Prehistoric Gardens

I went to school in Port Orford and Langlois. I am an Eagle Scout out of Port Orford Boy Scout Troop 98.. I am a town historian and collector of memorabilia.. I currently have been an Administrator of Curry County History and Tourism Conservative Facebook page. Been doing this for 16 years I stopped by Prehistoric Gardens on vacation to try and find something cool for my vast collection. I struck up a conversation with Kiki the Grandaughter of Ernie Nelson. She currently runs the theme park.. It was raining out.. we never meet before. But she was very polite. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with her and learning about history of the park.. I had collected a bunch of items on eBay of Prehistoric Gardens. I had a post card of her Grandparents station wagon out front. So when I got home I sent her a care package. In return she gave me some items for my collection

We found this quirky roadside gem while driving down Highway 101 and had to stop! There’s a cute dino-themed gift shop and a short trail full of delightfully cheesy dinosaur sculptures, took us about 20 minutes to walk through. Such a fun, nostalgic stop and totally worth it if you’re cruising the 101!

I'm so happy that we stopped in with our grandsons. The park is beautiful and worth the time spent. The lady working was not so friendly. We did not know that the gift shop was the end of the tour. She was clearly aggravated with us and had an attitude. Even when trying to go over the rules with the kids. All in all, we think this is a fun place. -Regina

Total tourist trap. It’s really pretty, and my kiddo loved it, but parents should be free. It’s really small, the walk is short, and it’s not worth the price. Just take a photo with the T-Rex in front, go into the gift shop if you want, and move on.

I’ve come here since I was a kid and it never gets old. It’s truly an Oregon coast gem and it’s been around for 70 years. It’s such a cool piece of property with so many different plans, trees and of course life sized dinosaurs. Highly recommend!

Fun place to visit. Wonderful little gift shop.

The prehistoric creatures are in no way realistic, but I went in knowing that. The dinosaurs are very retro and a ton of fun. Additionally, the setting was absolutely gorgeous, a rain forest of ferns and mosses skunk cabbage and tropicals with massive leaves. Enjoyable for adults, and if you have children then definitely take them!

My daughter decided to spend her 4th birthday here and it was probably one of the best places we've gone to on the coast. In the belly of port orford nestled on the side of a mountain. It's family friendly, they offered free use umbrellas because it was pouring rain but I decided to rough it out and feel the forest and i wasn't bothered by the rain at all. from life size dinosaurs to ancient species of plants this place is a perfect vacation destination. Close enough to gold beach and port orford city limits you have plenty of options to some amazing food and hotels. The people who run the gift shop were very nice.

We really enjoyed our experience at the Prehistoric Gardens!! It is truly an epic roadside attraction

An absolute gem of an Oregon landmark! The Prehistoric Gardens is a magical place unlike any other. Opened in 1955, this roadside attraction has obviously been maintained with much love over the years. I thought $14 was well worth it for the price of admission, considering that one can linger as long as they want to marvel at the cement dinosaurs, but also revel in wildlife watching in this beautiful old-growth rainforest setting. I'm a huge fan of old school roadside attractions, but the Prehistoric Gardens is unique in its melding of kitsch with natural beauty. It was a perfect pause in a busy day on the South Oregon Coast, and I took a ridiculous amount of photos. The young woman working in the gift shop was very kind and nice to chat with; I was also giddily excited to throw down some money for a sticker, magnet, and sweatshirt. I will definitely return any time I'm in the area. I hope that this very special place continues to inspire future generations of coastal travelers.

Great place for the little kids, it's not big but enough to wow the kids and it really looks like Jurassic park in there.

What a treat. I'm dully impressed with the sculptor's attention to detail and scientific accuracy for the time, and some of the animals he chose to portray as statues are very obscure to all but the most serious paleo nuts. I don't think there's ever going to be another chance for me to see a Seymouria statue. The whole thing has a backyard business vibe to it. The little office/gift shop/bathroom feels like it could be someone's house that they converted. It's a fun little trip for only $14. I do wish they had more stuff in the gift shop. Souvenir spoons? Hoodies with dinosaurs on them? One of those things that lets you squish a penny? I would have loved that.

