Michigan’s Jurassic Park: Dinosaur Gardens, Alpena County

Who sez nobody cares about dinosaurs anymore?

Are you even remotely familiar with the still-current fascination kids have with prehistoric creatures? It’s possible that there’s an even higher interest in them, even more so than when Jurassic Park was first released.

Decades ago, lotsa Mid-Michigan families dug goin' to Prehistoric Forest in the Irish Hills down by M.I.S., even though the dinosaurs were far from the computer-generated ones you now see in films and the animatronic ones at other theme parks. It opened in 1963 and has been closed since sometime between 1999-2002.

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But even though Prehistoric Forest is gone, you can still take in the fiberglass-dinosaurs-in-the-woods experience.

Dinosaur Gardens has been around for over 80 years and still brings 'em in, located at 11160 U.S 23 South, Ossineke, in Alpena County. Great place for photo-ops and maybe even shoot your own short video. There are NO barriers to keep you away from the dinosaurs...you can get right up, around and under 'em.

Walk or take a guided carriage tour through the Dino gardens... So pack up your dinosaur-crazy kids (or your friends) and head up to Dinosaur Gardens as part of your Michigan roadtrip...and spend your vacation dough in Michigan this and every year...!

Scroll down a way for photos...