Dinosaur Attractions in the Southwest
from WorldWeb.com Travel Guide

Ceolophysis Model: Petrified Forest National Park1

Imagine a world of towering carnivores battling over fallen prey, shrieking pterodons gliding through the air, long-necked herbivores reaching for plants several stories high, and 50-foot marine creatures pillaging the sea for their next meal. This was the landscape of Earth during the Mesozoic Era, also known as the Age of the Dinosaurs, which spanned from roughly 250 to 65 million years ago. Since English geologist William Buckland first recognized fossilized elements as evidence of giant extinct reptiles in 1824, dinosaurs have captivated the imagination of people of all ages across the globe. Although mankind will never have the chance to see living dinosaurs—except, arguably, some types of birds that are considered descendants of dinosaurs—these fascinating creatures have left behind a trove of fossils, in which invaluable information about their existence is buried. Through various techniques of fossil analysis, paleontologists have gleaned an incredible wealth of knowledge about dinosaurs, and new discoveries continue to be made each year.

	Placerias Skeleton: Petrified Forest National Park2

Dinosaurs lived the world over, but certain areas, including the southwestern United States, are particularly rich in fossils. From fossils and skeletal models to animated replicas and Age of the Dinosaurs murals, the southwestern United States is rife with attractions that beckon visitors to journey back to one of the most intriguing times in Earth's history. The states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico present a diverse array of prehistoric and dinosaur-related attractions that excite the imaginations of visitors both young and old. See fossils being prepared for display in a working paleontology lab, walk through a replica dinosaur park complete with realistic audio sounds, participate in a dinosaur fossil dig led by a professional paleontologist or browse the bounty of exhibits illuminating just about anything a hungry mind could hope to know about the dinosaurs.

Although the Age of the Dinosaurs is without a doubt one of the most captivating times in Earth's history, the southwestern United States offers the opportunity for visitors to explore a range of other types of prehistoric attractions as well, from Ice Age fossils to petrified forests. Dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures are the fodder for imaginary journeys and children's fantasies, but they have a quality far beyond these things, because unlike fairy tales and myths, they recall a world that was, at one time, very real. The following list of attractions, although far from exhaustive, is the perfect starting point for visitors wishing to tour some of the most interesting sights in the world related to dinosaurs and prehistoric life. The Age of the Dinosaurs and beyond is waiting to be discovered in the southwestern United States.

Approximate Timeline of the Eras, Periods and Epochs of the Age of the Dinosaurs and Recent Prehistoric Life Mesozoic Era: The Age of Reptiles Triassic Period – 248 to 206 MYA Jurassic Period – 206 to 144 MYA Cretaceous Period – 144 to 65 MYA Cenzoic Era: The Age of Mammals Tertiary Period – 66 to 1.8 MYA Paleocene Epoch – 66 to 55 MYA Eocene Epoch – 55 to 34 MYA Oligocene Epoch – 34 to 24 MYA Miocene Epoch – 24 to 5 MYA Pliocene Epoch – 5 to 1.8 MYA Quarternary Period – 1.8 MYA to present Pleistocene Epoch – 1.8 MYA to 10,000 YA Holocene Epoch – 10,000 YA to present MYA = Millions of Years Ago YA = Years Ago

EXTINCTION

Roughly 65 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period, dinosaurs suddenly became extinct. The cause of their demise is still unclear, although a number of dinosaur extinction theories have been proposed. Scientific tests to decide which theory is the most probable are extremely difficult to conduct.

The argument that dinosaur extinction had something to do with global climate changes is widely supported and manifests itself in several theories. Many scientists believe the Asteroid Collision Theory, which proposes that the Earth was struck by a massive asteroid some 65.5 million years ago. As a result, a long and unnatural drop in earth's atmospheric temperature occured, rendering life unsustainable for the dinosaurs. A theory somewhat similar to the Asteroid Collision Theory suggests that a stream of comets was dislodged from the Oort Cloud—a shell of icy comets in very loose orbits around the Sun—due to gravitational forces from a passing star, also causing the earth's temperature to rise and leading to the extinction of the species. Other scientists believe that environmental changes on the planet are the source of dinosaur extinction, as decreased volcanic activity led to a cooling trend and caused oxygen levels to fluctuate, resulting in the demise of many species. Another theory is related to shifts in the positions of continents and seas resulting from plate tectonics, which caused the seaways—at the time large and shallow bodies of water that covered extensive areas of the continents—to retreat back into the ocean. As the seas pulled back, global climates became more extreme, conditions that may not have been tolerable for the dinosaurs.

