Tesla Model 3 Maiden Voyage - Eccles Dinosaur Park - Ogden UT

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit Jurassic Park? Ever since the movie came out when I was a little kid, I have dreamed of entering that universe. Just imagining being surrounded by these ancient creatures has always brought me a sense of adventure and curiosity. As we obviously can’t go to Jurassic Park, a small town in Utah holds the next best thing, Eccles Dinosaur Park.

First I guess I should give a warning. I showed up early on a Monday morning and the park was packed with preschoolers and kindergartners on field trips. When I asked to buy a ticket, I was asked what field trip I was with. When I told them none, there was an obvious judgment of me being a 32yo man going by myself with a bunch of camera gear. So I guess I’m saying if you’re going to go without a young child, you might want to at least have a partner if you don’t want someone watching you the whole time there.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about this cool museum. Once you enter, you will first enter an exhibit about rocks, and minerals. This was actually a lot cooler than I thought it was going to be. Perfectly shaped spheres are displayed on shelves along with other beautiful minerals. Absolutely ginormous gems are in display cases, light reflecting off of their shape sending rays and rainbows around them and across the room. Strangely, there is also a single case with guns displayed. I don’t understand how they relate to the rest of the exhibit, but I guess it’s expected in Utah? i don’t know. I found it comical.

Once you leave that room, you enter a room filled with some of the most intricate dinosaur skeletons I have ever seen. There are specimens of everything here. Tyrannosaurus Rex? Check. Stegosaurus? Check. Allosaurus? Check. Velociraptor? Check. It’s all here. There is even a paleontologist on site working on fossils that have recently come from the field. Have any questions? Feel free to ask them./ Want to just watch them work? You can do that as well.

Once you leave that area, it’s time for Jurassic Park. Outside is a huge garden, covered with life size dino statues. You can wander around in the beauty of Utah, while pretending you are walking through the world as it once was. Look to your left, and you will see a T-Rex standing over it’s kill. Look to your right, there is a pod of triceratops grazing in the field. Walk down the trail of mystery and you will see brontosaurus hiding from their predators. If you can stretch your imagination, you will have entered the dreams of a child, or at least the dreams of my childhood.