Dinosaur Footprints Discovered Along Alaska's Yukon River

Rock bed containing evidence of dinosaursPhoto byEmily Schwing/KYUK

In a remote stretch of Alaska’s Yukon River, a team of intrepid scientists, led by renowned paleontologist Tony Fiorillo, has made a remarkable discovery that challenges conventional wisdom about dinosaurs.

While embarking on a 16-day expedition, Fiorillo, the executive director of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, along with geologist Paul McCarthy and paleontologist Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, stumbled upon a treasure trove of ancient fossils and found evidence of dinosaurs inhabiting the area.

Their journey began with a quest for rocks dating back to the Cretaceous Era, roughly 90 to 100 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed Alaska’s lush landscape. Armed with geological maps and the hope of uncovering the secrets of prehistoric life in the Far North, the team explored over 100 miles of the Yukon River.

The discoveries were stunning. Petrified logs, giant fossil leaves, and footprints of birds and ornithopods were scattered along the riverbank, providing vital clues about the region’s ancient ecosystem.

McCarthy, a geologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, explained that the landscape likely resembled today’s Yukon River area, with dense forests, swamps, and braided channels.

For paleontologist Kobayashi, these finds aren’t just about trees and dinosaurs but a window into understanding the world’s prehistoric past.

“It’s our opinion that Alaska is one of the most important places to work because every dinosaur except one that lived in New Mexico, in the Cretaceous, came through the Bering Land Bridge from Asia,” Tony Fiorillo, paleontologist

This means that Alaska’s discoveries could reveal further information about dinosaur populations across Asia and North America.

This expedition marked the first systematic survey of this stretch of the Yukon, filling a critical gap in scientific knowledge. The scientists documented 90 sites where dinosaur tracks, ancient bird species, and fish left their mark. Some prints were so well-preserved they seemed to lead straight to the scientists.

Fiorillo likened it to being in a candy store, where every discovery was a sweet surprise.

During the expedition, the researchers didn't find dinosaur bones but were excited to discover a well-preserved impression of dinosaur skin in a softball-sized rock.

The team identified at least six species, leaving two others unidentified, and they plan to return in the hopes of uncovering dinosaur bones in the future.