Great roadside attraction!!! Gps took us to the wrong location so call them for better information. Our family loves doing roadside stops at cute places and this one hits all the marks. Very clean and beautiful old growth forests with statues of Dinosaurs. They have posted educational info on the animals, plants, etc. Sweet gift shop with goodies. My autistic son was in heaven. Thank you !!!!

Very random stop and so much fun with my family! Including the somber "too cool" 18year olds had fun!

My grandson adored the gardens! He raced from exhibit to exhibit with so much excitement! The garden is small and the dinosaurs are artistic representations and not factual, but I would come back every day just to see his face light up. You walk through an ancient forest on a maintained path past several different dinosaurs sculptures. The whole walk took us about 45 minutes and we took our sweet time. The gift shop had some unique dinosaur themed items and various other Knick-knacks. 10/10 would recommend to anyone with kids under 12

-Too expensive: $14 per person for what ends up being a 10 min stroll at most. Worth maybe $5 per person at most. -NOT DOG FRIENDLY. They said if we wanted to bring in our dog, we had to pick them up and carry them.

I was greeted upon arrival by Kiki. She was extremely kind, polite and told me to take my time even though I arrived 15 minutes before they closed. The gift shop has so many wonderful gifts and unique items. Pros: Customer service, educational, great for a solo or family adventure. Cons: The landscaping needed some work. A lot of pictures I took of the dinosaurs were blocked by tree limbs, tall grass, etc.

It was a fun to visit and read the signs to my daughter; she is so into Dino's and was thrilled with this place! I loved that it was educational and the natural Oregon rain forest setting. You can go around the trail as many times as you like.

Must see for all ages! Love the rainforest and replicas, enjoyed everything about this most creative spot. Coastal scenery is also beautiful!

We showed up and the parking lot was empty, That should have been a sign of what is about to come, Biggest rip off I have ever experienced in my 50 yrs. Tooks my four kids there, and it took us 5 minutes to walk through the "gardens" to see some ferns, firs, and old crappy dinosaurs with outdated info. Avoid !!WAY WAY overpriced....I would have felt better if I just threw a $100 bill out the window, so I know whoever finds it will be stoked and use it for something useful.

I love cheesy roadside attractions and my husband loves dinosaurs so of course we needed to stop here. First off, let me warn you that the dinosaurs are not accurate nor is the information on them. Much of the info is really old and outdated. So if you are picky about that sort of stuff you will be disappointed. You just need to go into expecting it to be silly and fun. When we put this mindset on we had a good time. The grounds alone are beautiful and its was enjoyable to just walk around. Kids would probably love it.

I am not one to write a relatively negative review but in this case I think it's important. I don't want anyone else to make the mistake we did. I have a 14 year old son who has autism. Since he was little he has been absolutely fascinated by dinosaurs & has had an uncanny ability to identify & recite the most interesting facts about them. Sharks too. Naturally when we learned about these garden we had to go. I read their entire website which gives you the impression you're entering a vast, lush & immersive experience. Not. Even. Close. We woke up bright & early, loaded in the car & drove 4 hours to visit these "gardens". When we pulled in to park my gut told me everyone was in for disappointment but I gave it to the benefit of the doubt & thought perhaps once you pay admission & enter the gates there would be a lot more than what initially meets the eye. They charge 14$ per person aged 12 & up. For 100$ we walked a loop that is not even an eighth of a mile. It didn't take us 5 minutes to see everything & that included taking photos & reading the boards. My son was devastated & everyone else was so disappointed. I did the best I could to make a positive spin on it, even taking everyone in to the gift shop for a souvenir but the prices were astronomical. Books were $50, T-shirts were 39$, tiny rubber hand puppets were 10$. We spent 4 hours (8 including the drive home) in the car & with the cost of admission & gas alone spent over 250$ for 10 minutes at this place. Do not make the trip to Port Orford just to visit this place & if you add it as a stop because you'll already be in the area, be prepared to spend a small fortune for very very little.

