Where you can see fossils in the Grand Valley

Dinosaur Hill

  • One mile loop hike south of the Colorado River in Fruita, off of 340
  • Located on BLM managed land
  • See fossils of Diplodocus and places where bones were excavated

Fruita Paleontological Area

  • Half mile loop hike south of the Colorado River in Fruita, off of Horsethief Road
  • Located on BLM managed land
  • See where Ceratosaurus and many small animals from the Jurassic have been found

Riggs Hill

  • ¾ mile loop trail in the Redlands, off of South Broadway
  • See where the first Brachiosaurus was found, along with a reproduction of the find

Trail Through Time

  • 1 ½ mile trail in Rabbit Valley, 20 minutes west of Grand Junction in Rabbit Valley
  • Located on BLM managed land
  • See the remains of Camarasaurus and an active dig site (during the summer)

Dinosaur Journey Museum

  • Original fossils and casts on display at the museum
  • Interpretive displays in the exhibit hall
  • Fossil casts for sale in the gift shop

Common Questions

What do you do when you find a fossil you don’t have permission to collect or aren’t sure about?

  • Take a picture and mark the location on a map or with your phone. Show the picture to BLM rangers. It could lead to a new discovery!

Why can’t I collect vertebrate fossils?

  • Vertebrate fossils are rare and scientist can learn a great deal from them and their original surroundings. Once they are removed, much of the information scientist can collect is lost.

Why can’t I collect fossils anywhere I want?

  • Some lands are protected and the objects, including fossils, are protected for future generations.
  • The Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA) is the United States law preserving paleontological resources on federal land. This act protects scientifically significant fossils on federal land. The regulations on fossil hunting protects against vandals and the abuse of fossils at the expense of scientific discovery.

When is fossil collecting OK?

National Park Service Land:

Plants – Permit Only
Invertebrates – Permit Only
Vertebrates – Permit Only

BLM Land:

Plants – Yes
Invertebrates – Yes
Vertebrates – Permit Only

National Conservation Areas: McInnis Canyon & Dominguez-Escalante 

No Surface Collection – Protected Paleontological Area

US Forest Service Land:

Plants – Yes
Invertebrates – Yes
Vertebrates – Permit Only

State Parks:

Plants – Permit Only
Invertebrates – Permit Only
Vertebrates – Permit Only

Private Owner:

Plants – By Permission Only
Invertebrates – By Permission Only
Vertebrates – By Permission Only