Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry

(The quarry is closed for renovations through Spring of 2006.)

Quick Facts
Location: Thirty miles south of Price, Utah off Highway 10
Facilities: Quarry & visitor's center, drinking water, restrooms, picnic tables
Activities at the Quarry: Guided and unguided tours, hiking
What's Nearby: camping and outdoor sports
Other info: This is a fee area

The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is one of the world's greatest unsolved puzzles. The quarry contains the densest concentration of Jurassic bones ever found and Earth's largest collections of Allosaurs. So what is the puzzle? The bones found at the quarry site are in great shape, yet the skeletons are all jumbled up! Jim Madsen, a dinosaur expert, said, "It was as if someone had dumped a bunch of dinosaur skeletons into a mud pit and then taken a big stick and mixed them all up." Researchers are pretty sure that didn't happen. But, they still haven't found a theory explaining how all of those bones got where they are.

As scientists try to solve this puzzle, come and enjoy the Cleveland-Lloyd dinosaur quarry. You will see real dinosaur bones embedded in the 147 million year-old mudstone.

The quarry astonishes - and delights - visitors with its irresistible combination of dinosaur bones, interesting geology, and colorful desert scenery. It is located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-managed public lands at the end of 13 miles of winding gravel road. Visitor center volunteers and BLM staffers make every effort to create an unforgettable experience for the 5,000 visitors who come to the quarry each year.

At the Quarry

Come inside. You have arrived! A warm welcome, and your visit to Jurassic Utah begins. Two metal buildings protect the exposed bone bed from weather and vandals. The quarry walk trail takes you to a door open in one of them. There in the mudstone beneath your feet are black bones preserved by the geologic processes of fossilization. The ranger can take you on a short-track tour if you wish or you may take a self-guided tour of the Rock Walk. Or perhaps you may take the trail up to Raptor Point to enjoy the view. Wow! This place is just amazing!

Picnic: Picnic tables and water are available, you bring the rest! Remember, no feeding the dinosaurs.

Hiking: The "Rock Walk" is a 1-1/2 mile interpretive footpath. The Raptor Point Trail is a mile and a quarter scenic hike up to a viewpoint overlooking the quarry site. The Rim Walk Trail leading south and west from the junction with the Raptor Point Trail is another scenic hike with dramatic views of both near and far. It is a two-mile round-trip hike through pinyon, juniper and sagebrush uplands. NOTE: Collection of vertebrate fossils including dinosaur material is illegal on all public lands.

Pets: Pets must be kept on leashes and under control at all times. Please clean up after them.

Nearby Amenities

If you enjoyed the quarry, you will love the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum, and the Museum of the San Rafael.

Huntington State Park, just north of Huntington on Hwy 10, offers camping with trailer hookups, showers, phone, and a small reservoir for fishing and boating. Cedar Mountain Recreation site, located near the top of Cedar Mountain, offers picnic tables, toilets and a panoramic view of the San Rafael Swell. The San Rafael Recreation Site, located by the San Rafael River, provides tent sites, toilets, tables and fire grills.

Dispersed camping is permitted on most BLM land (some areas are restricted). Please use a portable toilet, fire pan and carry in your own wood or camp stove. Keep all areas clean; even biodegradable materials such as paper can take years to deteriorate in the desert.

Find out more about the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry's surroundings and history.

Hours of Operation

Early March thru Memorial Day OPEN Weekends (Friday, Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m.)

Memorial Day thru Labor Day OPEN Daily Mon - Sat 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m.

September and October OPEN Weekends (Friday, Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m.)

User Fees

Adults: $3; Youth (ages 6 thru 17): $2; Children (5 and under): free
Golden Eagle passes do not apply to the user fee at Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry.

For more information phone: 435-636-3600 or visit the quarry's web pages: www.blm.gov/utah/price/quarry.htm and www.blm.gov/education/expert/4/index.html