Free Tours Of A Productive Utah Dinosaur Quarry

During the past few years, the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry has proven to be a prolific and exciting location – yielding fossils similar to those found at more famous Utah locations like Dinosaur National Monument and the Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry. Now, members of the public are invited to tour the quarry and interact with paleontologists.

The site is located on land managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management. BLM provided the information below.

BLM to Host Free Public Tours at Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry

Hanksville, Utah— This summer marks the sixth season that paleontologists from the Burpee Museum of Rockford, Illinois, are partnering with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Henry Mountain Field Station, on the long-term research initiative and interpretive plans to provide educational and recreational opportunities at the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur quarry.

Paleontologists and education personnel from the Burpee Museum will be on site at the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry to conduct free guided tours for the public. Tours will be available at: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., from May 31 through June 9, with the exception of June 2, no tours will be offered that day. Tours will last approximately forty minutes. Groups will be limited to a maximum of 25 people per tour on a first come, first served basis. All visitors are required to sign in at the big tent before starting the tour. Tours will only be offered under favorable weather conditions– if inclement weather conditions occur, tours will be canceled. Notification signs will be posted off of Highway 24 detailing whether the quarry tours are operating each day.

Summer temperatures may reach 90° Fahrenheit; visitors are expected to carry at least one quart of water to sustain them during the hour-long trek and should arrive prepared for high temperatures and a hike on undeveloped terrain with appropriate gear. Additionally, there are no developed facilities located at the quarry site.

The site is located approximately 10 miles northwest of Hanksville, Utah. The road into the site is not maintained for passenger cars. High clearance vehicles are recommended to access the quarry and four-wheel drive vehicles may be necessary during and/or after storm events. Directions and other information regarding this site can be obtained by contacting the BLM office in Hanksville, Utah, at 380 South 100 West, or by calling Sue Fivecoat at (435) 542-3461.