Place

Fossil Discovery Trail - Quarry Hall Trailhead

Dinosaur National Monument

A pair of hikers walking up along stone steps through desert hillsides.
The Fossil Discovery Trail allows visitors to experience fossils in the desert landscapes.

NPS Photo/Dan Johnson

Quick Facts

Restroom, Trailhead

The Fossil Discorvery Trail is an easy 1.25 mile (2 km) one-way trail that connects the Quarry Visitor Center to the Quarry Exhibit Hall. The trail cuts through several tilted rock layers which expose a variety of rocks and three fossil areas. The Morrison Formation stop features an outcropping of several small fossil fragments and a few large pieces of dinosaur bones in their natural state, just as Earl Douglass found them in 1909.

Be prepared for desert hiking along this trail. There is not shade along the way, so bring a hat, sunscreen, and water. Pets are not allowed on the Fossil Discorvery Trail.

Last updated: June 21, 2022