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583:– Scattered throughout this layer are rusty brown fossils. The fossils are smooth in texture and rusty brown in color. They include fossilized dinosaur ribs, vertebrae, and leg bones, as well as teeth, and a variety of other identifications, including turtle and lungfish fossils. Among the fossils identified here were the first-named
409:, or Eolambia, were quadrupedal, with bipedal tracks from smaller individuals (juveniles). The tracks show that these dinosaurs lacked claws on their feet, and their rounded toes indicate a diet of plants. The presence of 18 inches (46 cm) tracks adjacent to 10 inches (25 cm) prints is taken as evidence of parenting behavior.
577:- Removed from its original location in 1937 during road construction, the track is from a carnivorous theropod, possibly a young Allosaurus, which is a dinosaur whose fossils have been found in these layers. The animal that left this particular track is estimated to have been about 11.5 feet (3.5 m) tall.
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The bulges are natural casts - the "undersides" of footprints. Walking across soft mud and sand, animals made footprints in the soil, and then more mud and sand filled in the footprints, forming a new layer of sediment. Over time these layers of sediment lithified into rock, and then uplift and
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that was flooded during extremely high tides. At some point, the area was rapidly buried starting a process of fossilization. The gray surfaces were fully developed mats. Depressed areas have been degraded by an outside force, such as a dinosaur's footprint. Additional degradation from water
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fossils (Apatosaurus and
Camarasaurus), as well as Allosaurus fossils. Bone deposits formed along the inside of a bend of a fast-moving stream, forming a "point bar" as the fast-moving water deposited sand and the bones of decaying animals. Over time, a series of point bars developed with a
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The site offers guided bus tours, interpretive signage, a small
Exhibit Hall with geological and paleontological displays, a Discovery Center, and a gift shop. Dinosaur Ridge's interpretive signs at trail locations explain the local geology, paleo-ecology, trace fossils, bone fossils, economic
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The outdoor exhibits are located along a closed section of West
Alameda Ave. This trail follows a paved closed road that climbs about 700 feet (210 m) from the main visitor center to the high point along the ridge backbone. The walk is about 2 miles (3.2 km) round-trip, taking
225:. The area was expanded in June 2011, and combined with another tracksite in Golden at the Parfet Prehistoric Preserve. These two sites, along with a few other nearby fossil sites in Golden, were combined, and the National Natural Landmark is now known as the
248:
in the
Morrison area in search of more fossils. Evidence of a variety of dinosaur genera and species was found here, as well as fossils identified to be from prehistoric turtles and lungfish. Research is ongoing.
767:
Hogbacks; Hydrocarbon
Exploration & Development, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists Foundation, Goolsby Brothers and associates, inc; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado;
267:
and
Ampitheatre, workers discovered dinosaur tracks. As those footprints were damaged and destroyed over time, more tracks were intentionally uncovered in later decades. These were found to include mostly
493:(elevation 6,175 feet (1,882 m)) – The ridge is part of the Dakota Hogback, paralleling the front range of the Rocky Mountains. The term hogback is a reference to a similarity to the back of an
598:(elevation 6,100 feet (1,900 m)) The west end of the trail is barricaded across the roadway, but vehicles are allowed to park along the spur from Morrison Road that has become a cul-de-sac.
804:
Bone
Deposition; Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists Foundation & Greater Denver Area Gem and Mineral Council; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
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879:
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229:. In 1989, the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge non-profit was formed to address concerns regarding the preservation of the site and to offer educational programs on the area's resources.
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501:. Softer layers above erode, leaving the backbone rising above the surrounding landscape. Softer layers below the Dakota sandstone form an escarpment in the older layers below.
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were found in this layer of rock. Concretions form around a central nucleus (sometimes organic material). The formation of concretions is still a bit of a mystery.
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reveals numerous 'trace fossils'. These are fossils that appear as irregularities of the rock. They are actually the remnants of animal burrows and marine plants.
