Dinosaur Diamond
The Dinosaur Diamond is a 486-mile scenic byway loop through Utah and Colorado. It forms a diamond-shaped route with four corners: Grand Junction, Colorado; Moab, Utah; Vernal, Utah; and Helper, Utah. The byway links famous fossil sites and stunning parks, including Dinosaur National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, Colorado National Monument, and Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.
What you’ll see along the way
- In Colorado: Grand Junction and nearby forests and rock formations; Fruita with scenic overlooks such as the Book Cliffs.
- In Utah: Vernal (near Dinosaur National Monument), Roosevelt, Duchesne, Helper, and Price, plus notable parks and museums in the area; Green River and Moab with Arches and Canyonlands nearby.
How the route runs
- The loop starts in Grand Junction on I-70, heads to Fruita, then north on SH-139 to Rangely, and west on SH-64 to Dinosaur.
- After Dinosaur, it crosses into Utah on US-40, goes to Vernal, then west on US-191 to Roosevelt and Duchesne, south to Helper and Price.
- From Price, the byway continues to Green River, connects with I-70 toward Moab, then north on SR-128 to Cisco, and finally back east on I-70 to Grand Junction, completing the diamond.
Designation and history (brief)
- The Colorado portion was named Dinosaur Diamond Scenic and Historic Byway in 1997.
- The Utah portion was named Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway in 1998.
- The entire route was designated a National Scenic Byway in 2002, recognizing its scenic, historic, and recreational value.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:01 (CET).