So I had the pleasure of going on a little road trip for a few days while it was nice out. My mom told me about this place and I couldn't believe I never knew about it before as a native Oregonian. Since I didn't make it the past couple years I made a point of stopping here. I know people complain about prices, but what is cheap these days? The person working was super friendly and even after pointed us to other area attractions of interest. Even the map they give you is super cool. We saved them for a friend's kid because they'd be fun to color. We know they took some liberties with colors and all but it was a really cool place. The rainforest aspect was really beautiful, then you add all these awesome giant dinosaurs. It was so much fun with lots of photo ops. It's impressive to see the sheer size of some of them. Everyone had a good time. The gift shop has lots of items, but if you're looking for cheap this is not the place. There are tons of toys, but it's toy store pricing and quality, nothing too excessive. We had a great time and I'm really glad I got to go. Now I need to go back with my mom!

Really cool area with awesome scenery, but definitely overpriced. Our boys really thought it was awesome!

A very unique and fun stop for all ages. I had been traveling in the car for a few hours and this was a great stop to walk around and stretch and get some fresh air. The gardens are very pretty and you feel so small in there. They have lots of prehistoric ferns and different plants, and of course they have dinosaurs. There honestly isn't a lot though. I went through the garden in about 40 minutes, and that was stretching it. There's information on each dinosaur and plant, but other than that there's not much else to do. I was a little bummed that it cost $12 and there really wasn't much to do, but it was an experience and there were some cool photo opportunities. There is a small gift shop that has some rocks and dinosaur memorabilia t-shirts and postcards and clean bathrooms. This place would be a good learning opportunity for young kids! And you can bring your dogs (which was wonderful, just pick up after them and the girl giving out tickets even offered me doggie bags- but I had my own). Definitely stop here if you have some time or you want to take an educational stop for the kids.

Perfect for my 3 yr old and for us! Great concept mixing the beautiful Oregon lush greenery with dinosaurs! Like a easy mini hike through the Oregon forest-

This place is cool I like the animals they have on display and how they touch on how far back they date to but they do not have it from a Christian perspective

I rarely cater to places like this, they are usually so cheesy. Not So Here!! This place is an Institution of Learning. I actually stopped to drool on a car in the parking lot. But life throws its monkey wrenches. The owner was inside using the rest room... Once I went in I was immediately impressed by the gift shop. Yeah, there were the requisite cheesy items, but overall it was amazing. After just a minute with Kiki, the owner, I realized this place has been here for 60 years. Designed and built by her grandfather, and maintained by the family, since. It's also adorned with art by her "at least" locally famous mother. But the tour was EPIC!! Phenomenal recreations of all the well known and not so well known dinos. Not only that but it is nestled in one of the most beautiful old growth forest areas anywhere. There were huge plants here that I thought for sure were imported for the tour, but are actually some of the largest in the region.. I would highly recommend this location as a school field trip. Parents of homeschoolers, bring your kids here. The signage is amazing and educational/informative. I learned more about the dinosaurs here than I did in school. Be Blessed!!

Worth stopping for no other reason then to visit an iconic stop. Bring a happy heart and have fun, hell you might even learn something lol My Family had a great time.

Decided to do a road trip up to Portland Oregon for my birthday weekend. Was doing some research on places to see and visit in Oregon. Found this amazing place and had to go! They are dog friendly!! Love this place!!! Beautifully done

Our kiddos loved this place! Especially the gift shop! We will definitely recommend to our friends and family.

Well worth it if you have kids or just love dinosaurs! The kids each got a map of the forest at check in and were extremely thrilled about each and every one they found. The dino's are very well maintained as is the entire grounds and trails. There was a very nice gentleman there today on 8/23/16 who was raking the gravel trail to even it out and checking the plants out. The lady at the window was very nice to us as well. Adults are $12. Seniors are $10, children are $8 and under 3 (may be 4) are free! You can make the trails very fast or you can read all the big infographic signs and find out about history in the area. Overall, it was well worth the cost as the kids loved it and kept talking about it all day. They even got a set of mini dino figures to play with from the gift shop and haven't put them away. Due to the excitement and imagination it brought to them, its definitly a 5 star tourist spot!

