Exploring Utah’s newest state park, UtahRaptor State Park

MOAB, Utah (ABC4) — UtahRaptor State Park, the 46th state park, is now open to the public, offering everyone a look at Utah’s ancient history and remarkable recreation opportunities, all while honoring the cultural significance of the land.

Officials held a ribbon cutting for the state park Friday, which is located roughly 15 miles northwest of Moab. Governor Spencer Cox, in attendance for the ribbon cutting, joked about the project being in the works for a long time.

“Government moves slow, we understand. But this is the first project in state history to take 100 million years,” Gov. Cox said.

The park is home to Dinosaur bones dating all the way back to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, with the Dalton Wells Quarry housing more than 5,000 bones from a half dozen dinosaur species.

Even with 50 miles of trails, the park is unique in that it has a tribute to the Civilian Conservation Corps and Moab Isolation Camp with a dedicated walking trail taking visitors through this part of history.

Lloyd Nakahara donated heirlooms to the park that belonged to his granduncle who lived in a Japanese Internment Camp in Grand County, including his World War I Army hat, his army medical pouch and 13 artillery shell casings.

Nakahara says he knew donating these family heirlooms from 1917 to the park was an important thing to do.

“People need to be aware that it did happen so it doesn’t happen again,” Nakahara said.

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