Moab

Lin Ottinger: Moab Dinosaur Hunter

Lin Ottinger’s  life has been marked from one rock story after another. Lin first learned of the value of his arrowhead and rock collections as a boy living in Tennessee. Back then he was hulling corn for $10 per week. And as he puts it, “My mom told me I had to get rid of…

|


Lin Ottinger—Photo by Richard Markosian.

Lin Ottinger’s  life has been marked from one rock story after another.

Lin first learned of the value of his arrowhead and rock collections as a boy living in Tennessee. Back then he was hulling corn for $10 per week. And as he puts it, “My mom told me I had to get rid of my arrowheads.” By selling his collection to a local barber he learned he could earn more money selling arrowheads than hulling corn.

Lin said selling his arrowhead collection for several hundred dollars enabled him to move to Oregon, where he was a part of a traveling carnival. We didn’t digress too deep into this story, there were just too many rock stories to tell.

Lin came to Moab after he learned at a rock convention that a place called Cane Creek, in a place called Moab has a lot of great Uranium specimens.

He was working on collecting uranium at the time, so he decided to make the trip in 1960. From a fortuitous event of a backhoe driver losing his keys, and Lin having the know-how to hot wire the bacco and get it back on the trailer, he was offered a job. “This was the prettiest place I’d ever seen, and the strangest, So when they offered me a job driving a truck, and my wife a job cooking, we decided to move from Oregon to Moab.

For over an hour Lin took me from one collection to another. He collects tractors, mining equipment, monkey wrenches, bottles, not to mention fossils, minerals, geodes and dinosaur bones. Here is a guy who really likes rocks! How often does Lin go out at 85 to find new specimens? “Every chance I can get, these guys just got me working too hard right now.”

Besides Moab Rock Shop, Lin owns a claim on a copper mine. He also has deals with many private ranches to go collect from their acreage. More facts pour in: Lynn gave slideshows along with his touring company for 30 years taking visitors down into the White Rim area to point out all of the rock formations and dinosaur fossils.

To see our full story about Lin Ottinger, dinosaur hunter, visit Moab Stories.

 

 



Join our newsletter.
Stay informed.


  • Moab: The Ultimate Playground for Every Kind of Traveler

    Moab grabs hold of you the moment you arrive. Red rock canyons stretch into the sky, trails wind through ancient landscapes, and the Colorado River cuts through it all like a lifeline. Whether you’re chasing adrenaline, soaking up the desert quiet, or sharing a sunset with someone special, Moab makes every moment unforgettable.


  • Moab Beyond the Parks: Land Adventures on Foot, Wheel, and Rope

    Moab’s rugged terrain calls to the bold-hearted, daring them to swap comfort for conquest. Whether scrambling up rocky ledges, navigating dusty backroads, or dropping into narrow canyons with nothing but a rope and a reckless sense of adventure, this is where ambition meets raw, unforgiving land.


  • Off-Roading in Moab: Jeeps, UTVs, and Trails That Test Your Limits

    Moab is an off-road battleground filled with Jeeps, UTVs, and rock crawlers tackling slickrock, sand, and ledges. With trails ranging from scenic to extreme and rentals for every level, this red rock playground challenges drivers and rewards them with unforgettable views.


  • Moab’s Top River Adventures: From Whitewater Thrills to Peaceful Floats

    From Class V rapids to silent canyon floats, the Colorado and Green Rivers offer a side of Moab most never see—one you can only experience from the water. Carving through sandstone walls and remote wilderness, these rivers reveal a different face of the desert, hidden from the road and waiting to be discovered by raft.