Dinosaur Hill
The original fossil site where an Apatosaurus skeleton was excavated in 1901. A loop trail around the hill has interpretive signs, and there are views over the Colorado River.
Dinosaur Hill is a famous site in the history of paleontology. In 1901, Elmer Riggs of the Field Museum in Chicago excavated an Apatosaurus skeleton here, which is still on display at that museum. Today a loop trail of about 1.6 km circles the hill. Interpretive signs along the way explain the Morrison Formation and the history of the excavation. You can see the old excavation pits and look down on the Colorado River and the Colorado National Monument's red rock. Admission is free. The site lies beside State Highway 340 south of the town of Fruita and pairs well with a visit to Dinosaur Journey Museum.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Dinosaur Journey Museum
- Kokopelli Loops (Mary's Loop)
- Colorado National Monument
- Lunch Loop Trails (Tabeguache)
- Highline Lake State Park
- Colorado Riverfront Trail
- Downtown Grand Junction (Main Street)
- Museum of the West