Beautiful rainforest (4 stars) in Southern Oregon. Horrible tourist trap with inaccurate, old, peeling, (and some brightly colored) dinosaur reproductions (2 stars). Lots of screaming children (1 star). Parents complaining and asking for their money back (1 star). A solid 2. If you come here and want to see the beautiful Oregon Rainforest (80-100 inches of rain fall annually in this area) you will be happy but don't come to see the dinosaurs unless you are impressed with the T-Rex in the parking lot. If you are, then you will like this place. Otherwise, drive on past! It was a waste of money.

What an amazing stop to get your kids out of the car and stretch their legs! Our three boys (6, 4 & 2) absolutely loved it! They give you a super cute picture map that the kids can follow and just the walk alone on the lush green bath is worth it alone. We loved it. Added bonus was the cute gift shop that each of our boys got treasure chests with stone dinosaurs to put inside. Thanks for the great experience!

We spotted this roadside attraction on our way down the coast and decided to stop for a break in our driving. The dinosaurs in the front of the building were very large and impressive so we wanted to check out what else was in the park. The woman who sold us the tickets was very kind and gave good instructions for the area. We walked around the park following the map we were given and enjoyed seeing all the dinosaurs and reading about them. The only things we were disappointed about was that one of the dinosaurs was missing and some of the dinosaurs seemed a little run down. Some advice we would give would be to grab a jacket as it is a little chilly on the shaded paths. Overall, a lovely little stop for a break in your travels!

This was a wonderful and magical place. My husband and I are both in our 30s, dinosaur lovers, and this place made us so so so happy! A family business, the gardens were created by the proprietors grandfather who is a delightful artist. The owner was very nice and thoughtful in answering our numerous questions about the history of the gardens. There is a lot of information about each dinosaur, the local eco-system, and some local history too! All the dinos were charming - well there was one guy that kind of frightened me, but the baby triceratopses were almost impossible to leave behind!!! The place is dripping with vintage charm!! A must stop on a trip along the Oregon coast! We'll be back!!

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!!! I can't say enough about this place! Kiki, in the gift shop is great!!! It's really because of her that I had such a good experience at the gardens. Definitely worth the stop!

Fun kitschy roadside attraction! Walk through lush tropical gardens and see life size replicas of prehistoric creatures. Very educational also. Everything is very well maintained and a real blast from the past feeling exists. Gift shop is well maintained, personnel are very sweet and friendly and the shop has a little bit of a new age vibe with crystals and incense along with a lot of Bigfoot items and dinosaur info. Very relaxing. Do not expect to be dazzled by a bunch of high tech offerings, but instead you'll be charmed by the quiet nostalgia.

Pricey for a walk with giant concrete dinosaurs but if you are with a group of friends that like to laugh and be silly - you get GREAT pictures!!

This place was so charming. As a couple of young adults, we really enjoyed ourselves and were in awe at some of the dinosaurs. It's a little pricey but we felt it was worth it. There is a gift shop included as well. We bought a cute little magnet there to remember the moment. The path walk was easy to navigate and the perfect distance. There was lots of information and the history of the gardens with the added fact that I've read articles that they are at risk of disappearing I am glad we made the choice to stop by! Definitely stop by if you have the time while passing by.

A great stop for kids to run out some energy along Highway 101. It was a nice sized walk for toddlers and a good way to stretch your legs on the long highway 101 route. The gardens are filled with Dino sculptures and tons of prehistoric plants! Each plant and Dino has a small infographic to give you and your child a learning experience. Dogs are also aloud on leash! And there are picnic tables for lunch!

This was awesome. Just a random stop on the side of the road. Very quirky little place that was a blast even for our group of all adults. We all had a blast. Recommend bringing a photo buddy.

What a fun adventure for people of all ages! Nice way to spend a afternoon and learn a few things at the same time. The gift shop was pretty cool too! Lots of great stuff to buy. And best of all...dogs are allowed! So if you are looking for something different to do, go check it out.

Very cool for the kids. Expensive !! Especially for what it is. $64 for 4 adults and 2 kids. About a 20-25 min walk (slow with kids). Tree limbs hanging over trail that we had to go under, other limbs blocking signs and dinosaurs that we had to move. Definitely in need of some pruning. Bathroom in the middle of a remodel - hey it happens but it smelled so bad like rotten moldy wood from a broken pipe I really didn't want my kid breathing that. Gift shop is cool.

