Dinosaur Information for Visitors to Western Colorado.Dinosaur Information for Western Colorado will give you some ideas about the trails, digs or museums located here. This area is famous for its association in the history of the dinosaur and other fossilized specimens. Dinosaur bones in Western Colorado are found in the Morrison Formation, greenish or reddish colored shales that were deposited around 150 million years ago when this area was a large basin of lush forests and rivers. These layers can be seen sandwiched between other rock layers or can be eroded down where you can walk on it and it is completely exposed. Not only are dinosaurs found but fish, turtles, trees, ferns, and whatever else became trapped or died and fell into the water to became buried in sediment or mud. Not only do people collect the bones themselves but many rock hounds look for bone to cut and polish it for making jewelry. The official dinosaur fossil of Colorado is the Stegosaurus which was first discovered near the town of Morrison, Colorado. Here are some of the local places or sites that have dinosaur information that you may find interesting. Trail Through Time is a 1.5 mile hiking trail located off I-70 at Rabbit Valley exit near the Utah state line about 30 miles west of Grand Junction. This trail has signs along the way that describe bones that are protruding from the sandstone rock and dirt and is an active fossil quarry. This is a very nice walk and quit informative. Rabbit Valley on the other side of the highway is loaded with off road trails for dirt bikes, horses, four-wheelers and hiking. When visiting Western Colorado be sure to visit Dinosaur National Monument located in the northwest corner of Colorado and into Utah. The cliff face exhibit found indoors has about 1500 exposed bones that are easily seen from walk ways surrounding the exhibit. You can watch people while they work on this exhibit. Also at Dinosaur are areas that contain Indian Petroglyphs and paintings and there are signs through out the park with additional dinosaur information. Riggs Hill located in the Redlands area of Grand Junction is another famous dig where the first Brachiosaurus was found in 1900 by Elmer S. Riggs. Other dinosaurs found here include the Stegosaurus and Allosaurus. There is a hiking trail that makes a .08 mile loop around this hill and has location markers with information. There is the Dinosaur Journey Museum located on the south side of the Fruita exit about 10 miles west of Grand Junction on I-70 that has full size animated dinosaurs, real bones and cast full size skeletons of dinosaurs. This is a great place to take the family because of all the interactive displays that are geared towards children as well as adults. Visit this link..Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway National Scenic Byway..for more information on area Dinosaur digs and museums. ActiveForever.com offers deep discounts and free shipping on a variety of products.
Colorado Outdoors Information
|
Because of all the canyons and easily seen layers of barren rock and soil it has been a top area for paleontologists.
