Fossil Discovery at Dinosaur National Monument
A recent parking project at Dinosaur National Monument has led to an exciting discovery: the first dinosaur fossils unearthed at the site in over a century. This find came about in mid-September when workers were removing asphalt near the quarry exhibit hall. They uncovered sandstone that held remnants of dinosaurs. Park officials notified the public about the discovery on September 16, promptly halting construction to let paleontologists assess the situation.
The fossils are believed to belong to a diplodocus, a large, long-necked dinosaur usually found in the area’s historic bonebeds. Park officials noted that various groups—staff members, Utah Conservation Corps volunteers, and construction workers—came together to assist in excavating the site.
Over the span of about a month, from mid-September to mid-October, workers managed to extract around 3,000 pounds of fossils and surrounding rock. Currently, this material is undergoing cleaning and study at the Utah Natural History Fieldhouse State Park Museum in Vernal. It’s kind of fascinating that visitors can actually watch this preparation process in the museum’s fossil lab.
Interestingly, this site hadn’t seen excavation since 1924. Back then, fossil retrieval efforts wrapped up after a series of digs led by institutions like the Carnegie Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The Dinosaur National Monument, if you didn’t know, was founded in 1915.
Some of these newly found fossils are already on display at the Quarry Exhibit Hall, often referred to as the “Wall of Bone,” and at the Utah Fieldhouse Museum. This exhibit hall is quite popular, located above what used to be the Carnegie Quarry. It’s impressive, really; visitors can see around 1,500 dinosaur fossils that remain embedded in the rock.
After the excavation, crews proceeded to complete various parking and roadway improvement projects. They even added new concrete and asphalt work and enhanced accessibility around the exhibit area. It’s all coming together nicely, but really, it feels surreal to think about those ancient beings still linked to our present day.