This was a cool little attraction. It was a nice path with lots of cool prehistoric creatures to stop and see/read about. Very pretty setting. I do wish it had been a different day we had gone however. It was very cold (in the high 30's I believe and heavy rain mixed with snow the whole time we were there so we were freezing and uncomfortable and honestly rushed through it faster than we would have even if it had been a warmer rainy day. It was $12 per person. This is why only 4 stars. I think it should be at least a slightly lower cost per person to walk through during non summer season. But it was still cool and I'm glad I stopped like I said I just wish the weather wasn't so cold and wet so we could have enjoyed it more. It was nice also that they allow you to bring your dog as long as they are on a leash. And I want to also note that they do provide umbrellas if you want one while you're walking through.

It's just FUN! I didn't know what to expect but I like checking out these kinds of roadside attractions. As an added bonus I could take my dogs. It may not be accurate scientifically or anatomically but it's a blast from the past nonetheless. The setting is AWESOME. All the ferns and moss covered trees add to the "jurassic" atmosphere. The walk through is NON-strenuous and beautiful as well. I've taken two friends there since and they enjoyed it as well. I also really liked the giftshop and the restroom was clean (a major for me!) Just go! You'll enjoy it!

Gardens were beautiful with lots if signs to read. kids thoroughly enjoyed it but the gift shop was outrageously priced. $15 for a poster!

We turned around on our trip down the coast. This place does not disappoint. We balked at.the admission price, expecting another typical tourist attraction. This place far exceeded our expectations. Just walking through the woods and seeing the life sized dinosaurs gave you a sense of stepping back in time. The fact that this place was conceived and built by a private citizen makes it all the more impressive.

It's cute. The kids enjoyed it. Some of the statues could use a touch up & some were completely missing. It's a nice little walk even if it didn't have any statues.

The reviews that express admiration for the "fake rainforest" and the "surprising period plants" gave this local a good hearty chuckle. A lot of old Oregon tourist attractions were carved out of the forest, and it's not uncommon to hear people at Enchanted Forest or The Oregon Vortex marvel at the incredible! lifelike! plants! Believe it or not, the giant dripping ferns and moss-drooped trees at Prehistoric Gardens and its tourist trappy brethren are as real and as native to this ecosystem as a hackey-sacker in Portland. To be fair, the greenery at Prehistoric Gardens does look almost too good to be true. This particular stretch of the southern Oregon Coast is one of Oregon's unheralded gems, often ignored for lacking the northern Coast's vast beaches but notable for its unspoiled rainforests. Late founder Earnie Nelson's fluorescent concrete creations look right at home against this verdant backdrop. Many similar midcentury dino parks around the country packed it in a long time ago (including another in Oregon, the abandoned Thunderbeast Park in Chiloquin), but Prehistoric Gardens has persevered, probably because the beauty of the location far overshadows the tackiness of the dinos. Not that tackiness is necessarily a bad thing. This is a real blast from our Flintstonian caveman-chic past. Some surviving dino parks around the country have found new life catering to creationists, but Prehistoric Gardens still serves up its cartoon Cretaceans with a dollop of hard (if a little outdated) science, sure to thrill dino-obsessed youngsters. It isn't slick by any means, but that's part of its charm. Earnie's soft-edged goggle-eyed baby triceratops might lack the scientific accuracy of a lifesized vinyl and metal model in a hi-budget science museum, but it sure is a whole lot cuter and perhaps a little more likely to capture the imagination of a very young dinosaur enthusiast. As with any old tourist attraction, Prehistoric Gardens might not be suitable for parents with strollers, children who are easily overwhelmed by long walks or potentially frightening sights, or less-impressionable kids who expect total sensory overload from their roadside entertainment. This ain't Disneyland, and visitors who arrive expecting a modern theme park experience will leave angry. But if you can accept the park for what it is, when it was built, and what it tries to achieve, Prehistoric Gardens is well worth the admission.

