Days of the dinosaurs: tracks remain in southeast Colorado

(SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO) — On the plains of southeastern Colorado, you can find evidence of the great creatures that once roamed the earth. Picket Wire Canyonlands in the Comanche National Grasslands have proof of the days of the dinosaurs with their tracks left in the land.

“It’s one of the largest dinosaur track assemblages in the world,” said Bruce Schumacher, Lead Paleontologist for the U.S. Forest Service Paleontology Program. “So, there’s just lots and lots of dinosaur tracks there. At last count, around 2,100 individual dinosaur tracks exposed in one event, in one ancient landscape, so that’s really cool.”

Not only are hundreds of tracks visible for the eye to see, the 130 separate trackways led to a distinct discovery in southeast Colorado–dinosaurs traveled together and exhibited social behaviors.

“Here in various parts, you’ll find large Apatosaurus tracks with smaller Apatosaurus tracks next to them, which indicate families moving together as herds, much like elephants do on the African savanna,” explained Anthony DeFreece, U.S. Forest Service Archeologist.

The discovery of these tracks dates back to the 1930s, when Betty Jo Riddenoure believed she had spotted giant chicken tracks in the canyon. While her original thought was incorrect, her findings did prove to be that of a large creature, later identified as dinosaur tracks.

“From there until 1980, track sites just remained here, nobody came out to study them until a paleontologist by the name of Martin Lockley began his research out here,” DeFreece said. “His research actually was on the other side of the river, and this is where he started uncovering the tracks and identified it as one of the largest track sites in the world, and researched a lot of the species of dinosaurs you see here.”

There are two different ways in which visitors can see the dinosaur tracks, whether that is out on the land or making the journey by car. The round-trip hike is over 10 miles long, beginning at Withers Canyon Trailhead, where you can choose to hike, bike or ride horseback to the dinosaur tracks.

“Most of the hike is not that arduous, it’s just that it’s very lengthy,” Schumacher explained. “After you descend the canyon rim, about 300 or 400 feet down to the valley bottom, you’re pretty much walking over rolling terrain along a well-established path and it’s pretty flat, but it’s lengthy and it’s dry desert-like conditions.”

Sarah Russo-Pearl made the hike to the tracks and said it took around three hours to get there. Previously, she made the trip with her father and wanted to come back to show her boyfriend the one-of-a-kind marks in the land.

“I think it’s just, it’s so special to realize that something that lived that long ago has left an imprint on our planet,” Russo-Pearl said. “That we get to see it still and get to get that impact and sort of see something that you can’t see every day and we’ve probably tracked over it in cities and stuff, but to get to come somewhere really remote is really special.”

For those interested in making the trip through the terrain, the U.S. Forest Service is reminding visitors to check the weather conditions and be mindful of extreme heat, along with carrying at least one gallon of water per person.

The other option to visit the tracks is through an auto tour that is led on Saturdays in the months of May, June, September and October.

“You will have to bring your own four-wheel drive high clearance vehicle,” DeFreece said. “But you bring your vehicle, reserve a spot on recreation.gov and Forest Service employees will take you down and give you a tour of not just a track site but other sites in the canyon. An old Catholic church and cemetery, a ranch house, and some of the rock art that you also have in the canyon.”

While these tracks remain sealed in stone, there could very well be more yet uncovered. “If you look, you’ll notice a lot of these tracks kind of go under these dirt mounds and the truth is, if we were able to excavate some more, you would find quite a few more,” said DeFreece.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.