Guide to visiting the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry at Jurassic National Monument

Lindsey and I visited the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry and Jurassic National Monument during our Memorial Day weekend road trip to Price, UT. In this guide, we will introduce you to the dinosaur quarry and also provide our recommendations for visiting this natural wonder.

You can read more about our Memorial Day weekend road trip to Price, UT by clicking the link below.

Memorial Day Weekend Road Trip to Price, UT

During our visit to Price, UT, we visited a national monument, saw real dinosaur bones, and hiked and biked through miles of scenic trails.

Keith and LindseyKeith Huster

What is the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry?

The Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is a world-famous quarry site where over 12,000 dinosaur bones have been excavated. The bones from this site are on display at museums all across the globe. Chances are that at least some of the bones in your local museum's dinosaur exhibit came from this quarry.

The quarry is still active at this time and many more fossils are being discovered each week. This is a rare opportunity for tourists to catch a glimpse of an actual working dinosaur dig site.

What to bring on your visit

The Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is located in a remote section of Southeastern Utah. Because of the remoteness, you will need to be prepared when visiting the quarry. Don't assume that you will be able to purchase or even find items that you may need once you are out there.

Below are our recommendations for what to bring on your trip.

• Fuel up your vehicle: There are no gas stations near the quarry.
• Sunscreen: There is very little shade throughout Jurassic National Monument and the sun can get scorchingly hot in the summer.
• Plenty of water: There is no potable water in the area. You must bring enough water for the entire day (plus the drive to and from the quarry) for you and your family.
• Picnic Lunch: The quarry has an excellent picnic area near the visitor center. Complete your trip with a picnic lunch and breathtaking views.
• Snacks for the trails: Keep you and your family members happy while hiking by having some snacks handy.
• Comfortable shoes for hiking: The hiking trails are rocky, sandy, and lined by cacti. Be sure to wear shoes that are comfortable and secure for hiking.

Getting to the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry

Driving out to the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is a mini-adventure in itself. The nearest major towns to the quarry are Price, UT (~30 miles north) and Green River, UT (~80 miles south). So, depending on which way you are heading be sure to top off your fuel and pick up any last-minute supplies from one of these two towns.

Regardless if you are coming from the north or south, Google Maps routes drivers to the north side of the quarry since this approach minimizes the amount of time spent on Utah dirt roads. When we visited the quarry, all of the dirt/gravel roads were well-graded and fairly smooth. This made for a nice backcountry drive! However, Utah's backroads can change quickly when inclement weather approaches. Be sure to check the weather forecasts before attempting to drive out to the quarry. You don't want to end up getting your vehicle stuck out in the desert.

What to expect when you arrive

Upon arrival, you will find a circular parking area next to the visitor center. Restrooms (i.e. pit toilets) are located in the outdoor picnic area next to the visitor center. The visitor center will be your mandatory first stop prior to visiting the quarry or hiking the trails. It is required that you enter the visitor center and show your America The Beautiful (National Parks) Pass or pay the $5 USD daily entrance fee. This is a national monument after all so the fees all go towards maintaining and preserving the area for future generations.

Be sure to take a few minutes to check out the exhibits and informational panels within the visitor center. Also, take time to speak with the park ranger on duty. They can provide you with information about the site and/or activity recommendations for you and your family. Also, there is a fun dinosaur bone puzzle to try to solve!

Visit the quarry before hiking in Jurassic National Monument

Once you have viewed the exhibits in the visitor center, it's time to head to the main attraction. The dinosaur quarry is located in the metal buildings behind the visitor center. When we visited, one of the buildings was completely closed off to tourists. The other building was open to tourists and contained a wonderful display of the dig site.

The display consists of both real and replica dinosaur bones. The replica bones are to show where actual dinosaur bones were found within the dig site. You can spot the replica bones as they are a much darker color than the surrounding bones and rocks.

The quarry display is small in size but is very powerful if you stop to think about it. It's hard to imagine that the bones you are looking at are millions of years old!

Hike throughout Jurassic National Monument

The area surrounding the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is known as Jurassic National Monument. There are three main trails that allow you to explore the area and take in some of the wonderful sites. Before you head out on the trails, be sure that you have enough water to hike for 30-90 minutes in the desert. There is no shade so be cautious of sun and heat exposure while hiking.

Start with the Rock Walk Trail

We recommend starting with the Rock Walk Trail which can be found next to the dinosaur quarry building. This trail is a 1.5-mile loop trail that meanders through the desert behind the visitor center. We visited the area in May and found many blooming flowers and cacti along the trail.

This trail is relatively easy and family-friendly. There are no steep inclines or declines and the trail is well marked. This is a great trail for the whole family. We do recommend that you keep a close eye on young children though so that they don't end up accidentally grabbing a cactus. There are several dinosaur statues along the trail to help keep children entertained.

The Rock Walk Trail loop ends near the start of our next recommended trail, Raptor Point.

Next, hike up to Raptor Point

The Raptor Point Trail is our favorite trail at Jurassic National Monument. Please be aware that this trail is much more difficult than the Rock Walk Trail. However, if you are up for the physical challenge the payoff is definitely worth it.

The Raptor Point Trail takes you straight up the side of the cliff line near the dinosaur quarry buildings. You will ascend roughly 200 ft in a short amount of time so be prepared to sweat a little as you work your way up to the top of the mesa. Once you reach the intersection of the Raptor Point and Rim Walk trails, follow the sign leading you out to the Raptor Point overlook.

This is where all your hard work pays off! You will have expansive, panoramic views of Jurassic National Monument and the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry. This is a great spot to stop for a few moments and just enjoy the view. Also, you might get lucky and catch a cool breeze.

Once you are done enjoying the views, you have two choices. You can either head back down the Raptor Point Trail and wrap up your day of hiking or you can start the third and final trail; the Rim Trail.

Finally, hike the Rim Trail

The Rim Trail, a 2-mile out-and-back trail, is the third and final trail in Jurassic National Monument. This trail is accessed near the top of the Raptor Point Trail. The Rim Trail runs along the cliff edge and provides scenic views of the surrounding valley and distant mountains.

For us, the Rim Trail was a nice opportunity to get a few more miles in for the day. However, it definitely wasn't the most exciting or spectacular trail that we have ever hiked. If you enjoy hiking then we would recommend that you take the time to check out the Rim Trail. However, if you only wanted the view from Raptor Point then we recommend skipping the Rim Trail.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the boulder field

Once you have completed your hikes for the day, you'll probably be a little tired and hungry. The picnic area near the visitor center provides a wonderful spot to rest and recuperate.

There are multiple picnic tables and some shelters strewn about throughout the boulder field. The restrooms, which you may have used when you first arrived, are also conveniently located in this area.

Wrapping up

We truly enjoyed our time exploring the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry and Jurassic National Monument. We hope that you get to experience this amazing archaeological site sometime soon. If you visit this site, please remember that it is an actual, working dinosaur quarry so please be respectful of all the surroundings while you are there. Also, who knows, you may get lucky and make the next great dinosaur discovery!

Have you ever visited the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry? Have you visited other dinosaurs quarries elsewhere in the world? Did we miss anything that you would recommend adding to this guide? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. 👇 💬