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Dinosaur National Monumentecho park campground
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Dinosaur National Monument
History & Culture

Dinosaur National Monument's cultural history dates back 10,000 years.  The Yampa and Green Rivers have provided water for survival in an arid country.  Indian rock art in the form of petroglyphs and pictographs provide evidence that many people have come before us.  The Fremont Indians lived in the canyons in Dinosaur National Monument 800 - 1,200 years ago.  Following the Fremont were the Ute and Shoshone, who are still found in the area today.  Early settlers left their mark on the landscape with their homesteads.  Those who had access to the rivers and a constant flow of water survived, while others dried up with drought and moved away.  Now, many of the remains of homesteads are found along side the Indian art work of the past.

Picture of dinosaur skull.  

Did You Know?
Dinosaurs were a remarkably successful group of animals. They lived on the Earth for 160 million years. The fossils at Dinosaur National Monument represent only 10 of the many dinosaur species that existed during that long era.

Last Updated: September 21, 2006 at 08:35 EST