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Dinosaur Fossils Unearthed During Construction at National Monument

lite News Desk 2 min read

At a glance

  • Fossils discovered during parking lot work in September 2025
  • About 3,000 pounds of fossils and rock excavated
  • Remains believed to be from a Diplodocus dinosaur

New dinosaur fossils were found at Dinosaur National Monument in September 2025 during construction near the Quarry Exhibit Hall. The discovery prompted immediate action by park staff to secure and study the remains.

Construction workers uncovered the fossils while working on a parking lot project. Park personnel identified the find on September 16, 2025, and halted construction activities to allow for proper assessment and excavation of the site.

The remains are believed by park staff to belong to a large, long-necked dinosaur, most likely a Diplodocus, which is a species commonly found in that area. This identification was based on the characteristics of the fossils and the known history of the bonebed.

Excavation efforts between mid-September and mid-October 2025 resulted in the removal of approximately 3,000 pounds of fossils and surrounding rock. This process was carried out to ensure the preservation and further study of the materials found at the site.

What the numbers show

  • Fossils identified by park staff on September 16, 2025
  • Excavation spanned from mid-September to mid-October 2025
  • Roughly 3,000 pounds of fossils and rock were collected

The area where the fossils were found had not been excavated for over a century. The last major digs at this location took place in 1924, involving teams from the Carnegie Museum, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and University of Utah.

After removal from the site, the fossils were transported to the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum in Vernal. There, cleaning and study of the remains are ongoing, and visitors can observe the fossil preparation process in a dedicated laboratory setting.

Some of the newly uncovered fossils are now available for public viewing. Displays featuring these remains have been set up at both the Quarry Exhibit Hall and the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum.

The discovery and subsequent handling of the fossils followed established procedures for paleontological finds within protected areas. The incident has added new specimens to the collections available for research and public education at the involved institutions.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.

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