10 reasons Utah is the world's best dinosaur destination

There's just something about dinosaurs that captivates people of all ages. It seems like every little kid goes through a dino phase, complete with plastic figurines, lunch boxes, backpacks and any other thunder lizard-themed merchandise available.

That fascination never truly fades. When you think about the wild success of the "Jurassic Park" movie franchise, it's clear that Hollywood is on to something: People love dinosaurs. After all, what's not enthralling about giant, man-eating reptiles that used to roam the earth millions of years ago?

Well, it's a big, bold claim to make — but Utah truly might be the world's best dinosaur destination. Nowhere else do you get such easy access to actual dinosaur tracks, active digs, fossils you can touch and world-class museums all in one state. It truly is a dino lover's dream.

Here are 10 things that make Utah stand out as the best dinosaur destination around.

It has one of the world's most famous dinosaur fossil sites

Make your way to northeastern Utah, and you'll come across one of the most famous dinosaur sites in the world. Dinosaur National Monument is a federally protected area of land that straddles the Utah-Colorado border, but the most intriguing part is arguably the quarry on Utah's side.

The Quarry Exhibit Hall in Jensen features a two-story rock face with over 1,500 dinosaur bones embedded in the stone. Paleontologists discovered these bones in 1909, so what you see is exactly where nature put them. Some of the dinosaur bones you'll spot include Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus and Stegosaurus.

You can touch dinosaur bones still in the ground

Apart from just looking at dinosaur bones, you can actually touch them here, too. The Quarry Exhibit Hall allows visitors to touch 150-million-year-old fossils preserved exactly where paleontologists uncovered them.

East-central Utah is also home to Jurassic National Monument, which features the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry. This is another spot where kids and grown-ups can get their hands on real-life fossils.

There are dinosaur footprints everywhere

One of the coolest things about Utah is the abundance of dinosaur tracks throughout the state. There are the bigger go-to places like St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site, Mill Canyon Tracksite and Red Fleet State Park. But there are some in other places that are a little more off the beaten path.

Several years ago, KSL compiled a list of these sites, which you can read about here.

Several dinosaurs were discovered in Utah

Many people already know about the famous Utahraptor (more on that later), but the list of local dino discoveries doesn't stop there. Other species found only in Utah include Kosmoceratops, Lythronax, Falcarius, Abydosaurus and several others.

Dino discoveries are still ongoing

The exciting thing about dinosaur history in Utah is that researchers are still writing it. National Geographic notes that scientists haven't even discovered most dinosaur species yet — which explains why new ones keep popping up every year. In 2010 alone, paleontologists discovered eight new species of dinosaurs in Utah.

The Utah Geological Survey reports Utah is famous for its dinosaur fossils and discoveries, ranking second only to China in the total number of species found. That's a dino-sized bragging right.

You get access to world-class dinosaur museums

While it's fun to venture out into the land where dinosaurs once trod, you don't have to bake in the sun to enjoy them. In addition to natural sites, Utah is also home to several world-class dinosaur museums.

In northern Utah alone, you'll find:

• The Natural History Museum of Utah. Its world-renowned fossil collection includes one of the largest collections of Allosaurus fossils and skeletons.
• The Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point. This museum features one of the world's largest displays of fully mounted dinosaur skeletons, as well as plenty of hands-on activities for the entire family to enjoy.
• The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum. Walk through an outdoor trail with full-size dinosaur statues so you can see what ancient life might have looked like.
• Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park. From full-scale models to animatronic exhibits and a dino-themed playground, this is a must-see spot for dino lovers of all ages.
• The BYU Museum of Paleontology. Not only can you see a massive collection of fossils, but visitors can also catch a glimpse of researchers and students working on delicate specimens in real time.

But that just scratches the surface. The Utah Office of Tourism has a longer list of options spanning the entire state, if you want to take your explorations farther from home.

Utah's most famous dinosaur has its own state park

Utah is currently the only state to have a state park named after one specific dinosaur that's native to the region.

Utahraptor State Park officially opened on May 23, 2025, making it the 46th and newest state park in Utah. Located about 15 miles northwest of Moab, state officials wanted to protect this land from fossil looting and preserve its unique paleontological history. According to the Utah State Parks website, paleontologists believe this site is home to more than 100,000 bones waiting to be discovered.

Utahraptor has a fun connection to Hollywood's biggest dinosaur franchise

Speaking of the Utahraptor, here's a fun fact for film enthusiasts: According to the Natural History Museum of Utah, it has a link to "Jurassic Park."

Paleontologists discovered the Utahraptor in 1991, right around the time "Jurassic Park" was in development. The real Velociraptor was only about the size of a turkey — far less formidable than the ferocious man-eaters shown in the film. But the Utahraptor stood much bigger at about 20 feet long and five feet tall at the hip.

Filmmakers took creative liberties to portray the movie's raptors as a bigger threat, but the discovery of Utahraptor proved that giant raptors actually roamed the earth.

You can take the ultimate dino road trip

Utah gets a lot of attention for its "Mighty 5" national parks. But the famous Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway might deserve just as much praise.

Because the state is such a dinosaur hotbed, you can actually turn your dino-sighting adventures into a scenic road trip. The diamond is 512 miles long and travels through Utah's Uinta Basin, Castle Country, Canyon Country and Colorado's Western Slope. The Utah Office of Tourism says that this is great for families, empty nesters, couples and groups, with spring through fall offering the best visiting conditions.

You can even combine it with your national park trips.

Dinosaurs are a part of Utah's identity

By now, you've uncovered more than enough evidence that Utah is the best dinosaur destination in the world. But if you need more proof, just look around. Dinosaurs are embedded into Utah's very identity. It's one of just 10 states to identify a state dinosaur (the Utahraptor, of course) and it also has a state fossil (Allosaurus).

Beyond that, you'll find many dinosaur-themed playgrounds, roadside fossils and statues, local festivals and events, dinosaur gift shops and several other small museums and stores that prove dinos are center stage in the Beehive State.

Now get out there and start exploring! Maybe you'll discover something new.

Utah's most unique and best dining in out-of-the-way places

According to the National Restaurant Association, 6,415 restaurants are located throughout the state. From north to south in Utah, you can find a good bite to eat just about anywhere. Here are a handful of the many places worth checking out if you're out exploring a new part of the state.

Siegfried & Jensen

Since 1990, Siegfried & Jensen have been helping the people of Utah and surrounding states who have suffered needless injuries and death caused by car accidents, truck accidents, medical malpractice, defective drugs, dog bites, wrongful death, and other types of personal injury.

The firm is committed to keeping Utah families and communities safe by ensuring wrongdoers are held accountable. While a lawsuit isn't always the answer when it is needed, having someone on your side can mean the difference between declaring bankruptcy and rebuilding your life and moving forward, especially when you're up against an insurance company or a hospital.

Siegfried & Jensen has represented more than 35,000 clients and recovered over $1.2 billion for them.