r By Ed HelmickrMany times over the years I have driven past signs on US Highway 6 southeast of Wellington and Utah Highway 10 south of Price that point to the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, but I never gave a thought as to what might be there. It turns out that this quarry has provided the greatest concentration of Jurassic era dinosaur bones in the world. The bones of 74 dinosaurs have been excavated from the quarry. The quarry gets its name from its proximity to the town of Cleveland and from Malcolm Lloyd, who financed an investigation of the site from 1939 to 1941. It is a seasonally working dinosaur quarry. It’s definitely an interesting place to visit that both adults and kids will enjoy. I don’t know why I didn’t discover the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry sooner.
The road to the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is not on the way to any place. To drive to the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, it has to be your destination. There are a couple of routes that will take you to the quarry, and both of them are easy drives on graded gravel roads. The route from Price to US 6 southeast of Wellington and the access road to the quarry is 39 miles with 33 miles of gravel road. From the towns of Elmo or Cleveland via Utah Highway 10, the quarry is 13 miles of good graded dirt road.
The easiest route to the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is to drive south out of Price on Utah Highway 10 for about 12 miles to the junction with Utah Highway 155. Follow UT155 to Elmo and follow the signs for the 13-mile gravel road drive through the Desert Lake Waterfowl Reserve to the dinosaur quarry.
Once you arrive at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, you will find a small visitors center and a short walk to a metal building that overlays a quarry exhibit. There are a couple of self-guided walking trails to add to your educational experience. Picnic tables are available for your outdoor lunch. There is no camping or lodging at the site.
From September to the end of October, the quarry is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.The visitors center is closed November through late March. A $5 fee is charged for adults (16 and older) unless you have a National Park Pass. Kids are free, and what a fun place it is to take the kids.
This is one of 42 destinations described in our new book “San Rafael Swell Off Road.” This book and an accompanying map are available by contacting me at ed.helmick@gmail.com.