Extinction theories outside the realm of global climate change exist as well. Some scientists believe that early mammals out-competed the dinosaurs for food and resources, and may have been responsible for eating dinosaur eggs. Other hypotheses include that dinosaurs got hay fever from flowering plants, or that they simply became too big to survive. While theories of dinosaur extinction are still fervently debated, new studies and discoveries continue to shed light on the mystery of their disappearance.

Bronze Dinosaur Duel Sculpture: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County3

ATTRACTIONS

California

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles
Dinosaurs are well represented at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Some of the most impressive items on display at this Los Angeles museum include the cast of a complete mamenchisaurus skeleton—the longest-necked dinosaur discovered to date—as well as a spectacular tyrannosaurus rex skull and two dramatic models depicting an allosaurus and a carnotaurus. At the museum's Ralph M. Parsons Discovery Center, children of all ages can take fossil rubbings from a realistic-looking rock wall and learn from the Discovery Boxes—full of various educational activities. In addition to permanent exhibitions, the museum often showcases special temporary exhibits that delve into a range of subjects pertaining to natural history.

	Page Museum4

Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles
One of the world's most famous fossil excavation locales is La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, a site recognized for its incredibly large and diverse bounty of Ice Age plants and animals. Over one million bones representing more than 230 species have been recovered since 1906. Page Museum is the showcase for the fascinating fossils recovered at La Brea Tar Pits, and it is estimated that the museum's collection contains roughly three million items. Over 30 exhibits are on display at the museum, including reconstructed animal skeletons and robotic sculptures, hands-on displays, painted murals of past environments, and films. Visitors also have the exciting opportunity to peer through the windows at the Page Museum Laboratory and watch bones being cleaned and repaired. For a more palpable journey through life in the Los Angeles area between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago, explore the life-size replicas of extinct mammals at Hancock Park, located just outside the museum.

Petrified Forest California, Calistoga
Dubbed one of the finest examples of a Pliocene Period fossil forest in the world, the Petrified Forest in Calistoga showcases some of the world's largest petrified trees. The site features a trail that takes visitors back in time more than three million years on a journey through the forest of petrified redwoods. Learn about the area's volcanic activity and the petrification of the forest on guided walking tours led by a naturalist docent. Situated in Calistoga in Napa Valley, the Petrified Forest makes for an interesting stop while visiting the area's many wineries.

Triceratops Model: Las Vegas Natural History Museum5

Nevada

Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, Ione
In 1928, fossilized remains of ichthyosaurs—prehistoric marine reptiles—were discovered on the land that is now Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, located southeast of Ione, Nevada. Ichothyosaur fossils are found on all continents except Antarctica, but what makes the fossils found at this park special is that they are among the largest known specimens in existence, spanning up to 50 ft (15 m) in length. Since excavations began in 1954, roughly 40 ichthyosaurs fossils have been found at the park. Visitors have the opportunity to learn about this fascinating Age of the Dinosaurs creature while encountering the actual excavation conditions of modern paleontology on a guided 40-minute tour, which is offered Monday to Friday from Memorial Day (late May) to Labor Day (early September).

Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Las Vegas
Visitors—especially children—are often struck with awe as they peer up at the 35-foot-long tyrannosaurus rex model found at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum. The mechanical dinosaur even lowers its head and roars at passing museum-goers. Other dinosaurs on display at this facility include a triceratops, an ankylosaurus, the ocean-dwelling ichthyosaur and a ferocious raptor. A trip to the museum's Mirage Young Scientist Center proves to be an educational adventure, offering kids the chance to dig for fossils, study animal tracks and observe a paleontology lab.

