Dinosaur Ridge

Dinosaur Ridge

Dinosaur Ridge is a famous site located in Jefferson County, Colorado, near the town of Morrison and just west of Denver. It is part of the Dakota Hogback and was named a Morrison Fossil Area National Natural Landmark in 1973. This special place holds some of the earliest discovered dinosaur fossils ever found.

In 1877, Arthur Lakes, an amateur scientist, and Henry Beckwith discovered the first dinosaur bones here in the Morrison Formation. These fossils included the first identified Stegosaurus and other famous dinosaurs like Apatosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus, and Allosaurus. Later, in 1937, workers building Alameda Parkway found dinosaur tracks, making the site even more important.

Today, Dinosaur Ridge offers visitors a chance to learn about these amazing discoveries. There are guided bus tours, signs along the trails explaining the rocks and fossils, a small Exhibit Hall, a Discovery Center, and a gift shop. The site helps people learn about the history of dinosaurs and the natural world from millions of years ago.

Dinosaur Ridge Trail

The Dinosaur Ridge Trail is a fun outdoor path where you can see real dinosaur footprints and other fossils. The trail is about 2 miles long and takes about 1 to 2 hours to walk. It follows a closed road that goes up about 700 feet. At the start, near the main visitor center, there is an Exhibit Hall with more information.

Along the trail, you can see many interesting things. There are ripple marks made by water, dinosaur tracks that show us how they lived, and even the spots where dinosaurs may have taken care of their young. You can also see fossils of plants and small animals that lived long ago. The trail shows how the land has changed over millions of years and gives us clues about the ancient world of dinosaurs.