Dinosaur fossils in Montana
The Paleobiology Database records 985 non-avian dinosaur finds in Montana, from 83 genera. The oldest is Allosaurus from the Kimmeridgian age, about 154.8 million years old. The youngest is Ankylosaurus magniventris from the Late Maastrichtian age, as young as about 66 million years. Ages are the range the database gives for the rocks, so a find can be tens of millions of years across.
- 985finds
- 83genera
- 154.8oldest, million years ago
- 66youngest, million years ago
It ranks 2nd of 36 US states on the map by number of finds, with 18% of the finds in the United States. The most recorded dinosaurs are Tenontosaurus (55), Triceratops (47) and Richardoestesia (36). The rock formation with the most finds is called Hell Creek, with 393.
Montana has finds from more than one period. Use the age slider on the map to see how its dinosaurs change from older rocks to younger.
Which dinosaurs were found in Montana?
The genera with the most finds here:
| Dinosaur | Finds |
|---|---|
| Tenontosaurus | 55 |
| Triceratops | 47 |
| Richardoestesia | 36 |
| Deinonychus | 27 |
| Edmontosaurus | 25 |
| Troodon | 24 |
| Paronychodon | 21 |
| Tyrannosaurus | 20 |
| Sauropelta | 18 |
| Pachycephalosaurus | 16 |
Rock formations with dinosaur finds in Montana
| Formation | Finds |
|---|---|
| Hell Creek | 393 |
| Two Medicine | 183 |
| Judith River | 157 |
| Cloverly | 132 |
| Morrison | 30 |
| Lance | 29 |
| Frontier | 21 |
| St. Mary River | 7 |
| Bearpaw Shale | 6 |
| Blackleaf | 6 |
Other US states to explore
- Wyoming (1,040)
- New Mexico (832)
- Utah (602)
- Colorado (484)
- Texas (448)
- North Dakota (237)
- Arizona (167)
- South Dakota (167)
- New Jersey (70)
- Oklahoma (62)
See the sea floor where marine reptiles swam: oceanfloormap.com →
Before you go fossil hunting. A dot shows where a find was recorded, not where you may dig. Many fossil sites are on private or protected land and collecting rules differ by country. Check the rules before collecting and never dig on protected sites.