The park is located east of U.S. Route 191 and west of Arches National Park, and covers 6,500 acres (26 km2). The park contains the Dalton Wells Quarry, which have yielded remains of dinosaurs that have advanced understanding of paleontology, such as those of the giant dromaeosaur dinosaur Utahraptor ostrommaysi.[2] Fossils found in the park include those from the early Cretaceous at least 135 to 110 million years ago, such as dinosaurs, such bird-like Nedcolbertia, armoured Gastonia, and long-necked Moabosaurus.[3]
In 1975, palaeontologist Jim Jensen from Brigham Young University dug at the site. In 1993, Jim Kirkland, Robert Gaston, and Donald Burge used fossils from Dalton Wells and elsewhere to describe a new giant raptor, naming it Utahraptor.[6]
In 2001, a large block was excavated, containing several specimens of Utahraptor, representing a large group surrounding an ornithopod dinosaur. In 2013, further research of it began, currently ongoing,[7][8] overseen by Kirkland.