St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site | St George

The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm, located in St. George, Utah, is one of the most remarkable paleontological sites in the American Southwest-a place where prehistoric history meets modern discovery. This museum and active dig site showcase an extraordinary collection of well-preserved dinosaur tracks, fossils, and ancient environments dating back over 200 million years to the Early Jurassic period. Visitors can literally walk above the same ground that dinosaurs once crossed, viewing the fossilized record of their footsteps frozen in time.

Setting and Atmosphere

The museum sits on the original Johnson Farm, where in 2000, a local landowner named Sheldon Johnson accidentally uncovered the first dinosaur tracks while leveling his property. What he revealed would soon become one of the most scientifically significant track sites in North America. The site lies just off East Riverside Drive, surrounded by red desert hills and sandstone formations typical of southern Utah’s geologic landscape.

Inside, the atmosphere is a mix of quiet reverence and scientific curiosity. The main exhibit hall is built directly over the preserved tracksite, creating the rare experience of seeing fossils in situ-exactly where they were found. Warm lighting highlights the subtle impressions in the stone, while the smell of rock and sand reminds visitors that this is not a replica exhibit but a genuine ancient surface uncovered after millions of years underground.

Historical and Scientific Significance

The track beds date from the Early Jurassic Moenave Formation, around 198 million years ago, when this region was part of a vast river delta system near the edge of an ancient lake. These shallow waters attracted dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, whose tracks were left in soft mud and later preserved as stone.

The site is famous for:

Hundreds of well-preserved dinosaur footprints, representing at least six distinct track types, including early theropods and herbivorous species.

Fossilized mud cracks, fish, plant remains, and ripple marks, providing a vivid picture of the environment.

Rare swim tracks and crouching impressions, showing dinosaurs interacting dynamically with their habitat.

Among the most significant discoveries are tracks from the small meat-eating dinosaur Dilophosaurus-like theropods, whose footprints offer insight into movement, speed, and behavior. These trace fossils are often considered more valuable than skeletons because they reveal how the animals lived, not just how they looked.

Exhibits and Features

The museum’s exhibits combine geology, paleontology, and educational storytelling, appealing to visitors of all ages:

Main Track Hall: The centerpiece, featuring the original sandstone bedding plane with hundreds of visible footprints. Raised walkways allow visitors to view the tracks without damaging them.

Fossil and Cast Displays: Showcasing bones, plants, and small aquatic fossils found nearby, illustrating the ancient river ecosystem.

Life-Size Dinosaur Replicas: Detailed reconstructions of dinosaurs that may have left the tracks, helping visitors visualize their movement and scale.

Interactive Exhibits: Touch tables with real fossil samples, 3D models, and educational panels explaining how tracks form and are preserved.

Research and Preparation Lab: A glass-walled area where paleontologists and volunteers clean, preserve, and study newly uncovered specimens.

Educational and Family Experience

The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site is particularly popular with families, students, and amateur paleontologists. Educational programs and tours explain the science of ichnology-the study of fossilized tracks-and show how these traces help reconstruct ancient ecosystems. Children’s activities, including fossil rubbings and track identification games, make the learning process hands-on and memorable.

The experience balances accessibility with authenticity: visitors walk through an active research site, yet exhibits are organized for clear storytelling and visual impact.

Architecture and Design

The museum’s structure is purpose-built to protect and display the fragile fossil layers. The high-ceilinged steel and glass building creates an airy, naturally lit environment that maintains a sense of