Utahraptor State Park opens - Photo Gallery

Opening of Utahraptor State Park – Photo Gallery

Utahraptor State Park officially opened to the public Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by state officials, paleontologists, and community members. The long-anticipated park—located about 15 miles northwest of Moab—preserves 6,500 acres of red rock desert, rich with both fossil history and regrettable World War II-era significance.

Kenyon Roberts, a Utah teen who helped advocate for the park’s creation at just 10-years-old, joined officials in cutting the ceremonial ribbon. Grand County Commissioner Mary McGann, a longtime advocate for the park, gave remarks

The event marked the debut of the park’s visitor center, where state paleontologist Dr. James Kirkland was on hand to lead guests through fossil displays, offering insights into Utahraptor and other prehistoric finds from the Dalton Wells Quarry where more than 5,500 dinosaur bones have been excavated.

Inside the visitor center, guests explored exhibits on the area’s paleontology and history, including the site’s use in the 1930s as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp and, later, as the Moab Isolation Center—one of several wartime detention sites for Japanese Americans. A permanent exhibit features oral histories, artifacts, and photos that honor those incarcerated there.

The new park also includes 67 campsites, trail access for hiking and off-highway vehicles, and educational signage throughout. More information about park access and hours is available at stateparks.utah.gov.