	Quarry Fossil Wall Section: Dinosaur National Monument6

Utah

Dinosaur National Monument, Jensen
Fossil bones left by creatures that lived nearly 150 million years ago are housed at Dinosaur National Monument. A special feature of the park is the Douglass Quarry at the Dinosaur Quarry Visitor Center near Jensen, Utah, where visitors can see over 1500 fossils exposed in the cliff as they were naturally deposited. Recognized for its wealth of complete dinosaur skeletons, well-preserved dinosaur skulls, juvenile dinosaur specimens and diversity of species, Douglass Quarry yields one of the best snapshots of Jurassic Period dinosaurs in the world. In addition to the quarry wall, visitors can explore several exhibits, a paleontology lab and a bookstore at the Dinosaur Quarry Visitor Center, which is the only place to view fossils in the park.

Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, Price
For visitors to grasp the richness of fossils found at Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, it suffices to say that over 12,000 bones have been excavated, and discoveries made at the site are on display at over 60 museums around the world. Visitors have the chance to experience the fossils—still encased in the earth and partially exposed—along a catwalk that showcases one of the most concentrated collections of Jurassic Period dinosaur bones on earth. The facility's visitor center, which displays a mounted allosaur skeleton and three wall-mounted dinosaurs, presents information about the history of the quarry and some of the dinosaur fossils found on site. The quarry is located 30 mi (48 km) south of Price in central Utah.

Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point7

The North American Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point, Lehi
One of the largest dinosaur museums in the world is The North American Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. Over 60 mounted dinosaur skeletons, thousands of ancient fossils, hands-on learning exhibits and a six-story movie screen make this museum an attraction not to be missed. The museum journeys through the various prehistoric eras, showcasing an array of creatures each step of the way. Visitors are immersed in the world of paleontology at the museum's South Hall, where paleontologists can be seen preparing fossils in the lab. Exhibits featured at the museum examine how dinosaurs are excavated, how the earth has changed over time and the importance of fossils. Children especially appreciate the range of dinosaur-related games waiting to be played, such as Build-your-own Dinosaur, Dinosaur Trivia and Dinosaur Pictionary.

Utah Field House of Natural History State Museum, Vernal
Come face to face with a 20-foot-tall tyrannosaurus and a meat-eating coelophysis, see ancient fossil skeleton reproductions and tour a number of archaeological and geological exhibits at the Utah Field House of Natural History in Vernal. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by the massive diplodocus skeleton spanning 90 ft (27 m) from head to tail, an impressive relic from one of the larger Jurassic Period herbivores. The museum's Jurassic gallery takes visitors back 145 million years, showcasing three remarkable skeletons: the stegosaurus, the haplocanthosaurus and the allosaurus. Visitors can also take in the short film, Uinta Fossil Journey - Stories in Stone, which follows the adventures of paleontologists on a day in the field at two fossil digs. A must-see, the facility's dinosaur garden boasts 17 life-size prehistoric creature replicas that line the garden paths.

	Allosaurus Model: Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park8

Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park and Elizabeth Dee Shaw Stewart Dinosaur Museum, Ogden
Be immersed in the world as it might have been 200 million years ago at Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden, where life-size replicas and audio sounds set in a natural environment offer visitors a palpable journey back to the time of the dinosaurs. The roars of ferocious meat-eaters, the calls of pterodons flying through the air and the crash of trees brought down by mighty herbivores are just a few of the sounds that bring over 100 realistic sculptures ranging from marine creatures to flying reptiles to life. See the 45-foot-long, 20-foot-high tyrannosaurus standing over its fallen prey, and a fight scene between an allosaurus and a diplodocus. At the education center, kids of all ages can learn about dinosaurs through activities and exhibits. Also located on site is the Elizabeth Dee Shaw Steward Dinosaur Museum, which showcases a range of dinosaur displays and hands-on exhibits for visitors of all ages.

Arizona

Dinosaur Park, Holbrook
Established in 1999, Dinosaur Park is located adjacent to the Petrified National Forest and showcases 14 concrete prehistoric creatures crafted by local artisans. For a small admission fee, travelers can drive through the park and see the towering, life-size re-creations up close. The park's gift shop is dominated by a life-size, rubber-skinned tyrannosaurus rex sculpture.

