The dinosaur outside the "Dinosaur Inn" in Vernal, Utah.
While driving through northern Utah on the way to Dinosaur National Monument this past summer, my wife and I passed through Vernal, Utah. There were dinosaurs everywhere. Big ones, small ones, green ones, pink ones… it was hard to look in any direction and not see a dinosaur.
One of the most prominent dinosaurs was this fellow outside the Best Western “Dinosaur Inn.” I stopped to snap a picture, but only for a moment. As much as I love roadside dinosaurs I was more anxious to see the ones still encased in rock.
Have you stumbled across a dinosaur in an unexpected place? If you have, and have a photo of the encounter, send it to us via dinosaursightings@gmail.com!
A dinosaur outside an AZ rock shop. Photo courtesy David Williams.
This week’s Dinosaur Sighting comes to us from David Williams, who snapped a shot of a cowgirl riding a rather threadbare dinosaur outside Stewart’s Rock Shop in Arizona.
Fortunately for her the dinosaur appears to be some sort of narrow-footed sauropod so she doesn’t have to worry about being eaten, but given how high a dinosaur like Apatosaurus could lift you off the ground I would still be a little wary of riding a long-necked dinosaur.
Have you stumbled across a dinosaur where you did not expect one? If you have, and have a photo of the encounter, send it to us via dinosaursightings@gmail.com and you might see it here!
When Brian Switek polled readers about the Dinosaur Capital of the World, he included “Bedrock” as a gag answer. It did pretty well—beating out “Other” but losing, as did Liaoning and Glen Rose, to Drumheller. An astute reader pointed out that there is a way to visit Bedrock aside from being a cartoon character—it’s a campground just south of the Grand Canyon.
It was sort of surreal to go from one of the most spectacular geologic sites in the world (where I saw fossil sponges and Paleozoic trackways last week) to a kitschy roadside attraction. The cartoon-land colors are faded in the desert sun, and Fred’s wooden-wheeled car looks a bit lopsided. But sure enough, there is a dinosaur statue in the parking lot. And some sort of yellow pterosaur behind the wall, perched on a volcano.
Have you seen a dinosaur in an unusual place? Snap a photo and send it to dinosaursightings@gmail.com and you may see it here!
A Tyrannosaurus greets visitors at an IGA supermarket. From reader Cameron.
Today’s Dinosaur Sighting comes to us from reader Cameron, who snapped this photo of a Tyrannosaurus popping out of an IGA grocery store wall in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada. The dinosaur may look mean, but I’m sure he’s just enthusiastic about helping shoppers take bags to their cars. Too bad he’s got such tiny arms….
Have you seen a dinosaur in an unusual place? Snap a photo and send it to dinosaursightings@gmail.com and you may see it here!
A Stegosaurus outside the Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. Photo by Sarah Zielinski.
Our latest Dinosaur Sighting comes to us from our very own Sarah Zielinski, who writes for the Surprising Science blog here at Smithsonian. During a recent visit to Paris, Sarah spotted this Stegosaurus outside the Museum National D’Histoire Naturelle, and while she did not see anyone on it while she was there, apparently kids love to clamber onto the back of this dinosaur.
Our latest Dinosaur Sighting (and a special Monday edition since Friday brought the exciting news of Anchiornis) comes from the Denver Botanical Gardens, where this year’s fall maze is a Tyrannosaurus carved out of a cornfield. This bit of artistic gardening coincides with the park’s current “Jurassic Garden” exhibit, which features living relatives of prehistoric plants right alongside dinosaur statues.
If you have any photos of Denver’s “Jurassic Garden”, or have spotted a dinosaur in another place that you did not expect, send those pictures to dinosaursightings@gmail.com. You might see them featured here!
A Corythosaurus in Beijing. From reader Paul Trap.
Most of the Dinosaur Sightings that come in are of Tyrannosaurus, so it was refreshing when a snapshot of a hadrosaur came our way. Reader Paul Trap sent us this snapshot of his son posing next to what would appear to be a Corythosaurus outside the Beijing Museum of Natural History. The crest on the dinosaur’s head is not quite right, though; it looks like a bit of a punk hadrosaur to me!
Have you spotted a dinosaur out in public? Take a picture and send it to us at dinosaursightings@gmail.com and you might see it here!
A Tyrannosaurus looms over the furniture at an Ontario, Canada store. Submitted by Karin and Tegan.
Who would expect to run into a dinosaur at a wood furniture store? Readers Karin and Tegan certainly didn’t. While driving along Hwy 11 in Ontario, Canada they spotted a Tyrannosaurus looming over the wooden chairs at the Woodmill of Muskoka furniture store. Just why the store has the dinosaur on-guard outside isn’t clear, but it certainly seems to attract attention!
Have you seen a dinosaur in an unexpected place? Snap a photo and send it to dinosaursightings@gmail.com and you just might see it here!
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