Dinosaur Tracksites II

In my last article, I introduced you to some great places to view dinosaur trackways. Be sure to also read my article "Dinosaur Tracking," about paleoichnology, the study of tracks and other trace fossils.

Austin, Texas is home to three major tracksites: Zilker Park, Blanco River, and the San Gabriel River, all of which can be covered in two days.

Zilker Park includes three-toed trackways preserved in an ancient lagoon or tidal flat in the Edwards limestone. The site, originally found in the 1930's, was opened in 1992. The bones of a marine turtle were also found here, which is unusual, as conditions which preserve tracks rarely preserve bones well. Zilker Park is only open at selected times, so call first when you get to Austin.

The Blanco River Trackway, west of Blanco, Texas contains three sauropod trackways, with both manus (front foot) and pes (hind foot) prints. Take US Highway 281 from Austin to Blanco, turn right onto FM1623, and look for County Road 103 turnoff. Just before the turnoff, there is a place to pull off on the river side of the road. Walk down the dirt road (103) to the river, the trackways start east of the low water crossing.

Moab, Utah is the home of several tracksites. The famous Sauropod Tracksite includes a large sauropod turning right and a group of four theropods (one of whom is limping). This tracksite is dated to 150 million years ago (Late Jurassic Period). On the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail you can see Camarasaurus and Allosaurus bones sticking out of the rock. The visitor's center at Dead Horse Point State Park has a small dinosaur bone display. The Potash Road Dinosaur Tracks, theropod dinosaur tracks dated at 200 million years ago (Late Triassic Period), can be seen from the side of the road in red sandstone. The Dan O'Laurie Museum on East Center Street in Moab has only a few tracks and a femur (the upper leg bone) on display, but admission is free.

College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum in Price, Utah, is not a tracksite, but it has a display of Cretaceous tracks from nearby coal mines. (Paleontologists from this museum discovered Utahraptor in 1991.) Visit the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry National Natural Landmark, near Price, during the summer to see paleontologists at work. It has been called the "Dinosaur Department Store" because it has provided bones that are now one display in many museums. The Emery County Museum in Castle Dale, Utah is 30 miles south of Price on Highway 10, and features an Allosaurus skeleton.

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