The return leg of our Pacific Northwest roadtrip in mid- to late-November took us down the coast, and I was sure that it'd be soggy the whole time. But strangely enough, it was perfect summerlike sunny weather all the way down the coast. And even though there wasn't a cloud in sight, the little canyon where Prehistoric Gardens is situated was rather misty. It really set a realistic tone for some dinosaur ogling. It was an exceedingly rare sunny weekend, and I'd just read Heather F's review, so I figured the place would be teeming with little tykes kicking and screaming. Yet, we were the only people there as we took the place in at a relaxed pace. We spent about 40 minutes on the trail and took several pictures. I also disagree with the description of the dinosaur statues as "inaccurate, old, and peeling". They seemed freshly painted and well-maintained to me, and I also think they were very accurate, anatomically at least. Perhaps the only thing that seems outta place is the outlandish nearly-fluorescent colors of some of the animals. But then again, I'm not sure if we really know what color these creatures were? Don't we just assume that they were all sorta grayish green? Yep, you do get to gaze at the T Rex for free, as he's posed threateningly in the parking lot. You can also catch a glimpse of the head of the brachiosaurus poking outta the trees just over T Rex' left shoulder. It's rather impressive to see the brachiosaurus from behind his right hip inside the park. For each dinosaur, there's plenty of information describing them, and along the first few turns of the journey, and really good general overview of the planet's natural history is related through a series of handpainted signs. The gift shop wasn't particularly good. I bought a few postcards, but most other things there were similar to what you'd find at anymall's Discovery Store, but maybe priced a little higher even. Still, I definitely recommend visiting Prehistoric Gardens. If you forget your umbrella on a rainy day, there's some available for loan.

I've been wanting to go here for a very long time and finally did on our latest roadtrip. It was the best!!! You have to try to see it through kid eyes though and know that it's also very kitch, you'll surely enjoy all the dinosaur statues in the park. The forest trail alone is beautiful too, well worth the $8.00 to stretch your legs if you're doing a long road trip. Do it and snap lots of photos!

Although my family has drove by for years- I decided to take my boys here. We were not disappointed. The dinosaurs are beautiful and well maintained as is the surrounding forest. We learned a lot of neat facts. The path is easy to walk, even the hills were easy for little legs (3-years old). We had a great time.

This relatively small kitschy attraction is a highly recommended stop for the Roadside Attraction Aficionados. While it has a few flaws here and there, its vintage style and location in the Oregon coastal range make it worthy for a visit. The thick temperate rain forest is an awe-inspiring and beautiful setting for this blast from the past. Jam-packed with dinosaurs statues painstakingly designed and sculpted by E.V. Nelson, this place is loaded with retro charm. Prehistoric Gardens can be a great break from the road, especially for the kids. During the summer, the tree canopy can provide a cool respite from the heat of the day, and the walk around the park a nice stretch for one's road-cramped legs. However, since this is the Oregon rain forest, expect it to be a little soggy on most days. The drawback of Prehistoric Gardens would be the recently-applied paint job of the dinosaurs. Once the beasts were coated in more natural and neutral tones, but now a number have been splashed with hyper-electric colorations and patterns that evoke less of the paleozoic and more of the 80's. Give those dinos some parachute pants and it'd be perfect. Prehistoric Gardens is just a short drive away from breathtaking coastal views and hikes, and sandwiched between Gold Beach and Port Orford. It's also minutes away from local motels, gas stations, and restaurants. For the road trip enthusiast, this is a definite must-see.

Surprisingly good fake rainforest. The plants are real, though. The dinos are not. I was half-expecting to see prehistoric plants that still live today. I don't know what I was thinking. I forgot to bring my 2 year olds. And I believe it's $8 a person. Couldn't understand what was up with the biker gang out front smoking cigs. Was it cool to meet up at the big dinosaur?

I liked our stop at Prehistoric Gardens. The dinosaur statues positioned among the dense foliage and fauna in "Oregon's Rain Forest" made the full scale dinosaur replicas come to life. The educational signs and descriptions were also really well done, in my opinion. The place was definitely too expensive, at $12 per adult and $8 per child, but it made for a surprisingly interesting and enriching pitstop on our road trip.

Love, love, love this place! Beautiful scenery, Good(not corny) sculptures of life sized dinosaurs, lots of factual information about prehistoric times relating to current animals and vegetation, and historical information about the area. It is a must see! Took my family approximately 30 to 45 minutes reading everything. The length of the experience is what you make of it. Take your time and enjoy the view.