Utahraptor State Park

The locals have been here 150 million years. Come say hi.

Utahraptor State Park protects the Dalton Wells Quarry, one of the largest dinosaur beds in North America. Here, paleontologists have recovered over 5,500 fossils representing more than 10 dinosaur species, including the fearsome Utahraptor, a dinosaur similar to the velociraptors depicted in Jurassic Park. Explore this history inside the visitor center, which boasts a lifesize model skeleton of the Utahraptor, or with a state park ranger during a ranger-led quarry tour. We’d encourage you to check out the quarry yourself, but it can be difficult to make sense of rock versus bone without expert eyes. 

Beyond its paleontological significance, the park also encompasses a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp, which was used from 1935 to 1941 and housed over 2,000 young men throughout its use. In 1943, during WWII, the empty Dalton Wells CCC camp was used as an isolation site for interned Japanese-Americans who were deemed “troublemakers” in their internment camps. You can learn more about this history at the visitor center, then walk the area of the site along the Utahraptor Historic Trail. 

A true hidden gem of the park lies just beyond its boundary: Through Utahraptor, you can access the original entrance to Arches National Park. Just keep following Willow Springs road! 

Distance from Moab: 13.3 miles (21.4 km)

Hours: Year-round, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

Entrance Fee: $15 for a private vehicle pass. National Park passes (including the America the Beautiful pass) aren’t accepted here, as this is a state park.

More: stateparks.utah.gov/parks/utahraptor

Utahraptor State Park Itinerary

HALF-DAY 
Get acquainted with the vast history of the park at the visitor center, then walk the Utahraptor Historic Trail to learn more about the Civilian Conservation Corps camp, which was later used as a Citizen Isolation site during WWII. Then, drive out to the Willow Springs dinosaur tracksite. If your vehicle is 4WD capable, continue just a bit further to see the original entrance to Arches National Park.

FULL-DAY 
Explore the Sovereign Trail System, a network of 50 miles of motorized singletrack and double track trails. The system is especially popular with dirt bikers: if you don’t have your own gear, outfitters in town can show you the ropes.

PAIR IT WITH
Local guides can take you on an off-roading tour into the backcountry of Arches National Park, accessible through Utahraptor State Park. If you’re a biker up for an adventure, hop on your bike to complete a 8-mile route from the Utahraptor State Park visitor center to Balanced Rock in Arches National Park 
(16 miles out-and-back).

Campgrounds

Camp in the full-service campground, use as a basecamp for Off-Highway Vehicle and mountain bike trail access, and sightseeing at the National Parks, Dead Horse Point State Park, and all Moab has to offer. The park has 61 partial hookup sites with 20/30/50 amp service, water at each site, and modern restrooms in each loop. Some sites have shade structures. There are also 27 improved, primitive sites with camping pad, fire ring, picnic table, and CXT vault toilets in each loop.

To make a camping reservation contact Reserve America at 1-800-322-3770, or visit reserveamerica.com.

Park Highlights

Night Skies

Utahraptor State Park is one of the most active and accessible areas to stargaze in the Moab area. Its location, mountains in the distance and cities out of sight yields a nearly full view of the celestial sphere. The park is a premier spot to see the skies our ancestors wondered over and survived with.

The desert is alive! And you can protect it.

The crusty sand you see next to the trail is actually alive! It’s “biocrust”, a living skin of microorganisms like lichen and fungi that bind sand together and retain moisture. Those little guys are the reason why many of our plants can thrive in the desert. 

Help protect the desert: this soil crust is exceptionally delicate, and can be crushed easily. Please stay on designated roads and trails while exploring in Moab.