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221:. In 1973, the area was recognized as an outstanding example of the nation's natural heritage, and was designated a National Natural Landmark by the
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form on the sandy bottoms of water feature because of wave motion or currents. The direction of the water is perpendicular or across the ridges.
786:
Jurassic
Fossils; Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists Foundation; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
104:
777:
Theropod Tracks; Rocky
Mountain Association of Geologists Foundation; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
713:
Cretaceous Time: Rocky
Mountain Association of Geologists Foundation; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
795:
The Discovery; Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists Foundation; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
535:
197:
fossils in the world were discovered here, and fossil bones found in the layers of rock here represent some well-known dinosaurs, including
559:
Guide describing the "bulges" - a track exhibit at Dinosaur Ridge, in the Golden-Morrison Fossil Areas National Natural Landmark, Colorado.
401:- From the footprints found here, it is possible to glean information about the lives and behaviors of the animals that lived here. These
75:
740:
Dinosaur Tracks; Greater Denver Area Gem and Mineral Council; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
512:
Cretaceous period sandstone layers in the road cut at Dinosaur Ridge, Golden-Morrison Fossil Areas National Natural Landmark, Colorado.
749:
Trace Fossils; Greater Denver Area Gem and Mineral Council; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
904:
731:
Ripple Marks; Greater Denver Area Gem and Mineral Council; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
624:
825:
638:
758:
Ecology; Greater Denver Area Gem and Mineral Council; Dinosaur Ridge; Colorado Natural Area Program; Morrison Colorado; undated
31:
139:
Dinosaur Ridge, part of the Golden-Morrison Fossil Areas National Natural Landmark, Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
427:
Cinquefoil (Potentilla diversifolia) along Dinosaur Ridge, Golden-Morrison Fossil Areas National Natural Landmark, Colorado.
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approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The Exhibit Hall is near the main visitor center and a fully guided bus tour is available.
639:"Dinosaur Ridge's fossilized tracks are disappearing. Finding a solution has stakeholders between a rock and a hard place"
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Pedestrian & bike only access to Dinosaur Ridge, Colorado. Visitors may also choose to take a guided bus tour.
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erosion revealed the fossilized footprints. Footprint bulges at this site represent those of a large
548:- including a look west to the 300 mya Fountain Formation, in which Red Rocks Ampitheatre is located.
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discovered dinosaur bones in 1876. Subsequently, several quarries were excavated along the Dakota
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In 1876, fossil excavation began at Dinosaur Ridge under the direction of Yale paleontologist Dr.
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Friends of Dinosaur Ridge and the University of Colorado at Denver Trackers Research Group, 1995.
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Friends of Dinosaur Ridge and the University of Colorado at Denver Trackers Research Group, 2002.
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619:, pp. 7–8, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 1993.
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development of coal, oil, and clay, and many other geologic and paleontological features.
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280:. Omnivorous bird-like ornithomimid tracks, crocodilian tracks, and large carnivorous
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497:. A harder layer of resistant rock forms the ‘backbone’ or ‘hogback’. Here, it is
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Period of the fossil record. The ash came from volcanic fields far to the west.
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443:. Plants and animals from both areas can be found. Among the plants are
365:. The build-up of soils from the coastal plains created the Dakota Group.
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The rocks on the west side of Dinosaur Ridge are part of the widespread
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are the representative birds. During spring migration, over 2,000
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259:. When Alameda Parkway was being constructed in 1937 (by the
274:-like footprints, perhaps from an ornithopod dinosaur called
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The rocks on the east side of Dinosaur Ridge are part of the
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variety of bones encased in the sand to become fossils.
