As I watched the first Cabazon Dinosaurs being built in the 60’s little did I know what the future would bring. What a full blown hit they were about to become, well in a few decades. They do say all things come to he who waits. The Brontosaurus was first. It was started with 55 gallon drums, rebar, junk steel and scrap iron welded together to make a framework, to handle chicken wire and add plaster. A lot of the parts came from the new Interstate freeway being built at the time I-10. Imagine, a brontosaurus with a gift shop inside.

It Was simply an oddity at the time, similar to but different from other oddities created to get people to stop for a bit and drop a few shekels. With the Wheel Inn next door and their wonderful pies, and an ok restaurant the dinosaur was a nice pull and things thrived. As time passes and over the decades the surrounding businesses had a newer sheen, cars zoomed by more comfortably, distances in the desert seemed to shrink a bit and progress moved forward. The dinosaur has been in scenes in a few big screen movies and even in

Howser’s travel show. The dinosaur was a local oddity that simply lay in waiting for Jurassic Park. Wow! Now the dinosaur is is a huge hit. Dinosaur upgrades are installed. Dinosaur fever hits, and people and their children came in droves! Well that fervor cooled over time, the Wheel Inn and its famous pies are in the rear view mirror. Today the Dinosaurs are back to being a roadside attraction that continues to bring excitement to first time visitors and is always a fun stop to see the full sized dino’s and snap a few pics. Enjoy the stop, stretch your legs a bit, fill up your tank, and dream of times long gone by. Another roadside attraction built by another visionary with  imagination and sweat her in the mini metropolis of Cabazon,  Ahh Cabazon Dinosaurs …. Now there is another story.

And remember the Cabazon Outlets for Shopping are nearby for the Cabazon Dinosaurs for the shoppers in the family! And The Morongo Casino and Resort  is nearby as well!

Cabazon Dinosaurs -Gift Shop Inside this Monster!