In Colorado, USA, there's a small town called Dinosaur. Some of its street names include Brontosaurus Boulevard, Stegosaurus Freeway, Tyrannosaurus Trail, and Diplodocus Drive.
This Colorado Town Has the Most Jurassic Address System
Somewhere in the remote northwestern corner of Colorado, there's a town that took its naming theme and absolutely ran with it. The town of Dinosaur (yes, that's its actual, legal name) features a street grid that sounds like a paleontologist's fever dream.
Want to visit a friend? Just head down Brontosaurus Boulevard, hang a left at Stegosaurus Freeway, and you can't miss them on Tyrannosaurus Trail.
From Artesia to Dinosaur
The town wasn't always so prehistoric. Founded in 1946, it was originally called Artesia—a perfectly sensible name for a small Colorado settlement. But in 1966, residents voted to rename their town after the nearby Dinosaur National Monument, a 210,000-acre park straddling the Colorado-Utah border that's famous for its treasure trove of Jurassic-era fossils.
And they didn't stop at just the town name.
The Full Commitment
When Dinosaur decided to rebrand, the town council went all in. They renamed virtually every street to match the prehistoric theme. Today, the town's roads include:
- Brontosaurus Boulevard
- Stegosaurus Freeway
- Tyrannosaurus Trail
- Diplodocus Drive
- Triceratops Terrace
- Antrodemus Alley
- Cletosaurus Circle
Even the main drag, running through what passes for downtown, carries a dinosaur name. Mail carriers in Dinosaur have possibly the most entertaining routes in the entire USPS system.
A Very Small Jurassic Park
Don't expect a bustling metropolis. Dinosaur's population hovers around 350 people—making it less "Jurassic Park" and more "Jurassic Parking Lot." The town sits at about 5,900 feet elevation, surrounded by high desert landscape that, fittingly, looks like it hasn't changed much since actual dinosaurs roamed the area.
The real draw is the national monument itself. Dinosaur National Monument contains one of the world's most concentrated deposits of Jurassic-era dinosaur fossils. The famous "Wall of Bones" displays over 1,500 fossils still embedded in the rock face—exactly where paleontologists found them.
Living the Brand
Residents of Dinosaur have fully embraced their town's identity. The welcome sign features dinosaur silhouettes. Local businesses lean into the theme. And giving directions to visitors is probably the most fun anyone has ever had explaining how to find the gas station.
"Turn left at the giant extinct reptile street, then right at the other giant extinct reptile street" is just how things work in Dinosaur, Colorado.
The town serves as a gateway community for visitors heading to the national monument, and while amenities are limited (we're talking one small grocery store territory), the charm is undeniable. Where else can you tell people you live on Triceratops Terrace and mean it literally?