References to dragon bones date back thousands of years, but the first scientific descriptions of dinosaurs began to emerge in the early 1800s. Before the word dinosaur existed, huge fossil bones and teeth set off a new era of scientific exploration. Found throughout the world, dinosaur fossil remnants still stir our imaginations.
   Here at the Dinosaur National Monument visitors will find the largest quarry of Jurassic period fossils ever discovered. More than 350 tons of rock and fossils have been excavated on site, including full dinosaur skeletons. Employing specialized building practices, the park's Quarry Visitor Center was totally rebuilt and reopened after being closed for over five years. For dinosaur fans, the 150-foot-long quarry wall is peppered with more than 1,500 fossilized bones. This window through time reveals a period when dinosaurs roamed the rivers and plains of Utah and Colorado.
   Besides dinosaur bones and fossil fragments, the Dinosaur National Monument’s great outdoors offer plenty of room for recreation and exploration. Deep canyons, sculpted mountains, and brisk flowing rivers are another part of the lure of the park's 200,000 acres. Exciting Green River rafting trips, backcountry hiking trails and miles of rugged scenic drives lead park visitors to some of the best viewpoints of these rugged canyonlands. Ancient petroglyphs, a historic log cabin and a maze of sharp-sided canyons are more of what you can expect on the Utah-Colorado Border.

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