The highlight of Dinosaur Ridge is a 2-mile (3-kilometer) paved trail featuring more than 300 dinosaur tracks, plus fossilized bones and ripple marks from a prehistoric ocean. Visitors can walk or bike along the trail for free or pay for a 1-hour guided bus tour that stops at the most interesting sections. There's also a hop-on hop-off shuttle for those who want to explore independently without walking the entire way (check the website for shuttle operating hours).
The main visitor center features interactive exhibits that showcase what the area looked like during different prehistoric periods, plus simulated dino-dig boxes for kids.
Dinosaur Ridge is located about 30 minutes west of downtown Denver in Morrison, just east of the intersection of Alameda and Colorado State Highway 470. Free parking is available at the visitor center parking lot.
The site is open seven days a week year-round except for Thanksgiving (the last Thursday in November), Christmas (December 25), and New Year's Day (January 1). May through October, the visitors center is open daily 9am to 5pm, with shorter hours November through April. Check the website for tour departure times.
This natural amphitheater and famous concert venue is right next to Dinosaur Ridge, so the two foothills attractions can easily be visited in one day. You can drive to both, or access the Dinosaur Ridge Trail directly from Red Rocks entrance 1. There's even a discovery center on the trail’s west side that's designed just for visitors entering from Red Rocks.
