SouthernWorldwide.com – Construction on a routine parking lot project at Dinosaur National Monument has led to a significant paleontological discovery, with dinosaur fossils unearthed at the site for the first time in over a century.
The fossils were found by workers near the Quarry Exhibit Hall in mid-September, shortly after the removal of asphalt. This exposed sandstone rich in dinosaur remains, as reported by the National Park Service. Park staff identified the fossils on September 16 and immediately suspended construction to allow paleontologists to thoroughly assess the find.
Preliminary assessments suggest the fossils belong to a Diplodocus, a large, long-necked dinosaur species frequently discovered within the park’s historic bonebed.
Park officials noted that the excavation of these remains involved a collaborative effort. Contributing to the work were park staff members, a crew from the Utah Conservation Corps, dedicated volunteers, and the construction workers themselves.
Between mid-September and mid-October, the crews managed to excavate approximately 3,000 pounds of fossils along with the surrounding rock material. This significant collection is currently undergoing cleaning and detailed study at the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum in Vernal.
Visitors to the museum have the unique opportunity to observe the preparation process firsthand in the museum’s dedicated fossil lab, offering an inside look at paleontological work.
The last excavation conducted at this specific site dates back to 1924. Fossil removal efforts concluded that year following a series of early 20th-century digs spearheaded by prominent institutions such as the Carnegie Museum, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and the University of Utah. Dinosaur National Monument itself was officially established in 1915.
Some of the newly discovered fossils have already been put on public display. They can be viewed at the Quarry Exhibit Hall, famously known as the “Wall of Bones,” as well as at the Utah Field House museum. The exhibit hall remains the park’s most visited attraction, situated directly above the original Carnegie quarry, where visitors can still see around 1,500 dinosaur fossils naturally embedded in the rock face.
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Following the successful completion of the fossil excavation, the construction crews resumed and finalized the parking lot and road improvement project. This upgrade included the application of new concrete and asphalt, along with essential accessibility enhancements around the exhibit hall area.
