Dinosaur National Monument
CO,UT

Dinosaur National Monument

Hours

Open 24 hours

Entrance Fee

$25.00

Entrance - Private Vehicle

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Dinosaur at a glance

Best time
April–May, September–October
Trip length
2–3 days
Don't miss
Hike the Jones Hole Trail
Nearby city
Jensen, UT

Explore this park

About Dinosaur National Monument

150 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed here. Their fossils are still embedded in the rocks. Today, mountains, desert, and rivers flowing in canyons support a variety of life. Petroglyphs reveal the lives and connections of Indigenous people to this land. Homesteaders and outlaws found refuge here. Whether your passion is science, adventure, history, or scenery, Dinosaur offers much to explore.

2 current NPS alerts

  • Park Closure: Echo Park Road and Campground Closure
  • Park Closure: Rainbow Park Closure

Source: National Park Service (as of Nov 1, 2026). Official Dinosaur National Monument page on nps.gov

Weather Information

Dinosaur's climate is semiarid with temperatures averaging between 0°F to 30°F in January and 50°F to 100°F in July. Extreme winter low temperatures may reach -40°F and summer highs can top 110°F. Elevations within the park vary between 4,700 and 9,000 feet.

  • Summer

    thunderstorms may cause heavy downpours and localized flooding, but fail to dampen parched soils less than a mile away.

  • Winter

    snow may be heavy at higher elevations while only light to moderate snow is found at lower elevations.

Entrance Fees

Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach

$150.00

Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. Fees for commercial tours are based upon the total capacity of vehicle regardless of actual number of passengers.

Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus

$60.00

Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. Fees for commercial tours are based upon the total capacity of vehicle regardless of actual number of passengers.

Commercial Entrance - Van

$50.00

Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. Fees for commercial tours are based upon the total capacity of vehicle regardless of actual number of passengers.

Entrance - Private Vehicle

$25.00

Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15 passenger capacity or less) and all its occupants. Admission is good for seven consecutive days. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.

Entrance - Non-commercial Groups

$25.00

Non-commercial group fees (per vehicle): Vehicle capacity of 15 or less: $25 Vehicle capacity of 16-25: $15 per person age 16 and older, not to exceed $60. Vehicle capacity of 26+: $15 per person age 16 and older, not to exceed $150. You may use Annual and Lifetime passes. A pass will cover the pass holder and up to three people traveling with the group. Pass is valid for reentry for 7 days.

Commercial Entrance - Sedan

$25.00

Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. Fees for commercial tours are based upon the total capacity of vehicle regardless of actual number of passengers.

Entrance - Motorcycle

$20.00

Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.

Entrance - Per Person

$15.00

Admits one individual with no car. Typically used for bicyclists, hikers, and pedestrians. Youth 15 and under are admitted free. Admission is good for seven consecutive days. You can come and go any time with your seven-day pass.

Commercial Entrance - Per Person

$15.00

Pass is valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers. A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. (minimum required fee is $25 commercial fee plus the per-person entrance fee for each passenger not to exceed $50.00)

Entrance - Education/Academic Groups

Free

National Park Service regulations allow school groups and other bona fide national and international academic institutions to obtain a waiver for park entrance fees, provided that the visit is for educational or scientific purposes, and the resources or facilities the group proposes to use support those purposes. Fee waivers must be obtained in advance and cannot be issued at the entrance station or visitor center.

Operating Hours

Dinosaur National Monument Hours

The outdoor areas in the monument is open 24 hours per day. Facilities such as visitor centers and the Quarry Exhibit Hall have specific hours of operation. Visit the Operating Hours & Seasons page for more information on facility hours. Some areas of the monument may close in the winter due to snow.

  • MondayAll Day
  • TuesdayAll Day
  • WednesdayAll Day
  • ThursdayAll Day
  • FridayAll Day
  • SaturdayAll Day
  • SundayAll Day

Entrance Passes

Annual Entrance - Park

$45.00

Available to U.S. citizens and residents, only. Valid for one year through the month of purchase. Pass admits up to 15 passengers of a single, private (non-commercial) vehicle or up to 2 motorcycles (including passengers), or passholder and 3 persons walking in.

Common questions

Planning Dinosaur National Monument

The summary above covers timing and highlights. These go deeper on reservations, crowds, and logistics — check Alerts and Permits for live updates.

TrailVerse lists 2 reservation types on the Permits tab, including Dinosaur National Monument - Split Mountain Permits and Dinosaur Green And Yampa River Permits. Recreation.gov listings can change seasonally — confirm current rules before you set dates.