Remembering Prehistoric Forest: A Michigan Dinosaur Park Story

Once a bustling adventure land, the remnants of the Prehistoric Forest now tell the story of nostalgia and forgotten thrills.

Michigan had one of the coolest amusement parks in the 1960s before it went extinct. Have you seen the Prehistoric Forest?

Before it closed its caves for good, the Prehistoric Forest Amusement Park in the Irish Hills area of the Mitten State was a very popular attraction, according to Atlas Obscura,

A stroll through the park transported visitors back to the past. Fifteen sculpted dinosaurs coexisted beside cavemen, lavish waterfalls, interactive fossil-digging pits, and more. And then the park itself became a thing of the past.

This place had a safari train, gigantic dinosaurs, a working volcano, and a 400-foot water slide. I can only imagine how ground-breaking this place was when it opened in 1963.

Much like the dinosaurs themselves, the Prehistoric Forest Amusement Park is no more. You can still see the remains of this place just thirty minutes south of Jackson in Onsted, Michigan.

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The Prehistoric Forest Amusement Park, located in the Irish Hills of Michigan, was a beloved attraction during its heyday in the 1960s. Opened in 1963, the park offered a unique experience that allowed visitors to step back in time, with fifteen life-sized dinosaur sculptures, caveman displays, interactive fossil-digging pits, and scenic waterfalls. Unfortunately, like the dinosaurs it celebrated, the Prehistoric Forest eventually became extinct itself, closing its doors over 25 years ago. A YouTube video from seven years ago showcases the dilapidated state of the park, highlighting its deterioration over the years and serving as a nostalgic reminder of what once was.