaur?

Yes. The Park Service lists 6 campgrounds in Dinosaur: Split Mountain Group, Green River, Rainbow Park, Echo Park, and Deerlodge Park, and more. 5 take reservations through Recreation.gov; 1 is first-come, first-served.

Source: Every campground, on Campsite Atlas

Do any Dinosaur campgrounds have hookups or showers?

No. None of the 6 listed campgrounds report showers, electric hookups, or a dump station.

Source: Campgrounds

Do camping fees at Dinosaur include the entrance fee?

No. Camping is charged per night on top of the entrance fee or a pass; Split Mountain Group is $40 a night.

Source: Campgrounds

Is anything closed at Dinosaur right now?

2 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Echo Park Road and Campground Closure; Rainbow Park Closure.

Source: Alerts

How busy is Dinosaur?

315,725 recreation visits in 2025, number 147 of 387 units that report visitation.

Source: Most visited parks

Is there cell service at Dinosaur?

At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show AT&T 5G and T-Mobile 4G LTE. No reported coverage for Verizon. Coverage inside the park varies by location.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

Follow this park

Alerts feed (RSS): Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
Add dates to your calendar (.ics file): Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.