Rare dinosaur tracks now available to public
OURAY, Colo. (KREX) — Outside of Ouray, the United States Forest Service purchased 27 acres of land for $130,000 to obtain rare dinosaur tracks.
A Forest Service paleontologist told WesternSlopeNow a dinosaur from the long-neck or brontosaurus family made the tracks during the Jurassic period. In total, there are 134 tracks on the same site. That many tracks in one place is extremely rare.
There are five or six places around the world where there are trackways this extensive.
Forest Service Paleontologist Bruce Schumacher
Schumacher said dino tracks, like these, give more insight into dinosaur activity. “With bones and teeth, you don’t get real behavior. With trackways, especially this one, there’s this really odd behavior. This animal really did this. That’s the magic of tracks, we’re actually studying what the animal did.”
How can you see these tracks?
The Forest Service said the tracks are two miles deep on the Silvershield trail outside of Ouray. However, trail conditions are rugged, and there is an elevation gain of approximately 1,600 feet.
Instead of a hike, you can see the tracks on Google Earth or check out the pictures below.
Photos courtesy of USDA Forest Service and Martin Lockley.
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