530:– Bedded among layers of sandstone is a white layer of
664:
Historic Dinosaur Quarries of the Dinosaur Ridge Area
617:
The Scientific Contributions of Othniel Charles Marsh
567:, as well as a smaller bipedal herbivore (possibly a
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885:Cretaceous paleontological sites of North America
27:Natural heritage site in Colorado, United States
880:Jurassic paleontological sites of North America
662:Hunt, Adrian, Lockley, Martin and White, Sally
435:The hogback is a transitional zone between the
890:Protected areas of Jefferson County, Colorado
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690:"Dinosaur Ridge - Home - Morrison, Colorado"
347:Period this was the bottom sediment of the
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900:Landforms of Jefferson County, Colorado
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395:currents are shown by the ripple marks.
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855:National Natural Landmarks in Colorado
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870:Fossil trackways in the United States
865:Dinosaur museums in the United States
850:Museums in Jefferson County, Colorado
536:Massachusetts Institute of Technology
324:(elevation 5,975 feet (1,821 m))
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675:Lockley, Martin and Marquardt, Lori
322:Exhibit Hall and Main Visitor Center
860:Natural history museums in Colorado
538:dated it to 104.6 Mya matching the
637:Zialcita ·, Paolo (July 9, 2024).
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895:Fossil parks in the United States
361:Period this was the shore of the
487:pass northwards along the ridge.
463:. The dominant mammals are the
263:) in order to provide access to
240:age. It is in these rocks where
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677:A Field Guide to Dinosaur Ridge
32:Dinosaur Ridge (disambiguation)
1:
227:Morrison-Golden Fossil Areas
170:in the Morrison Fossil Area
299:cuts through Dinosaur Ridge
18:Dakota Hogback Natural Area
921:
835:Dinosaur Ridge Information
176:Jefferson County, Colorado
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818:Friends of Dinosaur Ridge
284:tracks are also present.
172:National Natural Landmark
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905:Paleontology in Colorado
505:Denver Basin/Oil and Gas
193:. The first identified
64:Tracks on Dinosaur Ridge
520:- A large, ball-shaped
363:Western Interior Seaway
349:Western Interior Seaway
339:Western Interior Seaway
157:Cretaceous and Jurassic
587:fossils, two types of
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495:Arkansas razorback hog
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643:Colorado Public Radio
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223:National Park Service
191:Othniel Charles Marsh
581:Dinosaur Bone Quarry
304:Dinosaur Ridge Trail
166:is a segment of the
120:39.6757°N 105.1934°W
30:For other uses, see
178:, near the town of
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875:Ridges of Colorado
828:2009-03-11 at the
615:McCarren, Mark J.
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369:Dinosaur Courtship
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234:Morrison Formation
125:39.6757; -105.1934
694:www.dinoridge.org
546:Geologic Overview
445:Mountain mahogany
182:and just west of
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499:Dakota sandstone
417:Dakota Sandstone
415:The exposure of
355:Dakota Sandstone
257:Dakota Formation
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206:Camarasaurus
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585:Stegosaurus
441:High Plains
403:Ornithopods
386:– A mat of
384:Slimy Beach
343:During the
200:Apatosaurus
195:Stegosaurus
174:located in
123: /
111:105°11′36″W
844:Categories
603:References
540:Cretaceous
522:concretion
518:Concretion
477:Scrub jays
459:and a few
392:tidal flat
359:Cretaceous
345:Cretaceous
254:Cretaceous
218:Allosaurus
212:Diplodocus
108:39°40′33″N
699:April 11,
596:West Gate
465:mule deer
407:Iguanodon
271:Iguanodon
826:Archived
648:July 15,
589:sauropod
565:sauropod
449:junipers
439:and the
405:, i.e.,
282:theropod
277:Eolambia
238:Jurassic
180:Morrison
136:Location
768:undated
491:Hogback
485:raptors
481:magpies
433:Ecology
246:hogback
144:Part of
823:Photos
623:
471:, and
453:sumacs
215:, and
184:Denver
473:foxes
51:Ridge
701:2018
650:2024
621:ISBN
479:and
297:I-70
475:.
261:WPA
236:of
153:Age
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718:^
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641:.
571:).
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376:–
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341:-
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20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
