Dinosaur National Monument protects one of the great fossil landscapes of the American West. The main draw is the exposed dinosaur bone wall at the Quarry Exhibit Hall, where Jurassic fossils remain embedded in the rock rather than being removed to a museum case.
The monument is also a wild canyon landscape, with petroglyphs, desert trails, and rafting routes through the Green and Yampa river canyons. Vernal is the practical gateway for most visitors, especially for the quarry side of the park.