MOAB, Utah — The first visitors have arrived at Utah's newest state park that took years to create.
"This is the first project in state history to take over 100 million years to complete!" Governor Spencer Cox joked at the opening of the new Utahraptor State Park.
The new state park is named for the Utahraptor, a dinosaur species made famous because it's what paleontologists say the "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic World" movies based their velociraptors on. The park is rich with dinosaur fossils coming mostly from the Dalton Wells Quarry, which is now within its boundaries.
"I think it’s spectacular, really," said Dave Coulter, who is one of the first to visit the new park. "It’s got some recent history and the paleologic history is amazing."
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Part of the motive to create Utahraptor State Park is to preserve the dinosaur fossils. Grand County Commissioner Mary McGann described seeing with horror people using dinosaur fossils to build fire pits and leaving litter all over the area.
"We will have a way to protect this area from dispersed camping which was out of control, and protect an area that we consider very valuable because of the dinosaurs and the history," she told FOX 13 News on Friday.
Utahraptor State Park will also preserve more contemporary history. During the Great Depression, it was the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. During World War II, it was the site of an internment camp. Those are remembered with special exhibits featuring testimonials from those who were kept here.
It did take a lot of work and political willpower to create the park. Kenyon Roberts started lobbying the Utah State Legislature for it when he was 10. Now a little older, he helped the governor cut the ribbon on the park.
"I think this place tells a story. I think it tells the story of prehistoric times and the ancient ecosystems that were here. It tells the story of the people who were wrongfully interred here and I think it’s going to tell the story of friends and family that are going to come here and make memories," Roberts told FOX 13 News.
The state park also helps alleviate some of the congestion that hits nearby Arches National Park. It's considered another boost for the Moab area, which already sees significant tourism with visitors coming from all over the world to see the spectacular redrock.
"A huge boost for the visitor economy, a huge opportunity for the visitor experience in the region," said Natalie Randall, the managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism.
