June 30 , 2016

by Larry Bleiberg

Although they disappeared millions of years ago, dinosaurs haven’t gone out of style. Fossil sites and displays continue to attract adults and kids fascinated by the flesh-eating monsters that once ruled the planet. "These places take people on their own little adventure into the past," says Jon Kramer, co-author of the guidebook Dinosaur Destinations: Finding America's Best Dinosaur Dig Sites, Museums & Exhibits (Adventure Publications, $14.95). He shares some favorites with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.

Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry
Elmo, Utah
In a state packed with dinosaur sites, this Utah spot stands out for its abundance of allosaurus skeletons, the largest collection of Jurassic bones ever found. “They’re big, flesh-eating and scary as hell, with giant skulls and monstrous teeth,” Kramer says. Administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the quarry has a museum and offers ranger-led hikes. blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/price/recreation/quarry.html

Dinosaur Valley State Park
Glen Rose, Texas
Dramatic evidence of dinos has long lured visitors to the bed of the Paluxy River, about 80 miles southwest of Dallas. “It’s probably the single most famous dinosaur track site in the country, maybe in the world,” Kramer says. “The tracks are really incredible, very big and prolific.” The park often hosts clean-out days, inviting the public to help remove debris that naturally accumulates in the tracks. tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/dinosaur-valley

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
Los Angeles
Although it sounds like a plot for a Godzilla remake, prehistoric animals did indeed once roam the area that’s now Los Angeles. For decades, researchers have been recovering the remains of saber-tooth cats and wolves from tar pits located just off Wilshire Boulevard. “It’s not a movie prop, it’s a real frigging tar hole in front of the museum,” Kramer says. “It bubbles and everything.” tarpits.org

Nash Dinosaur Track Site and Rock Shop
South Hadley, Mass.
While dino sites are more prevalent in the West, the first tracks found in North America were actually discovered in New England in 1802 by a farmer plowing his field. He dug up the rock and used it as a door stop for his home. Now visitors can see and even purchase tracks, as Kramer recently did for his wife’s birthday. “It’s a Ma and Pa shop. I love the accessibility.” nashdinosaurtracks.com

Fossil Butte National Monument
Kemmerer, Wyo.
The park service calls this site “America’s Aquarium in Stone,” preserving a huge variety of fossilized fish, plants and insects, which were buried under volcanic ash more than 50 million years ago in what is now called the Green River Formation. The monument has a museum and quarry, and while collecting isn’t allowed, nearby private sites welcome visitors. “You’ll walk out of there with more stuff than you know what to do with.” nps.gov/fobu

Petrified Forest National Park
Arizona
While best known for its fossilized wood, this national park is also a hotbed for dino lovers. “Along with those plants were living animals. They’ve found eggs and all kinds of bones, strange and interesting dinosaurs,” Kramer says. The park’s Rainbow Forest museum displays skeletons, and visitors can explore scenic desert overlooks and Indian carvings. nps.gov/pefo

Mammoth Site at Hot Springs
South Dakota
Having gone extinct just a few thousand years ago, mammoths are newcomers compared to dinosaurs. But the prehistoric creatures still capture the imagination of visitors to this former sinkhole that’s considered the largest concentration of mammoth skeletons in the world. “It’s a genuine time capsule from the Ice Age,” Kramer says. mammothsite.com

Dinosaur Ridge
Morrison, Colo.
Nearly 80 years ago, road builders on the outskirts of Denver uncovered an incredible cache of dinosaur tracks and bones. "The footprints are the most impressive part; there are hundreds and hundreds in this big slab of rock," Kramer says. dinoridge.org

Two Medicine Dinosaur Center
Bynum, Mont.
If seeing skeletons isn’t enough of a thrill, you can help unearth them by joining an adventure sponsored by this non-profit group. “You can take friends and family and go out and help dig up dinosaurs,” Kramer says. Previous finds include duck-billed dinosaurs, tyrannosaurus and albertosaurus. “This is prime-time stuff.” tmdinosaurcenter.org

Dinosaur State Park
Rocky Hill, Conn.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of tracks that led to the founding of this park and arboretum in the Connecticut River Valley. A geodesic dome now preserves the footprints made 200 million years ago during the early Jurassic Era. There’s also a museum, interactive exhibits and several miles of hiking trails. dinosaurstatepark.org