Public Tours
TOUR RESERVATIONS can be made by calling 303-697-3466, except during the busy season between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Guided Bus Tours
Our 45-minute guided tour with transportation on a small 12-14 passenger bus is the most popular way to experience Dinosaur Ridge. You can expect a personalized tour as well as admission to our Exhibit Hall. Our professional guides not only interpret the on-site dinosaur tracks and bone fossils, local history, and geology, but will answer specific questions and tailor their presentation to your interests.
For groups of 6 or more people, advance reservations are required. Call 303-697-3466 x100 (1 week before desired tour). Tickets are also available on a first-come first-served basis at our Main Visitor Center.
Note: You will be outdoors for half the tour and can expect to be on the bus no longer than 10 minutes between outdoor stops.
Wheelchair accessible buses are available.
Group Tours
$18 adults | $12 kids (EBT Cardholders receive discount pricing)
Daily: Starting at 9:30 a.m.
Private Group Tours (your party only)
$160 flat fee (EBT Cardholders receive discount pricing)
7+ guests (13 max)
What will I see on a guided bus tour?
Guided bus tours feature stops at the Bone Bed, the Brontosaur Bulges, and the Dinosaur Tracksite. Brief talks at each site provide context for the fossils on the ridge.
Your tour includes a 45-60 minute educational experience for ages five and older.
School groups or other groups with their own bus/vans are encouraged to request a School or Scheduled Group Tour.
When can I take a guided bus tour?
Dinosaur Ridge’s tours operate at different times depending upon the season:
Guided Bus Tours Departures
May-Oct: Daily, 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Nov 1-May 1: Daily, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
How do I get on a bus tour?
If you did not reserve a seat in advance, you may purchase a bus ticket at our Main Visitor Center Gift Shop. Most people purchase bus tickets in-person. Wait at the bus stop 10 minutes prior to the departure time stated on your ticket.
Can my entire group ride the same bus?
Buses accommodate 14 people. To guarantee your group rides together, reserve a private bus tour by calling (303) 697-3466.
Guided Walking Tours
Advance online reservations required. Admission to the Exhibit Hall is included with your ticket.
Walking Tour of Dinosaur Ridge
$18 per person
1.5-2 hours
13 guest max
Most Sat-Sun: 12:00 P.m.
(November-May)
Walk with a Geologist Tour: Dinosaur Ridge
$20 per person
2.5 hours
13 guest max
Saturdays: 12:00 P.m.
(November-May)
Walk with a Geologist Tour: Triceratops Trail
$20 per person
2 hours
19 guest max
Saturdays: 12:00 P.m.
(November-May)
A 2-hour walking tour of the Triceratops Trail in nearby Golden, Colorado. This 1.5-mile dirt and gravel trail winds between vertical walls of sandstone in old clay mining pits. A geologist guide will highlight the interesting geology, dinosaur tracks, fossils, and impressions at this site. Participants meet at the trailhead (one block east of 6th Ave and 19th St. in Golden) This tour is designed for ages 16 and older.
Double-down on Your Dino Experience
Get a discount pass to visit both Dinosaur Ridge and Morrison Natural History Museum
Follow in the footsteps of prehistoric creatures at Dinosaur Ridge and see the fossils they left behind at Morrison Natural History Museum.
Morrison Dino Pass
$30 adults (12+) | $20 kids (3-11) | 2 and under free
Grants admission to both Dinosaur Ridge (Bus Tour & Exhibit Hall) and Morrison Natural History Museum.
Dino Passes are available for purchase in-person at either location. You can also order passes online when you book your tour with Morrison Natural History Museum (MNHM). No reservations are required at Dinoridge–only proof-of-purchase.
Self-Guided Walking & Audio Tours
Self-guided tours are a popular way for visitors to explore Dinosaur Ridge and Triceratops Trail. There are more than 15 interpretive sites on Dinosaur Ridge Trail and 6 interpretive sites along Triceratops Trail to visit. We recommend picking up a map from our visitor center or downloading one of our audio tours to enhance your learning experience.
If you are planning a self-guided visit with 15 or more people, please notify us at least two weeks in advance by completing our Self-Guided Tour Request Form. Large groups of 60, or more, may require a permit from Jefferson County Open Space, or you may be asked to modify your plans. Our Scheduling Coordinator be reached by emailing tours@dinoridge.org.
Dinosaur Ridge and Triceratops Trail are open daily from sun-up to sun-down. Stop in our Main Visitor Center Gift Shop or the Martin G. Lockley Discovery Center to pick up a free map for your self-guided walking tour. Review our hours of operation or read more about Dinosaur Ridge Trail and Triceratops Trail.
Park at the Main Visitor Center located at 16831 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, CO, 80465, unless instructed otherwise.
Walking Distances at Dinosaur Ridge (rounded to nearest .1 mile)
Walking Distances at Dinosaur Ridge (rounded to nearest 0.1 km)
Audio Tours / Recorridos de Audio
$7 per download
Current downloadable audio tours of the Dinosaur Ridge and Triceratops Trails are designed for ages 16 and older. Available in English and Spanish. Children’s version coming soon. Purchase includes one (1) admission to the Exhibit Hall.
Los recorridos de audio descargables actuales de Dinosaur Ridge y Triceratops Trails están diseñados para mayores de 16 años. Disponible en inglés y español (¡próximamente la versión para niños!). La compra de Audio Tour incluye una (1) entrada a la Sala de exposiciones.
Exhibit Hall
$4 per person
2 and under free
Purchase tickets in Gift Shop
Walk through exhibits to learn about Colorado’s changing environments across a range of prehistoric times.
Virtual Tour
$10
Now available for a limited time, the 360º Virtual Tour is FREE to explore! See Dinosaur Ridge in a totally different way!
If you take the tour, we’d appreciate your feedback on your experience. Your opinion will help us provide the best experience possible for future visitors!
Large Self-Guided Groups
Large groups of individuals (including adults and children) on a self-guided tour of Dinosaur Ridge must contact Friends of Dinosaur Ridge at least two weeks in advance of your preferred arrival date in order to firm up the logistics of your trip by completing our Self-Guided Tour Request Form.
Depending on the size of your group, other aspects of your plans, and other groups that are already scheduled on your preferred date, larger groups may either require a permit from Jefferson County, or we may ask you to split up your group or come at a different time.
Thank you for your cooperation. Our Scheduler can be reached at tours@dinoridge.org