GRAND MESA, UNCOMPAHGRE AND GUNNISON NATIONAL FORESTS – The world’s longest known continuous path of dinosaur footprints is now under the protection of the U.S. Forest Service. The trackway consists of 134 consecutive footprints over 100 yards near Ouray, Colorado and is called the West Gold Hill Dinosaur Track site. The tracks were created by a long-necked sauropod dinosaur that made a distinctive and clear 270-degree turn, beautifully preserved for more than 150 million years.
The USFS recently bought 27 acres of land from the Charles family, who used to hike in the area regularly without realizing that the unique features were dinosaur prints. Their family dogs liked to rest at the tracks because they collected water.
Interestingly, back in the 1960s, some local teenagers stumbled across the site and theorized that they could be dinosaur tracks. One of the teens, Rick Trujillo, went on to become a geologist and informed the family about the tracks on their property.
“By preserving these fossilized imprints, we are not only safeguarding a valuable scientific resource but also creating an incredible opportunity for the public to connect with the distant past, inspiring curiosity, education, and stewardship,” said Jim Pitts of the USFS.
Now the public can access the dinosaur track via the steep and rugged two-mile Silvershield Trail within the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.
NATIONAL PARK NEWS
