Dinosaur Provincial Park

Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada is a UNESCO site known for extensive badland landscapes and exceptionally rich Late Cretaceous fossil beds. It is one of the world’s most important sites for dinosaur palaeontology.

Wide expanses of eroded coulees, hoodoos and exposed sedimentary strata reveal fossil-bearing layers and dramatic scenery. The park’s visitor centre displays many recovered fossils and runs guided programs including supervised fossil digs and interpretive walks that explain the geology and palaeontological discoveries.

Scientific collecting and research have taken place here since the early 20th century, producing large numbers of scientifically important dinosaur specimens used in global palaeontology. The area was designated a provincial park and later recognised for its international palaeontological value.

The park lies in the badlands of southeastern Alberta near the town of Brooks, within a rural landscape of mixed prairie and eroded river valleys. It is reached by road from Brooks and other regional centres in Alberta.

• Fossil significance: The park contains one of the richest concentrations of Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils in the world, with dozens of species represented and thousands of specimens recovered by scientists.
• Access and tours: Access inside the protected area is seasonal and often requires joining guided tours or field programs run by the park for safety and conservation reasons.

What to See #

• Fossil badlands: Badland formations and fossil-bearing coulees where fieldwork has revealed large numbers of dinosaur skeletons and other vertebrate fossils over many decades.
• Visitor centre and field programs: The park's visitor centre and interpretive displays that present recovered specimens and explain regional geology and palaeontology; seasonal guided programs and supervised digs operate from this centre.