Petrified Wood: Petrified Forest National Park9

Petrified Forest National Park, Holbrook
Located just east of Holbrook, Petrified Forest National Park attracts visitors with historic structures, archaeological sites, one of the world's largest and most colorful collections of petrified wood, and fossil displays dating back 225 million years. Small dinosaurs, crocodile-like reptiles and enormous fish-eating amphibians inhabited the area during the Late Triassic Period—roughly 225 million years ago—when the park was a vast floodplain. Today, the park is an invaluable source of information about life on earth when the Age of the Dinosaurs began. The park's Rainbow Forest Museum is an ideal place to learn about this fascinating time in earth's history, as it showcases a number of exhibits displaying dinosaur, reptile and petrified wood fossils, and offers information about the discoveries made at the park. Twenty-minute talks given by park rangers are another way to learn about a range of topics related to the park.

	Tyrannosaurus Rex Model: Dinosaur Journey Museum10

Colorado

Dinosaur Journey Museum, Fruita
The Museum of Western Colorado operates the Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita, which offers a variety of current exhibits and information pertaining to dinosaur excavations, as well as a working paleontology laboratory. From animated robotic dinosaurs to full-scale dinosaur skeletons, the museum features a number of interesting exhibits. The museum also offers youngsters and their families the unique opportunity to participate in one- and five-day summer dinosaur digs in the dinosaur-rich area near Fruita, which can yield a variety of different species. The five-day expeditions journey to sites illuminating various facets of paleontology and past dinosaur life. Participants in the expeditions work with tools in the paleontology lab, see dinosaur footprints at Cactus Park Early Jurassic Track Site, tour Split Rock Dinosaur Area, view dinosaur bone in an ancient river channel and dig for dinosaurs at the Mygatt-Moore Quarry.

New Mexico

Mesalands Community College Dinosaur Museum, Tucumcari
Dedicated to promoting the area's rich heritage as one of the earth's finest sources of fossilized ancient life, Mesalands Community College Dinosaur Museum boasts 11,000 sq ft (929 sq m) of exhibition space filled with original and replicated fossils ranging from small footprint casts to the 40-foot-long torvosaurus skeleton. Each year this Tucumcari museum attracts thousands of visitors eager to browse one of the world's largest collections of bronze skeletons, fossils and replicas of prehistoric creatures. Original artwork planted throughout the exhibits brings the prehistoric world to life. With a host of impressive displays, a children's activity center with seating for parents, and engaging exhibits—most of which are child-friendly and touchable—the museum offers something for the whole family. To further the prehistoric life experience, the museum's gift shop features scientific and educational books, fossils, rocks and minerals, games and teaching aids.

Jurassic Super Giants Exhibit: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science11

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque
With a collection of over 1,500 specimens and substantial Jurassic and Triassic age exhibits,New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque is a great place to learn about the dinosaurs. Visitors to the museum are greeted by bronze renderings of two dinosaurs that have been found in New Mexico, the pentraceratops and the albertasaurus. At the museum's Fossil Works exhibit, trained volunteers demonstrate the time consuming process of paleontological preparation. The showpiece of the museum's dinosaur displays is the skeleton model battle between a seismosaurus—the longest land animal that ever lived—and a saurophaganax—the largest meat-eating dinosaur from the Jurassic Age.

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PHOTO COURTESY

1. NPS Photo; Ceolophysis Model at Petrified Forest National Park; Holbrook, AZ, USA
2. NPS Photo; Placerias Skeleton at Petrified Forest National Park; Holbrook, AZ, USA
3. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; Bronze Dinosaur Duel Sculpture at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; Los Angeles, CA, USA
4. Page Museum; Page Museum; Los Angeles, CA, USA
5. Las Vegas Natural History Museum; Triceratops Model at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum; Las Vegas, NV, USA
6. NPS Photo; Quarry Fossil Wall Section at Dinosaur National Monument; Jensen, UT, USA
7. Utah Travel Council; Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point; Lehi, UT, USA
8. Frank Jensen; Utah Travel Council; Allosaurus Model at Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park, Ogden, UT, USA
9. T.S. Williams; NPS Photo; Petrified Wood at Petrified Forest National Park; Holbrook, AZ, USA
10. Museum of Colorado; Tyrannosaurus Rex Model at Dinosaur Journey Museum; Fruita, CO, USA
11. New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science; Jurassic Super Giants Exhibit at New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science; Albuquerque, NM, USA