One of the great California eyesores in the town of Cabazon, CA.



  1. Dr Spearmint Fur says:

    Cool. A biblical theme park.

  2. Usemeplz says:

    There are so many interesting places in the world! It is really cool park!

  3. AndFurtherNorth says:

    Reminds me of this fellow up at Drumheller in central Alberta, Canada:

    http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/18338472.jpg

  4. ECA says:

    southern ore has a dino park..as well as a few toher things going north from cali..

  5. Rob Leather says:

    From my daughter…

    “It’s a magical leopluradon.”

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=JPONTneuaF4

  6. EnemyOfTheState says:

    My first visit was in the 70s. In the 80s we stopped by before bingo with the Indians. Jesus and the Dinos, hahahahahaha

  7. So what says:

    Fake there is no statue of jesus with a veliciraptor.

    • EnemyOfTheState says:

      the gift shop (located in the saur in the foreground) sold many such figurines.

    • spsffan says:

      Oh, had to look up veliciraptor. I thought that was a fancy word for pogo stick!

  8. Sarah Palin says:

    This is a wild one without a saddle

  9. AlanB says:

    Fond memories actually. Not that I’ve ever seen these guys but having grown up in the 50’s when “family vacation” was synonymous with “road trip” there’s a special place in my heart for roadside attractions. They were a place to explore, full of wonder and a temporary respite from my older brother pinching me or trying to convince me he spit on my hamburger.

    Retirement will include some travel time and It will be hard to drive by these places without pulling in. After all, it’s hard to see them all. http://ti.me/a7gh08

    • Dr Spearmint Fur says:

      When I retire I’m going to do a long road trip going to every minor league ball park I can. The less “A’s”, the better.

  10. legendinmyownmind. says:

    I used to drive by there two or three times a week. Never stopped, but didn’t consider it an eye sore at all.

    • jpfitz says:

      @ legend,

      Are the dinos still there? Me and the wife are east coasters and I want to see the west coast. In particular the Palms-to-Pines Highway where the epic film “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” was filmed. I have a euphoric fascination with the film especially the sequence filmed driving the seven steps and Smiler’s Point. “Good old Smiler, everybody’s friend.”
      I’d like to stay in Palm Springs. Then do site seeing.
      Any other info would be greatly appreciated. I realize the area has been built up and most scenes from the film won’t be recognizable. But I’m looking to relax in the desert for a week at one of the resorts our timeshare is affiliated with.

      • EnemyOfTheState says:

        Used to drive PTP once a week for food and entertainment when living up in the Pine part of PTP (Idyllwild).

        It is a great weekend getaway to a BNB a mile high.

      • Yankinwaoz says:

        Do the tram. On a clear day, at the top, you can see forever. You can see Mt. Charleston in Las Vegas to the north. To the south you can see the whole Imperial Valley, all the way down to Mexico.

  11. Joe says:

    ” I’m all alone. I’m rolling a big doughnut and this snake wearing a vest…”

  12. Cap'nKangaroo says:

    It stands out as such an eyesore in comparison to such picturesque landmarks as the Banning CHP weigh station or all those big windtower turbines.

  13. Drive By Poster says:

    Does anybody know if they’re still there? The owner/builder was trying to sell them last I heard some 12-15? years back.

    • EnemyOfTheState says:

      Right here
      http://www.maposo.com/maps.php?id=966

      • Drive By Poster says:

        Dang, but that place has been built up since I was last there. Time was the only things out there was a Hadley’s Orchard store, a resteraunt/gift shop, the dinosaur(s), and maybe a gas station.

  14. Spared no Expense says:

    How many still call a guy on the left a Brontosaurus?
    The one on the right is a “Do0yathinkysaurus”.

    • jpfitz says:

      Yabba dabba do!

    • spsffan says:

      Brontosaurus it is. And Bombay is still Bombay, and Candlestick Park is still Candlestick Park. Oh, and Pluto is still a planet!

      I’m an old fashioned kind of guy.

  15. msbpodcast says:

    Now we’ve been able to identify pigments on fossilized dinosaur skin so we know that they were actually colorful (How colorful? They had plumage, and so do their descendants, the birds, so they were pretty damn colorful.)

    Let a bunch of New York “tag artists” lose with a few dozen cans of Krylon and let ’em spray.

  16. sargasso_c says:

    They look so realistic.

  17. Jim from the truck says:

    Dose anyone remember the “soft” porn movie that was filmed there?

  18. BigBoyBC says:

    My mother lives on the other side of the freeway and just down a bit from these dinosaur structures. They are not “eyesores” as Dvorak says, they are the life work of a good man Claude Bell. The Apatosaurus has stood longer than most of you have been alive. They are part of the quirky roadside culture of this country and may not appeal to some, and despite the creationists taking it over after Mr. Bell died, they are worthy of a visit. The Wheel Inn Diner is real close and usually busy with truckers, food is typical roadside diner food. Frankly, I’m getting tired of Curry and Dvorak trashing Southern California.


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