Jurassic Park in Utah

St George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm

Photos From This Visit | PDF With Site Details

On the outskirts of St. George a man broke ground to build his dream home. Imagine his surprise when his eyes rested upon an ancient footprint. Apparently, this home-to-be site was once a bustling area full of…dinosaurs.

As a child I read a story about a little girl who lives on the plains and the struggles that ensue after her brother finds dinosaur bones on their property. Walking through this museum brought me back to that book. Dinosaur Discovery is actually a building that was constructed around hundreds of dinosaur tracks. So they are still in the dirt like they have been for millions of years! It was so very cool. The museum boasts of having the largest continuous set of prints from a single animal. This gives researchers more valuable information about how the reptiles moved.

Upon entering the structure you are asked to pay a minute fee and from there can continue along a boardwalk. The boardwalk surrounds several meters of ground that display dinosaur foot impressions. I stood there and imagined a different scene than the one before me: not-so-tiny creatures running around looking for food and dodging the threats of becoming food. Trees suddenly grew before my eyes and a murky lake appeared to the side. In my imagination, taller plants were found a little further off and in them were crouched predators waiting for the right moment to strike. Goodness was I happy to have not been around during those times. I prefer to be on the top of the food chain.

here were helpful guide pamphlets and plaques at each spot along the path that make a self-guided tour easy. I also found that the employees were very eager to share extra information and take time to explain the interesting exhibits. There was also a large movie theatre room that played a continuous film about the site, how it was discovered and the long-dead occupants.

One of the very rare finds at this archeologically site were what is called "swim tracks". These are lines in the mud that were created as a dinosaur shoved off from the bank of a river and swam into the water to catch prey or escape becoming prey. Imagining these massive creatures being so close and in an active state of hunting (granted, millions of years ago) made this find the scariest to me. To scientists, the swim tracks provide evidence that the dinosaurs swam.

I was told that another rare find (so rare, in fact, that only four others are known to exist) is a "dinosaur squatting track with trail drag". This basically means that at one point a dinosaur sat down and left impressions of its hind legs and butt area. Scientists know more about how the animal moved because other impressions show how the reptile then placed its "hands" down to stand up and began to walk away. The tail being dragged on the ground, which also left an impression, naturally followed this movement. The large slab of ground showcasing this rare find is elevated for visitors to easily see. If you stare long enough maybe you will also be able to feel the awe that comes with realizing how long ago these events took place and the luck at being able to, in a sense, transport back in time and be a witness to them.

For me, the very coolest discovery had to be the skin imprints. That's right people, actually imprints of real dinosaur skin! I couldn't believe it! I have never seen anything like it in my whole life and I have frequented several museums. Somehow, millions of years before we were around, a large reptile sat down in or leaned against mud and for whatever reason that mud was never refreshed. It sat there for centuries and hardened, preserving forever the skin of a creature now long dead. The skin reminded me most of snakeskin.

I found a display case dedicated to showing visitors how fossils are uncovered and the time it takes to sift through the vital archaeological finds and dirt. Unique plant finds are also showcased.

Not touching some of these artefacts was really quite difficult for me. Luckily, they provided a sample up at the front of the building where I could "hands on" experience what only my eyes had been allowed to feast upon. I also noticed that the museum provided a few kid-friendly activities for the little ones. Tracing, coloring and getting to bring home their own dinosaur memorabilia provide great fun for kids. This is helpful, since several of the million-year-old items are within grabbing distance of little hands. The building also houses a little gift shop where trinkets can be purchased to commemorate one's trip.

Every employee we met that day was very helpful, eager to educate and well informed of the Jurassic Period creatures. The facility was lovely and so unique to be built around the artifacts. I found the whole experience to be family-friendly, educational, fun and quite awe-inspiring. It's a great place to spend an hour or two if you get a chance.