Big Water Visitor Center
Big Water Visitor Center
4
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Inside the Bureau of Land Management Visitor Center in Big Water, Utah, National Park Service rangers await those wanting to know more about the dinosaurs that dominated earth nearly 150 million years ago.
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4.0
73 reviews
Excellent
37
Very good
25
Average
5
Poor
2
Terrible
4
Travellingphoenix64
Phoenix, AZ169 contributions
Nov 2021
My wife and I visited the Big Water Visitor Center during a recent trip to Zion National Park. This is a free quick stop that will fascinate children and adults alike.
The courtyard features the scale outline of a Parasaurolophus (google it) and a Phytosaur (an ancient crocodile). Inside there are mounted skulls of a variety of Ceratops and other ancient fossils.
This is quick trip. To see the entire exhibit (minus the gift shop) takes less and 45 minutes. The center also features picnic tables and working restrooms. And did I mention that it's free (except for the gift shop)?
If you're passing through Big Water Utah and need a rest break, I highly recommend the Big Water Visitor Center.
The courtyard features the scale outline of a Parasaurolophus (google it) and a Phytosaur (an ancient crocodile). Inside there are mounted skulls of a variety of Ceratops and other ancient fossils.
This is quick trip. To see the entire exhibit (minus the gift shop) takes less and 45 minutes. The center also features picnic tables and working restrooms. And did I mention that it's free (except for the gift shop)?
If you're passing through Big Water Utah and need a rest break, I highly recommend the Big Water Visitor Center.
Written 8 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MyersFamilyTravelers
170 contributions
Dec 2021
Was close to Utah border so decided to stop by here -- neat little place with good history on the area and especially the fossils found in the area. Some good real fossils as well as casted replicas. Was worth the 20- 30 minutes we spent here.
Written 26 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelJohn092
Phoenix, AZ314 contributions
Aug 2014 • Solo
I stopped at the Big Water, UT BLM visitor center to discuss the directions to the Wahweap Hoodoos. James was very helpful, gave me a map to the trailhead, once there it was a 3-5 mile hike to the first set of hoodoos (3-4 miles) then another mile to the main (white) hoodoos which is what I was aiming for. There is a shorter route but its driving on the BLM's administrative dirt road and signs are posted "not authorized to see Wahweap hoodoos" so I wouldn't advise going this route because if caught, I'm sure the fines are high. Also, I wouldn't try to see the hoodoos during the months of July and August as these months are when the area has their monsoons and can ruin your hike( you will be hiking in the Wahweap wash and can flood quite quickly from a storm up north). Little to no cell phone reception in the wash!
Written 5 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
yayrockymtns
United States107 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
Nice displays and information on dinosaurs. Our impression was that BLM does not employ their best staff here. One staff member on location and she completely ignored us. When we did ask for assistance, it was as if we were a bother to her. We informed her we were headed to Zion and she FAILED TO INFORM US OF ROAD CLOSURE on Zion's east side! That lack of obvious (to her) information put us off track and over 100 miles out of our way. We also witnessed her give other travelers inaccurate information. Our tax dollars not at work here. We did not use restrooms so we are unable to comment on them.
Written 19 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gr8ful4222
Campbell, CA1,895 contributions
Sept 2018 • Couples
This center is conveniently located about 10 minutes away from the trailhead for the Toadstool Hoodoos trail. Stop here before your hike for directions and information. The center has flush restrooms, potable water, picnic tables, and a small number of dinosaur fossils on display.
Written 7 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cardinalis
Olathe, KS306 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
On a typical stop at a visitor center we ask for hiking suggestions and driving directions and then skedaddle. But on this occasion we walked into a Utah dinosaur mini-museum featuring giant skulls and a wall-filling mural. It also featured Merle Graffam on staff, he who discovered a certain Nothronychus and after whom that dinosaur is named. Merle is gracious, informative and engaging and we left greatly rewarded for our visit.
Written 23 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sheila_1031AZ
Mesa, AZ2 contributions
Apr 2014 • Family
We stopped by this visitor center on the way to hike to the Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos. The highlight of the center is the dinosaur exhibit. There are actual dinosaur bones which have been found within 35 miles of the center. The center was staffed by Merle, who was extremely knowledgeable about dinosaur fossils found in the vicinity, as well as about paleontology in general.( He himself found a dinosaur fossil in 1999, only 2 miles north of Big Water!) He shared with us fascinating information about the dinosaurs found in the area as well as allowing us to browse the exhibit at our leisure. There also is another room with all kinds of books and maps of the area. Other reviewers have commented on the lack of helpfulness of staff at this center, but our experience was wonderful--thanks Merle!
Written 26 April 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
matt p
Bausman, PA46 contributions
Nov 2013 • Couples
Great place to stop between Page and Kanab. They have a binder full of hikes and pictures of each trail head so you can get an idea of what to look for while you are driving. It was very helpful when finding the toadstools hike ( which is about 11 miles up the road ).
The guy knows A LOT about Dinosaurs.
The guy knows A LOT about Dinosaurs.
Written 3 December 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dgdssdish d
Charlottetown, Canada1,172 contributions
Sept 2011 • Couples
Ss soon as you walked in you felt like you were intruding on the staff. On Monday September 5th 2011 we stopped in the visitor center for some information. The women at the desk gave us the impression we were interupting her. All we got was little more than a grunt and a one word answer.
The guy spritzing the plants wouldn't even acknowledge anybody was there. If this is your first impression most people would keep on going to another state. The rest of the people in Utah were great just avoid the Big Water Visitor Center and go to the Paria Contact Station where they are super helpful.
Later in the week we were at the Escalante Visitor Center and they couldn't be more helpful. Big Water could take lessons from them.
The guy spritzing the plants wouldn't even acknowledge anybody was there. If this is your first impression most people would keep on going to another state. The rest of the people in Utah were great just avoid the Big Water Visitor Center and go to the Paria Contact Station where they are super helpful.
Later in the week we were at the Escalante Visitor Center and they couldn't be more helpful. Big Water could take lessons from them.
Written 5 October 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cma
31 contributions
Apr 2022
Nice visitor's center with a few gifts/tshirts, maps, and some info about dinosaurs found in that area. If you ask about off roading (like the two guys I observed), depending on who you ask, be prepared for a possible intense lecture on preparedness and safety and how costly it is to get towed should you get stuck, along with a horror story or two about people who have died. Cover the kids ears.
Written 4 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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