Garden Park Fossil Area
Garden Park Fossil Area
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This area of several fossil excavation sites is best visited by following a guide in your car, although hiking trails are also available.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
14 reviews
Excellent
6
Very good
6
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
1
HAROLD T
19 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
ADDRESS IS WRONG. Given address is BLM office, displays are about 5 miles north of town on Red Canyon Road (Gold Belt Byway). These displays have recently been updated, giving info about the early dinosaur discoveries mad in this area. Farther north from the rest rooms, take the trail which offers views of the digs.
Written 24 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jim81212
Canon City, CO45 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
In addition to several hikes to historic quarries where dinosaur remains have been recovered, there is a nice picnic area along Four-mile Creek with water and restrooms. Interpretive signs provide information on the area. This is not a place to collect fossils, but it is a beautiful, quiet, historic place to visit. See dinosaur remains at the Municipal Museum in Canon City. Drive a few miles beyond the fossil area and see the historic one-room Garden Park School.
Written 16 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MikeB1952
Santa Fe, NM1,167 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
About a year ago, we went to the Cripple Creek Heritage Center (a great visit if you haven't been there). In it were numerous displays, one on the dinosaurs discovered just south of Cripple Creek. We've lived in Colorado Springs for over 40 years and this was news to us. They said there's been a lot of dinosaur discoveries. We wanted to go see what we could find someday. Well Saturday was that day.
The best trip through the Garden Park Fossil Area is through the Web. There just isn't a lot to see (with good reason. The area is still an active fossil research area.). The BLM has done an admirable job with their viewing area and a short hike. But without knowing just where the fossil quarries are and being willing to do some hiking, the quarries are not in view. And besides, all the visible fossils have been already excavated.
Just knowing it was here and being near was a thrill. I had done quite a bit of Web reading and it's a really neat story and quite an international treasure.
Got see it, if only to be close to some amazing history.
The best trip through the Garden Park Fossil Area is through the Web. There just isn't a lot to see (with good reason. The area is still an active fossil research area.). The BLM has done an admirable job with their viewing area and a short hike. But without knowing just where the fossil quarries are and being willing to do some hiking, the quarries are not in view. And besides, all the visible fossils have been already excavated.
Just knowing it was here and being near was a thrill. I had done quite a bit of Web reading and it's a really neat story and quite an international treasure.
Got see it, if only to be close to some amazing history.
Written 13 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lmozz
Romeoville, IL17 contributions
Jun 2011
We visited several dinosaur exhibits throughout Colorado & this is one I would not add on the list. It basically takes you to a rural site where there have been dinosaur discoveries but it does not hold any interest. The hiking in the area was OK - Red Rock Canyon (kind of like Garden of the Gods) is 4 miles up the road & was interesting, though very rural & the unpaved road there could lead to a problem.
Written 25 June 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tracy B
Canon City, Colorado, United States6 contributions
Jul 2013 • Friends
I am a member of the " Rock hounds". A group of people who like to go collect rocks, gems and crystals. We went up to find fossils.....we found nothing! All we found was some fossilized coral, which was kinda neat. It was a waste of time unless you just want to see a pretty view.
Written 13 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
denastevens
pueblo18 contributions
Nov 2011 • Solo
What an interesting and pretty part of the Canon City area. I don't have a huge interest in Dinosaurs but I do enjoy history. But this area is a great place to take pictures.
Written 18 November 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heath G
13 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
Pack a lunch, brink the kids, and spend 2-4 hours hiking and exploring the trails in this area. Great views. Lots of historical markers to read. Worth a visit!
Written 31 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alan N
Flowery Branch, GA532 contributions
Feb 2017 • Couples
The quarries have produced incredible dinosaur skeletons. It is interesting to see the 1877 photos of the bones sticking out of the ground and lying on top of the ground. The story boards tell some of the history, but it helps to research Garden Park sites before you go. Great geology in this area.
Written 4 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philip Q
Florence, CO147 contributions
Oct 2015 • Family
This area is a gold mine for fossils. Stop by the museum and see the fossils, learn about our early history. Paleontologist's started digging north of Canon in the Garden Park Fossil Area in the 1870's. Great drive and history stops along the way on Red Canyon Road. The best Stegasaurus remains every found have come out of this area.
Written 15 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tabitha N
Yukon, OK64 contributions
Jun 2015 • Family
This is a good place to visit for a short hike. It's pretty, but nothing spectacular. Don't be mislead by the term "restrooms" as there is no running water...they are simply out houses. Not a big deal if you know that going in. I would recommend stopping if this is on your way to another point of interest, but not a point of interest in and of itself.
Written 27 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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