Dinosaur Provincial Park

Dinosaur Provincial Park
Hoodoos at Dinosaur Provincial Park
Location	County of Newell / Special Area No. 2, near Brooks Alberta
Coordinates	50°45′42″N 111°29′06″W / 50.76167°N 111.48500°W / 50.76167; -111.48500
Area	73.29 square kilometres (28.30 sq mi)
Founded	1955
Governing body	Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Provincial Park of Alberta	1955
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Natural
Criteria	vii, viii
Designated	1979 (3rd session)
Reference no.	71
Country	Canada
Region	Europe and North America
Location of Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta

Dinosaur Provincial Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated a two hour drive east of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; or 48 kilometres (30 mi), about a half-hour drive northeast of Brooks.

The park is situated in the Red Deer River valley, which is noted for its striking badland topography, and abundance of dinosaur fossils. The park is well known for being one of the richest dinosaur fossil locales in the world. Fifty-eight dinosaur species have been discovered at the park and more than 500 specimens have been removed and exhibited in museums around the globe. The renowned fossil assemblage of nearly 500 species of life, from microscopic fern spores to large carnivorous dinosaurs, justified its becoming a World Heritage Site in 1979.