A Dinosaur Highway Through Morrison, Colorado
Allosaur skull Down near the entrance into Bear Creek Canyon a prominent landmark rises above historic Morrison, Colorado. Locals call it The Hogback but Paleontologists have named it Dinosaur Ridge because it's one of the most fossil rich locations on Earth. In 1877, some of the best known dinosaurs from the late Jurassic period were discovered there, including Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus and Stegosaurus. Later, in 1937, when Alameda Parkway was being constructed to provide access to Red Rocks Park, workers found hundreds of preserved, dinosaur footprints on the east side of the mountain. Scientists believe migrating Iguanadon and carnivorous theropods made the impressions about 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. We were unable to examine the dig sites due to poor weather but we did unearth a wonderful, little place just south of downtown Morrison. The Morrison Natural History Museum is a tiny facility that houses some tremendous exhibits. Most of ...