Dinosaur National Monument is a National Monument in Colorado, Utah. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 8 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Dinosaur
We matched 8 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Dinosaur. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (1)
Natural Arches (2)
Canyons (2)
Caves (1)
Fire Lookouts (1)
Dark Sky Places (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Dinosaur the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:38 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:14 PM | 243° | 9h 36m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:51 PM | 254° | 10h 41m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 284° | 13h 17m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 296° | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:49 PM | 302° | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 300° | 14h 47m |
| August | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 289° | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:26 PM | 275° | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:37 PM | 259° | 11h 10m |
| November | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:00 PM | 246° | 9h 57m |
| December | 7:33 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:51 PM | 240° | 9h 18m |
Computed for the park's reference point (40.5074, -108.9334); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Dinosaur, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.0 | 11° |
| March | 4:44 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.2 | 17° |
| April | 2:43 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.2 | 20° |
| May | 12:38 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.3 | 21° |
| June | 10:54 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.7 | 21° |
| July | 10:45 PM – 2:15 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| August | 9:58 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.2 | 20° |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.2 | 17° |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.0 | 11° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Dinosaur's climate is semiarid with temperatures averaging between 0°F to 30°F in January and 50°F to 100°F in July. Extreme winter low temperatures may reach -40°F and summer highs can top 110°F. Elevations within the park vary between 4,700 and 9,000 feet. Winter snow may be heavy at higher elevations while only light to moderate snow is found at lower elevations. Summer thunderstorms may cause heavy downpours and localized flooding, but fail to dampen parched soils less than a mile away.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Van | $50.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Dinosaur National Monument is located on the Colorado and Utah border with parts of the monument in both states. Dinosaur fossils are only visible in the Utah portion of the monument, not on the Colorado side. The Quarry Visitor Center and Exhibit Hall (where you see the dinosaur fossils) are located approximately 7 miles north of Jensen, Utah. The Canyon Visitor Center is located in Dinosaur, Colorado.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Kayaking
- Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Whitewater Rafting
- Junior Ranger Program
- Skiing
Nearby parks
CO
ID/KS
CA/CO