To visit Dinosaur National Monument, which straddles the Utah/Colorado border, you will be driving. There are four paved roads within the park and two entrances – one near Jensen, Utah, and one near Dinosaur, Colorado. The remainder of the roads are dirt/clay, which become impassable when wet.

Regional map around Dinosaur National Monument / NPS graphic

If you plan to fly, then drive, the nearest airports with the largest commercial airline choices and vehicle rental options are Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah, 193 miles (310.6 km) from the Utah entrance to the park, and Grand Junction Regional Airport in Grand Junction, Colorado, 111 miles (178.6 km) from the Colorado entrance to the park. Vernal, Utah, is the closest airport to Dinosaur National Monument in Utah, but only one airline flies in and out from it: Contour Airlines, in affiliation with American Airlines. There is only one car rental agency in Vernal, as well: All Save Car Rental.

If you are planning specifically on seeing the national monument’s dinosaur fossils, they are visible only on the Utah portion of the park, not the Colorado side. The Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall and Quarry Visitor Center, one-half mile from the Quarry, are open year-round. From U.S. Highway 40 in Jensen, Utah, take Utah Highway 149 north to the monument. During the summer, shuttle buses take visitors from the visitor center to the Quarry Exhibit Hall to see the dinosaur fossils. Between October and April, rangers lead visitors up to the Quarry by car caravans.

Map of Dinosaur National Monument / NPS graphic

Type “Dinosaur National Monument” within your GPS device and the most likely result will be the Colorado entrance. If you are specifically planning to visit the Utah entrance – particularly if you want to see the fossils, which are visible only in the Utah part of the park – you will need to use the following coordinates:

Coordinates for the Quarry Visitor Center (Utah side of monument)
Latitude:N 40° 26' 17.0277"
Longitude:W 109° 18' 25.6701"

Though there is no public transportation within the monument, Greyhound Bus Lines operates service between Denver and Salt Lake City which makes stops in Dinosaur, Colorado and Vernal, Utah. Drivers will stop in Jensen, Utah to unload passengers if requested.

For private river runners or backcountry hikers, vehicle and passenger shuttle service is available from Wilkins Bus lines (435) 789-2476 and River Runners Transport 800-930-7238.

According to park staff:

Paved Monument Roads

• Utah 149 enters the park from Highway 40 in Jensen, Utah. This entrance road brings you to the Quarry Visitor Center, Split Mountain boat launch, Split Mountain Campground, Green River Campground, and the Tour of the Tilted Rocks self-guided auto tour.
• Harpers Corner Road enters the park from Highway 40, 2 miles (3 km) east of Dinosaur, Colorado. The Canyon Visitor Center is at the corner of Highway 40 and Harpers Corner Road. This entrance road brings you to the canyon overlooks along the Harpers Corner Auto Tour, a self-guided auto drive, and a 2-mile (3 km) round-trip scenic hike to Harpers Corner. Harpers Corner Road closes in the winter due to snow.
• Jones Hole Road ends at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's fish hatchery. A 4-mile (one way) scenic hiking trail begins at the hatchery parking area and takes you to the Green River in Whirlpool Canyon
• Deerlodge Park Road brings you to the launch site for the Yampa River and Deerlodge Campground

Dirt Roads

• Echo Park Road can be accessed from Harpers Corner Road or Yampa Bench Road. This 13-mile (20.9 km) road is steep with hairpin turns for the first several miles. The road ends at Echo Park which has a campground, boat launch, and hiking trails.
• Yampa Bench Road can be accessed from either Echo Park Road at the west end or from Highway 40 at the east end. High clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended for driving this road.
• Island Park Road enters from the west end of the park and brings you to Rainbow Park Campground, Rainbow Park boat ramp and to the Island Park area of the park.
• Gates of Lodore is the northern-most entrance to the park, and is off Highway 318. The road ends at the Gates of Lodore Campground, boat launch and scenic hiking trail.

No off-road travel is permitted in any area of the monument by any type of vehicle, and Dinosaur National Monument is closed to the use of all types of all-terrain and off-road vehicles. 

It’s a good idea to check road conditions prior to your visit to either side of this national monument.

Utah - Utah Dept. of Transportation
Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has cameras located on US Highways 40 and 191 around the monument. You can check these cameras to see current road conditions. UDOT Traffic also has a mobile app available for download on both iphones and android smart phones.
Text list of roads or dial 511 or 866-511-8824

Colorado - Colorado Dept. of Transportation
or dial 877-315-7623

The nearest gas stations will be in the local communities of Vernal on the Utah side of the national monument, and Dinosaur, Rangely, and Craig on the Colorado side. Plugshare.com indicates electric vehicle (EV) charging stations also located within these same communities, with the addition of an EV charger in Jensen, Utah.

With no eating establishments in Dinosaur National Monument, you will want to stock up on groceries and supplies at either Vernal, Utah, or Rangley, Colorado, the two largest towns near the park.