Jurassic National Monument

Seasonal Openings and Closures

The Jurassic National Monument opened for the 2024 season on Thursday, March 28.

The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act designated the current Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry visitor center to expand to an 850-acre national monument.

Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry

Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry (CLDQ) at Jurassic National Monument contains the densest concentration of Jurassic-aged dinosaur bones ever found. Over 12,000 bones (belonging to at least 74 individual dinosaurs) have been excavated at the quarry. Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry has helped paleontologists learn a great deal about the Jurassic period, yet the site presents at least as many mysteries as it helps to solve. Curiously, more than 75 percent of the bones come from carnivores, primarily Allosaurus fragilis. With more than 46 individual specimens of Allosaurus, scientists have been able to deduce much about how Allosaurus aged and compare individuals to better understand intraspecies diversity. Yet the sheer density of bones raises many questions. How did the carcasses of so many animals end up in one place, and why are most of them meat-eaters? While many good hypotheses have been presented, they all still have major flaws - the mystery has yet to be solved.

Directions

The quarry is located in the northern part of the San Rafael Swell, 33 miles south of Price, Utah.

Mileage to the Quarry:

Price .......................................... 33
Huntington ................................ 21
Elmo ......................................... 13
Cleveland ................................. 13
Grand Junction, Colorado ........ 199
Moab ........................................ 147
Vernal ...................................... 146

Salt Lake City .......................... 147

FROM PRICE:  Take Hwy 10 south to the Cleveland/Elmo turnoff and follow the signs.  The last 12 miles are on a graded, unpaved road.* 

FROM HUNTINGTON:  Follow Hwy 10 north and take the Cleveland turnoff.  In Cleveland, go south toward the San Rafael Swell and follow the signs.  The last 13 miles are on a graded, unpaved road.*

*These unpaved roads may be hazardous or impassable when wet.     

Be Prepared

Utah is notorious for hot spring, summer and fall days with temperatures ranging from 80 - 100+ degrees. As a result, visitors to remote Utah landscapes should be prepared with plenty of water, sunscreen, and a sun-shielding hat. 

The Quarry is located in the northern San Rafael Swell, which is very remote without easy access to gas-stations, restaurants, hospitals, or vehicle repair shops. Have a map and a full tank of gas when driving into the swell, a map, and be wary of the weather. The swell is prone to flash flooding - do not park in washes and avoid muddy, slick roads. 

The Quarry provides outstanding opportunities to walk to rock art sites, dinosaur excavations, scenic vistas, and intriguing geologic strata. Come prepared with close-toed hiking or running shoes. 

Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry provides on-site picnic tables. Leashed pets are allowed outdoors. Please bring your own water as there is no potable water at the site.

Accessibility Description (ABA/ADA)

Click the photo above to view more photos of accessible features at this site.

The parking lot for the Monument is compacted gravel. The 2 parking spots marked as accessible are next to the museum building. Both spots are wide enough for vehicles with a side lift or ramp for mobility devices. There is limited to no cellphone service, and no running water, at the site.

A concrete pathway leads from the parking area to the museum. Several benches without arms sit near the entrance to the museum. The path also leads to 2 unisex accessible vault toilets, interpretive signs, and an unsheltered picnic table with an extended top to accommodate wheelchair users. Improvements to expand access to nearby picnic areas and outdoor tactile exhibits are planned for fall 2024.

Inside the museum is a staffed desk, interpretive signs, dinosaur bones, and other tactile exhibits, but no restroom. Wide paths and ramps take visitors through the exhibits, some of which might be partially obstructed for visitors in wheelchairs and scooters.

Out the manual-push back door is a 4-foot-wide concrete pathway that leads to an Allosaurus sculpture and 2 quarry buildings, only 1 of which is open to the public. Although both the upper and lower platforms in the quarry building are accessible to visitors using wheelchairs or other mobility devices, they may require assistance with the manual-open door. Interpretive signs in the quarry buildings and next to the sculpture are viewable by mobility device users.

The concrete path near the quarry buildings connects to two accessible 3-foot-wide concrete trails. An unnamed loop trail that is relatively flat and .16 miles long takes visitors past a Stegosaurus sculpture and interpretive signs. Another trail, called the Jurassic Journey Trail, is 1.2 miles long. It has some steeper grades.

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