Dinosaur, Colorado

Dinosaur, Colorado
Statutory Town[1]
Town of Dinosaur[1]
A sign for Tyrannosaurus Trail, a street in Dinosaur
A sign for Tyrannosaurus Trail, a street in Dinosaur
Official logo of Dinosaur, Colorado
Logo
Location in Moffat County, Colorado
Location in Moffat County, Colorado
Dinosaur is located in the United States
Dinosaur
Dinosaur
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 40°14′24″N 109°00′24″W / 40.24000°N 109.00667°W / 40.24000; -109.00667[2]
Country United States
State Colorado
CountyMoffat County[1]
Incorporated1947-12-09, as the Town of Artesia[3]
Named forDinosaur National Monument
Government
 • TypeStatutory town[1]
Area
[4]
 • Total0.930 sq mi (2.408 km2)
 • Land0.930 sq mi (2.408 km2)
 • Water0.000 sq mi (0.000 km2)
Elevation
[2]
5,876 ft (1,791 m)
Population
 (2020)[5]
 • Total243
 • Density261/sq mi (101/km2)
 • Metro
13,292
 • CSA
38,121
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP codes[6]
81610 & 81633
Area code970
FIPS code08-20495
GNIS feature ID2412432[2]
Websitetownofdinosaur.colorado.gov

Dinosaur is a statutory town in Moffat County, Colorado, United States.[1] As of the 2020 census, the population was 243,[5] down from 339 at the 2010 census.

Dinosaur is a part of the Craig, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

The town of Dinosaur was originally known as "Baxter Springs", owned by Art and Fanny Baxter. It was renamed "Artesia" for its valued water supply when a town was platted to accommodate the oil boom in the 1940s. The current name was adopted in 1966, to capitalize on the town's proximity to Dinosaur National Monument.[7] The Dinosaur National Monument headquarters is located just east of the town on U.S. Highway 40.

  1. ^ a b c d e "Active Colorado Municipalities". Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Dinosaur, Colorado
  3. ^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
  4. ^ "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "P1. Race – Dinosaur town, Colorado: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  6. ^ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on November 22, 2010. Retrieved September 8, 2007.
  7. ^ "Dinosaur". Colorado Tourism Office. 2010. Retrieved May 30, 2010.