Unsafe Dino Fossil Attraction Closes
On July 12, 2006, the National Park Service closed the famous glass-walled building that sheltered the popular prehistoric fossil beds and Visitor Center at Dinosaur National Monument outside of Vernal, Utah. The building had finally become unsafe for the public because of structural problems that have plagued it since it was built in 1957 on unstable clay soil.
The Visitor Center contains an operating fossil quarry full of visible dinosaur bones. Officials feared that the building, showing signs of serious deterioration, might collapse. The NPS will assess whether to repair or replace the building, which is closed indefinitely for now. The rest of the park remains open.
[Update March 2007: The Visitor Center is still closed, and budget cutbacks (tax cuts + War on Terror) would appear to guarantee that it will remain that way.]
[07/15/2006]Dinosaur National Monument
- Address:
- 2430 S. 9500 E., Jensen, UT
- Directions:
- From US Hwy 40 at Jensen, drive north six miles on Hwy 149 into Dinosaur National Monument and follow signs for the Quarry Visitor Center. Access to the Quarry Exhibit Hall is by shuttle bus only from the Visitor Center, about a half-mile away. Shuttles run every 15 minutes.
- Hours:
- Summer daily 9:15 - 4:15, reduced hours off-season. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 435-781-7700
- Admission:
- $25 per vehicle
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
