Dave Webb, October 17, 2025
(See the state park website for more info: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/utahraptor/)
Fossils from the Utahraptor dinosaur were first found in 1975 at the Dalton Wells Quarry, near Moab. Bones and tracks from many other dinosaurs and other creatures have also been found in the area. Casual hikers have occasionally found dinosaur fossils as they hike here.
Utahraptor State Park opened this summer as part of an effort to protect the area while still allowing recreation. We were in the area last weekend and decided to stop by and see what it was all about. With kids and grandkids in tow, we wandered around the state park visitor center and had a good time.
We know that there are many places near Moab where you can see dinosaur tracks, and that fossils have been found nearby. But we had no idea of the importance of the Dalton Wells Quarry. The quarry is no longer active, and there is not much for visitors to see at the site, but its history is fascinating.
We were also unaware of important human history events that occurred here. During World War II, the Dalton Wells Camp served as a relocation and isolation center for Japanese Americans, housing a number of internees who had been “troublemakers” at other detention centers.
Prior to that, Dalton Wells was a CCC camp as part of the New Deal program to provide jobs during the Great Depression.
The new stat park offers a developed campground and primitive camping area, along with hiking and biking trails.
It is located just off US 191, along Willow Springs Road, about 15 miles NW of Moab. The park is still under development. Right now, the visitor center is the main attraction. It is worth visiting if you are in the Moab area.