Utahraptor State Park

Utahraptor State Park is a protected area near Moab spanning about 6,500 acres with fossil-bearing rock formations. The main attraction is the Dalton Wells Quarry, where remains of Early Cretaceous dinosaurs have been excavated from the ground.

The site was officially made a state park in 2021 to protect important fossil discoveries in the region. Before this designation, the land served as a work camp and later as a detention facility during World War II.

The area carries visible traces of its complex past through remaining structures and markers that tell multiple stories. Walking through, visitors encounter evidence of the different people and purposes that have shaped this land.

Visitors reach the park via Willow Springs Road, where construction work may still be ongoing. Basic camping facilities are available on a walk-up basis, requiring no advance reservation.

In 2001, researchers uncovered a rare fossil arrangement where multiple Utaraptors were found alongside an herbivorous dinosaur within a single rock block. This unusual positioning suggests an extraordinary event that may reveal insights into how these carnivores lived and hunted.

Location: Grand County

Inception: 2021

Website: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/utahraptor

GPS coordinates: 38.71306,-109.70111

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:06