While never too crowded thanks to its massive size and remote location, Dinosaur National Monument reaches 100+ temperatures during the summer months, but it cools down to the ‘70s and ‘80s in the autumn months. The Utah side of the park is where to go to visit the paleontological sites to see dinosaur fossils (you’ll share the Quarry Visitor Center with some school groups, certainly, but not with the masses of families who descend in summer).
The Split Mountain and Green River campgrounds adjacent to the fossil sites are a good bet for those in RVs and campers, as it’s still pretty hot and dry, with little natural shade. For tent campers, it’s well-worth driving to the Canyon Visitor Center entrance in Colorado, (Craig is one of the gateway towns on the Colorado side) where the Green River awaits with its Gates of Lodore.
Quick Tip: the Green River rafting season at the Gates of Lodore ends in early fall, so bear in mind that the river water levels may be too low for a rafting trip in autumn, but hiking trips are still in full swing.
On the Colorado side of the park, camp at Echo Park near Harper’s Corner, where Steamboat Rock will tower over your tent. Bear in mind: the last 10+ miles is dirt, and while the campground is open year-round, it’s impassable in wet weather.
Bonus: You’re not far from the pretty Colorado town of Steamboat Springs, where mountain biking and hiking abound through the sunny, dry fall months.
