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Dinosaur National Monument paleontologists uncover first new fossils since 1924

Scientists believe the bones belong to the large, long-necked dinosaur Diplodocus.

(ReBecca Hunt-Foster | National Park Service) Dinosaur National Monument staff work on excavated dinosaur fossils in the Quarry Exhibit Hall Parking Lot in fall 2025.

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.

Recent parking lot construction at Dinosaur National Monument has uncovered fossils of a long-necked dinosaur on the Utah-Colorado border.

Park staff say the discovery near the Quarry Exhibit Hall is the first fossil excavation there since 1924, when the original excavations at the site ended.

Staff identified the bones back in September 2025 and stopped construction for paleontologists to assess and excavate the fossils.

Scientists believe the bones belong to the large, long-necked dinosaur Diplodocus from the Late Jurassic period, which are common in the area.

Read the full story at KPCW.org.