Dinosaur Ridge

Dinosaur Ridge is one of the most significant dinosaur fossil sites in the world, and it is only 20 minutes west of downtown Denver in the foothills town of Morrison. Along a 1. 5-mile stretch of road carved through a hogback ridge, exposed rock layers reveal real dinosaur bones, dinosaur footprints, and ancient plant fossils dating back 100-150 million years.

For kids who love dinosaurs -- and that is most kids at some point -- this is a dream destination where paleontology leaps from museum displays into the real world.

The site was first discovered in 1877, and it was one of the original locations in the famous Bone Wars between rival paleontologists Othniel Marsh and Edward Cope. Fossils of Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, Diplodocus, and Allosaurus were excavated here, many of which now reside in major natural history museums across the country. What remains in the ridge today are bones still embedded in the rock and, on the east side, a remarkable collection of dinosaur footprints pressed into ancient mudstone.

The guided shuttle tour is the recommended family experience. A shuttle bus drives you along the ridge road, stopping at 16 marked sites where volunteer guides explain what you are seeing. The guides are enthusiastic (many are retired geologists and paleontologists) and skilled at engaging kids with questions, touch opportunities, and storytelling.

At the bone quarry site (Stop 5), kids can touch real dinosaur bones -- not replicas, actual fossilized bones protruding from the rock face. At the trackway site (Stop 8), over 300 individual dinosaur footprints are preserved in tilted rock layers, and kids can trace the prints with their fingers and figure out which direction the dinosaur was walking.

The shuttle tour takes about 45-60 minutes and departs on a regular schedule (check dinoridge.org for current times). Adults are $8, kids 4-12 are $5, and children under 4 are free. For families who prefer self-guided exploration, the road is closed to vehicles on Saturdays and Sundays, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to walk the route freely with interpretive signs at each stop.

The visitor center at the base of the ridge has free indoor exhibits including fossil displays, a short film about the site's discovery, and a small gift shop with quality dinosaur-related books and toys. A nature trail behind the visitor center leads through the scrubby foothill landscape where kids can look for modern animal tracks and geological formations.

Dinosaur Ridge pairs perfectly with Red Rocks Park (3 miles north along the hogback), creating a geology-themed family day in the Morrison area. The two sites share the same geological story -- the uplifted and tilted sedimentary layers that form the hogback ridge. Driving between the two sites, you pass through a road cut where the colorful rock layers are dramatically exposed.

Practical notes: the site is entirely outdoors with no shade along the ridge road. Bring water, sunscreen, and hats. The trail is a paved road with gentle grades that most kids 4+ can walk. Strollers are possible but the road surface has some gravel sections. There is no food on-site -- pack snacks or plan lunch in Morrison (Morrison Inn, 3 minutes away). Parking at the visitor center is free.

The experience is best suited for kids ages 4-14. Younger kids enjoy the tactile experience of touching fossils but may not follow the geological explanations. Older kids and teens with a genuine interest in paleontology or geology find it fascinating. Even adults with no science background typically leave impressed by the accessibility of real, exposed fossils just minutes from a major city.