Dinosaur Ridge

In 1877 a schoolteacher named Arthur Lakes was walking the ridge near Morrison when he spotted enormous bones weathering out of the sandstone. His discovery, and others made the same year, set off one of the most famous rivalries in the history of science, the so-called Bone Wars between paleontologists Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope, who raced to name new dinosaurs from the western quarries.

The Morrison quarries produced some of the first well-known American dinosaurs, including Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Allosaurus, and gave their name to the Morrison Formation, the great band of Jurassic rock that runs across much of the West and holds fossils from Colorado to Utah and beyond. The very rock unit paleontologists still study by that name was defined here at the ridge.

The far side of the ridge exposes a younger chapter. About 100 million years ago, in the Cretaceous, a shallow inland sea covered much of the continent, and its western shoreline ran right through here. Along that muddy coast, dinosaurs left footprints that dried and were buried and eventually turned to stone. Today one famous slab, tilted up nearly vertical, shows hundreds of tracks crossing in different directions, a place scientists call the Dinosaur Ridge trackway.

You can see the difference between the round, elephant-like prints of plant-eating ornithopods and the three-toed tracks of meat-eaters, and read the direction a herd was moving across the old shore. Ripple marks preserved in the same rock record the gentle waves of that vanished sea, so the slab captures not just the animals but the beach they walked on.

Dinosaur Ridge is part of a hogback, a narrow ridge of hard, resistant rock left standing after the softer layers around it wore away. The layers here were laid down flat, on floodplains and along a seashore, then tilted steeply when the modern Rocky Mountains pushed up along the Front Range tens of millions of years ago. That tilting is what stood the ancient ground surfaces up on edge so we can walk past them.

Because the rock is tipped, a short walk along the ridge is a walk through millions of years of time, from the Jurassic bone beds on one side to the Cretaceous shoreline and its tracks on the other. Signs along the road point out each layer, so the whole ridge reads like an open book of the region's deep past.

The ridge sits at the mouth of Morrison, a small, historic foothills town of stone buildings and creekside cafes where the Great Plains give way to the mountains. The town has long been a gateway to the high country, and its old buildings are built from the same golden sandstone that shows up in the ridge itself.

Just to the west rises Red Rocks, the famous natural amphitheater set among towering slabs of red sandstone, part of the same tilted geology on a grander scale. Between the tracks, the quarries, the town, and Red Rocks, the corner around Dinosaur Ridge packs a lot of Colorado into a small area an easy drive from Denver.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Dinosaur Ridge, near Morrison just west of Denver, Colorado, is a world-famous paleontological site where visitors can see genuine dinosaur footprints and fossil bones preserved in the rock right along a historic ridge. One of the best-known dinosaur track sites in the world, it features hundreds of footprints, bones exposed in the rock face, and ripple marks and other geological features, all interpreted through guided tours, a visitor center, and exhibits. Offering an accessible and fascinating look at prehistoric life and the famous Morrison Formation, Dinosaur Ridge is a beloved and educational destination for dinosaur enthusiasts and families in the Front Range foothills.

You can see real dinosaur footprints preserved in the rock, fossil dinosaur bones exposed in the ridge, ancient ripple marks and geological features, and interpretive exhibits explaining the prehistoric world and the famous fossil discoveries made here. You can explore on a self-guided walk along the road or take a guided bus tour with a knowledgeable interpreter, and the visitor center offers displays and fossils. The chance to see actual dinosaur tracks and bones in place makes it especially memorable. With its authentic fossils, tracks, and educational tours, Dinosaur Ridge offers a fascinating outing for all ages.

You can visit Dinosaur Ridge by taking a guided bus tour along the ridge road with an interpreter who explains the tracks, bones, and geology, or by walking or biking the road yourself on a self-guided visit using signs and exhibits, though the road can have vehicle traffic, so caution is needed. The visitor center provides information, exhibits, and tour details. Guided tours offer the fullest experience and are popular, so checking current tour options, times, and any reservations before you go is wise. Choosing between a guided tour and a self-guided walk lets you tailor your visit.

Spring through fall offers the most pleasant weather for the outdoor site, with mild temperatures for walking or touring the ridge, while summer can be warm and sunny on the exposed rock, so sun protection and water are wise, and winter is cooler with possible snow or ice. Mornings are pleasant and less crowded. Checking current tour schedules and hours before you go helps you plan. For the most comfortable experience exploring the tracks and bones, aim for the milder months from spring through fall, ideally on a clear day.

Dinosaur Ridge is near Morrison just west of Denver, close to the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the town of Golden with its history and brewery, Lookout Mountain, and the Front Range foothills, with downtown Denver a short drive east. That makes Dinosaur Ridge a fascinating stop to combine with Red Rocks, Golden, Lookout Mountain, and the many other attractions of the Denver area and Front Range on a visit to Colorado.