• Camarasaurus skull still embedded in the quarry face

    Dinosaur

    National Monument CO,UT

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Ely Creek Backcountry Campsites Closed

    The Ely Creek backcountry campsites located along the Jones Hole Trail have been closed until further notice due to bear activity in the area. More »

  • Numerous Campsites Closed in the Green River Campground

    A recent tree assessment of the Green River Campground identified potential safety issues with numerous cottonwood trees, requiring us to close many of the campsites. Please plan ahead so that you are not disappointed if the campground is full. More »

Weather

weather satellite image

Dinosaur's climate is semiarid with temperatures averaging between 0°F to 30°F in January and 50°F to 100°F in July. Elevations within the park vary between 4,700 and 9,000 feet. Winter snow makes roads at higher elevations impassable while only light to moderate snow is found at lower elevations. Summer thunderstorms often cause heavy downpours and localized flooding, but may fail to dampen parched soils less than a mile away.

National Weather Service forecast for towns near Dinosaur National Monument:

Jensen, Utah

Dinosaur, Colorado


Vernal, Utah


Rangely, Colorado

Monthly temperature and precipitation averages from the Western
Region Climate Center

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Average High
Temp. (F)

31

39

52

63

74

84

91

89

79

65

47

34

Average Low
Temp. (F)

7

12

23

31

40

48

55

52

43

33

21

10

Average Total
Precip. (in.)

0.6

0.5

0.7

0.9

1.0

0.8

0.8

0.8

1.1

1.3

0.7

0.6

Average Total
Snowfall (in.)

7.3

5.1

3.9

2.1

0.4

0.1

0

0

0.2

1.1

3.5

7.2

Did You Know?

Photo of paleontologist Earl Douglass.

Paleontologist Earl Douglass first came to Utah looking for mammal fossils. He returned in 1909 and discovered an immense deposit of dinosaur bones, now protected at Dinosaur National Monument. Although made famous by dinosaurs, Douglass died preferring his beloved mammal fossils over dinosaurs.