One Day in Dinosaur National Monument – Canyon Area – Colorado side

Is the Colorado side of Dinosaur National Monument worth seeing? In this travel guide, I’ll answer that question and give a one-day itinerary for visiting the Canyon Area of Dinosaur National Monument.

Dinosaur National Monument is divided into two sections – the more popular Quarry Area and the less-visited Canyon Area. Both sections can be seen in one day, as they are not too far apart. But for the purposes of this blog post, I will be focusing on the Canyon Area of Dinosaur National Monument, which is located just outside of Dinosaur, Colorado. The Canyon Area is the more scenic, photogenic area of the park, as the Yampa and Green Rivers cut through the steep canyon walls. If you only have one day (or even a few hours!) to visit the Colorado side of Dinosaur National Monument, this guide will show you what to expect. Let’s go!

Dinosaur National Monument – Canyon Area details

The most important detail to note about this section of Dinosaur National Monument is that dinosaur fossils are not found in this section of the park! You can only see them in the Quarry area of the monument, which is located outside of Jensen, Utah. The main attraction of the Colorado side is the scenic canyon vistas drive. There are a few hiking opportunities as well.

Location:
To get here, use the address to the Canyon Visitors Center –
4545 US-40
Dinosaur, CO 81610

Cost: To enter the Canyon area of the park, there is no entrance station. However, there is an entrance station at the Quarry Visitors Center, where you must pay $25/vehicle or use your annual America the Beautiful park pass.

Pets: Dogs are allowed at the overlooks, but not on the trails or backcountry.

Hours and season: The Canyon area of Dinosaur National Monument is open year-round, however the visitor center is only open from late spring to early fall. I visited in late September and the visitor center was still open. You can drive the Harpers Corner Road year round.

Where to stay: Vernal, Utah is the closest ‘major’ (and it’s anything but major!) town. Here, you’ll find plenty of reasonably-priced hotels from nearly every major hotel chain. You’ll also find plenty of shops and restaurants. Vernal is only a short drive to the Quarry and the Canyon area of the park.

One Day – Things to do in Dinosaur National Monument – Canyon Area

Unless you’re planning on some major hiking or doing a rafting trip, one day for the Colorado side of Dinosaur National Monument may be stretching it – you likely will only need a few hours to do this, if you’re just driving Harpers Corner Road and stopping at the overlooks. That’s what I did – I only spent a couple hours here – I could not hike as I was traveling with a dog, so it was just scenic overlooks for me. Additionally, I arrived here in the early afternoon, as I was driving from Estes Park, Colorado the same day, and felt I had plenty of time.

Stop at the Visitor Center
The Canyon Area visitor center is located right on the turn off for Harpers Corner Road – you can’t miss it. If you’re interested in souvenirs (like me!) I recommend stopping here first before heading down the road, as the visitor center is only open until 4pm. (Just like my site’s name says, “But First, GIFT SHOP!”) This gift shop doesn’t stock as many souvenirs as the Quarry gift shop does, but I was able to at least find a patch. I did not like the selection of t-shirts or coffee mugs here, or at the Quarry gift shop.

Drive Harpers Corner Road
Driving Harpers Corner Road will be your main ‘attraction’ during a one-day visit to the Colorado side of Dinosaur National Monument. Harper’s Corner Road is a 31 mile (one way) paved scenic road that rewards you with beautiful canyon vistas. There are many scenic stops along the route, which I’ll get into in a little bit.

Echo Park Road:
If you have a high clearance 4×4 vehicle, the 12 mile, rough drive down to Echo Park is definitely worth a visit. This is a scenic drive taking you to a remote area of Dinosaur National Monument, leading to a campground, surrounded by steep canyon walls. Echo Park Road is 38 miles from the Visitor Center; the first 25 miles are paved while on Harpers Corner Road. If you’re able to do this, this is the most beautiful spot in the park.

Whitewater Rafting:
Lots of outfitters in the area offer whitewater rafting tours – both full day and multi-day tours. This is supposed to be some of the best whitewater rafting in the country! So if you have extra time in the area, and you’re a thrillseeker, this is definitely something to put on your itinerary.

Harpers Corner Trail:
At the end of Harpers Corner Road is Harpers Corner Trail, arguably the most popular hiking trail in the park. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on this trail so I couldn’t hike it. The trail is 3 miles round trip, out and back.

Must-see stops along Harpers Corner Road – Dinosaur National Monument

Plug Hat Butte: This will be your first stop along the way. The area features a scenic overlook, along with picnic tables and bathrooms. The short trail to the overlook is paved and wheelchair-friendly.

Escalante Overlook:
While I didn’t feel this ‘scenic’ overlook was all that scenic, it was interesting to read the interpretive signs. The storyboards explain why you are likely to see air pollution in this area. I definitely noticed the poor air quality and haze when I was there. I lived in New Delhi, India for a while, so I developed an ‘eye’ for poor air quality!

Canyon Overlook and Island Park Overlook:
From the Escalante Overlook to your next overlook (Canyon Overlook), it’s a long drive. You’ll go about 20 miles down Harpers Corner Road without another overlook. Between the Canyon Overlook and Island Park overlook is the turn off to the unpaved Echo Park Road. If you have a high clearance vehicle and are comfortable off-roading, you may want to check this out. Although I did have a 4×4 vehicle, I was traveling solo with my dog and I’m not comfortable driving a road like this alone.

Remaining overlooks and Harpers Corner
From here, you’re almost at the end. They’ll be a few other overlooks that you’ll want to check out, as they’re some of the most scenic canyon views in the entire park. Harpers Corner Road comes to a dead end at the Harpers Corner Overlook and trail. From here, you’ll turn around and come back the way you came.

Dinosaur National Monument – Canyon Area – Final Thoughts

Is the Colorado side of Dinosaur National Monument worth seeing?

If you’re in the area and have a few hours to spare, I’d say yes. Most visitors skip the Colorado section of the park and opt for the Quarry area on the Utah side, which honestly, is really what people come here for. It’s called Dinosaur National Monument, not Canyon National Monument, after all!

And while the canyon overlooks are nice and everything, I’ve seen a lot of this type of landscape in my travels. The more unique and scenic landscapes of Dinosaur National Monument can only be reached by a rough 4×4 road.

So is the Colorado side of Dinosaur National Monument worth it? I’d say only if you’re in the area and have some extra time to spare or if you really, really, really like canyons. If you can only visit one area, visit the Quarry area of Dinosaur National Monument and see those dino bones.

Pros:
Easy drive down Harpers Corner Road
Pretty canyon views, but similar to other Utah landscapes.

Cons:
Visitor center closed for a good portion of the year
The best, most scenic part of the park – Echo Park and its side roads- is only accessible via high clearance 4×4
Hazy, polluted air is common in this area.