Parking Lot Dig Uncovers First Dino Fossils in 100 Years

Construction crews weren't expecting to make history when they started removing asphalt from a parking lot last September, but they unearthed something that hadn't been seen in over 100 years.

Dinosaur National Monument staff discovered new fossils on September 16 near the Quarry Exhibit Hall in Colorado, marking the first fossil find at the site since excavations ended in 1924. The bones likely belong to a Diplodocus, a massive long-necked dinosaur that roamed the earth during the Late Jurassic period.

The discovery happened entirely by chance. When workers removed the asphalt during routine parking lot construction, they exposed dinosaur-bearing sandstone that had been hidden beneath the pavement for decades.

Between September and October, paleontologists carefully extracted roughly 3,000 pounds of fossils and rock from the site. Construction paused immediately after the discovery, giving scientists time to properly assess and remove the ancient remains before the project continued.

The fossils are now getting star treatment at the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, where scientists are cleaning and studying them in a public preparation lab. Visitors can watch the painstaking work unfold in real time, and some specimens are already on display at both the museum and the monument's famous "Wall of Bones."

That wall showcases roughly 1,500 dinosaur bones, some dating back 150 million years. The site has been nationally recognized since 1915, when Dinosaur National Monument was officially established to protect these incredible prehistoric treasures.

Why This Inspires

This accidental discovery proves that wonder still hides beneath our feet, even in the most unexpected places. The parking lot sat above these ancient giants for who knows how long, waiting patiently for the right moment to reveal its secrets.

Historic excavations by the Carnegie Museum, Smithsonian, and University of Utah between 1909 and 1924 made this location famous, but everyone assumed the site had been fully explored. This find reminds us that there's always more to learn, more to discover, and more reasons to stay curious about the world around us.

The fossils that emerged from beneath that parking lot connect us to a world 150 million years in the making, and they'll inspire wonder in visitors for generations to come.