Paleontology

Three young paleontologists examine a fossil, surrounded by tools.
Recent graduates with degrees in paleontology often come to Dinosaur to complete internships that often offer hands-on field or curatorial experience.

NPS / Jake Holgerson

Paleontology is the study of ancient life. It's a science that not only helps us determine what species have come before us, but also helps us understand how they lived, how they interacted with each other and their environment, and how they died. Dinosaur National Monument isn't just a place to see fossils, it's also a place where scientists come to find answers to critical questions about our planet's past. The more we learn about our planet's history, the more context we have to understand the impacts we make today as humans, and the better prepared we are for the challenges of the future.
 

Why Study Paleontology?

Paleontologists are the scientists who study ancient life. They learn what they know mostly through close examination of remnants of ancient life preserved in rock, known as fossils. Studying fossils helps scientists answer some crucial questions about life in the distant past:
  • How did different plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms interact with each other and their environment?
  • What did ancient paleoenvironments look like, and how did life survive?
  • How did climate change affect life in the past?
  • How did plants and animals evolve over time?
  • Why did some creatures go extinct when others didn't?
In order to answer these complex questions, paleontology often brings together scientists across many diverse fields, from geology, to hydrology, to botany, and more. This depth of interdisciplinary study is necessary to give us a nuanced picture of what the distant past was like.
 

Paleontology at Dinosaur

For over 100 years, visitors have come to Dinosaur to watch excavations and learn more about ancient life. Click through the links below to discover more about paleontology and related topics here at Dinosaur National Monument.
 
A digital painting of a lush habitat full of tropical plants, dinosaurs, and crocodilians.
Dinosaurs of Dinosaur

In a time before grass and flowers, before bees and butterflies, and even before the Rocky Mountains rose, dinosaurs called this place home.

A digital painting of a prehistoric pond scene featuring small Jurassic amphibians and reptiles.
Dinosaur Contemporaries

Not all creatures in the Mesozoic world were dinosaurs. Scientists have found several small species that shared the dinosaurs' rich habitat.

A fossilized Allosaurus skull in a glass case at the Quarry Exhibit Hall.
Museum Collections

Dinosaur has over 45,000 objects catalogued in its museum collections. They play a vital role in our understanding of the park's history.

A black and white photograph of two mules and a man in front of the Carnegie Quarry excavation site.
The Historic Carnegie Quarry

In 1909, paleontologist Earl Douglass uncovered the first bones of the Carnegie Quarry excavation site, now the Quarry Exhibit Hall.

Peering over a rocky outcrop, the camera looks down at a building built into a colorful hillside.
Morrison Formation

The Morrison Formation is a rock unit from the Late Jurassic Period. This rock layer is where most of the monument's dinosaurs were found.

Rafters clad in life jackets float down a river in a green National Park Service raft.
Science and Research

Scientific research is vital to protecting the natural and cultural wonders of our national parks. See what we're learning about Dinosaur.

Last updated: September 15, 2024

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

4545 Hwy 40
Dinosaur, CO 81610

Phone:

435 781-7700

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