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. Backcountry camping requires a permit. Camping at Ely Creek requires advanced reservations. No pets allowed.
2-10 Hours
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!
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.
30-120 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. Petroglyphs and pictographs are fragile, irreplaceable records of the past that many still hold sacred. Don't touch, trace, or take rubbings of them as it ruins the designs. This site is protected by federal law. Leashed pets are allowed.
10-30 Minutes
The Plug Hat Butte picnic area is located along Harpers Corner Road on the Colorado side of the monument.
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.
45-120 Minutes
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. A pamphlet for this trail is available at the Visitor Centers. The trail is typically inaccessible in winter. No pets allowed.
1-2 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. Near the end, a short descent rewards hikers with a breathtaking views of Split Mountain Canyon and the Green River below. No pets allowed.
4-12 Hours
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.
15-45 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. This is typically a good hike for small children. Keep kids close, and watch for poison ivy. No pets allowed.
20-60 Minutes
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. This trail climbs to a bench above the river and offers dramatic views of Spilt Mountain, the Green River, and Cub Creek Valley. In spring, the slopes may be briefly covered with an array of wildflowers. Leashed pets are allowed.
1-3 Hours
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. Keep kids close, and watch for poison ivy. No pets allowed.
30-90 Minutes
3.2 miles (5.1 km) round trip loop. Moderate to difficult. The Sound of Silence Trail takes hikers through the geologic diversity of Dinosaur National Monument. Hikers encounter a variety of terrain, including an intermittent stream bed, upturned rock layers, desert badlands, and slickrock. A short rock scramble is required. There is no shade on this trail. No pets allowed.
1-3 Hours
2.5 mile (4 km) round trip, out and back trail. Easy to moderate difficulty. The Fossil Discovery Trail gives visitors an opportunity to explore a variety of rock layers and see unexcavated fossils as they are often found by paleontologists. The most famous of these rock layers is the Morrison Formation, which contains dinosaur fossils. No pets allowed.
30-90 Minutes
The Quarry Exhibit Hall allows visitors to view the wall of approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones in a refurbished, comfortable space.
30-240 Minutes
3 miles (4.8 km) round trip. Difficult. Bull Canyon is a steep, unmaintained trail in a remote section of the monument. It begins on the Yampa Bench Road and takes hikers into the Harding Hole area along the Yampa River. River users can use the trail to access other scenic overlooks. The campsites at Harding Hole are reserved for rivergoers during the high-use river season. Permits are required for overnight camping. No pets allowed.
1-5 Hours
1.7 miles (2.7 km) round trip loop trail. Moderate difficulty. The Desert Voices Trail starts at Split Mountain. It wanders through valleys and over rocky outcrops, offering dramatic views of the surrounding landscape. No pets allowed.
1-3 Hours
Many visitors to Dinosaur National Monument are often surprised by the variety of wildlife that lives here.
The 14 mile (23 km) unpaved Echo Park Road takes drivers into the heart of Dinosaur National Monument. This rugged road begins along the Harpers Corner Road, winds through scenic canyon country, and ends near the banks of the Green River at Echo Park. High-clearance vehicles with all-wheel-drive (AWD) are strongly recommended. RVs and trailers are not advised. The road is impassable when wet.
1-4 Hours
The Island Park Road is an 18 mile (29 km) unpaved road that starts outside of Dinosaur National Monument and ends inside the park near the Ruple Ranch Site. The first 10 miles (16 km) are located outside of the park. The last 8 miles (13 km) reveal beautiful petroglyph panels at McKee Spring, a secluded campground at Rainbow Park, and stellar views of the Green River from Island Park. High-clearance vehicles are strongly recommended. The road is impassable when wet.
2-4 Hours
Harpers Corner Scenic Drive is a 31 mile (50 km) paved road that offers wheelchair-accessible overlooks with spectacular views of Dinosaur's rivers and canyons. Along the way, visitors can enjoy picnic areas, as well as several paved paths and hiking trails. The road is accessible for most vehicles when clear of ice and snow. Harpers Corner Road is closed in winter, and reopens in spring when conditions allow.
2-4 Hours
Bicycling is allowed on any road within Dinosaur National Monument, but is not allowed on any trails. Paved roads within the monument are narrow, and often have no shoulders. Bicyclists should take proper measures to stay safe, and bring plenty of water in summer.
The 18 mile (29 km) unpaved Yampa Bench Road offers visitors a look into the quieter side of Dinosaur. Running along a "bench" of land high above the Yampa River, visitors can experience incredible views and historic sites. High-clearance, four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles are strongly recommended for this rugged road. The road is impassable when wet.
2-6 Hours
This 10 mile (16) km paved tour along the Cub Creek Road in Utah provides a great introduction to Dinosaur National Monument. Take the Tour of Tilted Rocks to enjoy sweeping geology, historic homesteads, petroglyphs and pictographs, hiking trails, campgrounds, and scenic vistas! The road is usually accessible for passenger cars. Seasonal closures may affect the last 4 miles (6 km) of the road.
1-4 Hours
Dinosaur has been recognized as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Skies Association. Much of the monument provides opportunities to view the night skies. The Split Mountain Campground has a designated night sky viewing area and is where the monument hosts night sky viewing programs.
10-240 Minutes
Dinosaur National Monument allows fishing as a means of providing for public enjoyment, and customary and traditional use, and regulates fishing to ensure that it is managed in a manner that avoids unacceptable impacts to park resources.
Information on scenic drives
1-10 Hours
River Rafting Information
1-6 Days