Dinosaur Ridge
Go back in time at Dinosaur Ridge
Article and photos by Liz Jurkowski
The writer, Liz Jurkowski, and her sons Rhett and Wade, along Dinosaur Trail.
Take the kids back in time at Dinosaur Ridge. Located just west of C-470 in Morrison, Dinosaur Ridge provides many fun activities and experiences for the whole family.
Upon arrival, tour the Indoor Exhibit Hall that was opened in 2008. It highlights an exhibit called “Trek Through Time,” where visitors go through different prehistoric periods. The murals and maps show ancient Colorado’s changing landscape and climate during the Age of Dinosaurs. There are also electronic interactive kiosks and fossils, too, to explore before heading to Dinosaur Ridge Trail.
Outside, not far from the visitor center, lie hundreds of dinosaur tracks along a 1.5 mile trail on West Alameda Parkway. Designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. National Park Service, the trail has more than fifteen fossil sites with interpretive signs. The dinosaur footprints that are easily visible from the trail were accidentally uncovered in 1937 when creating the road. More than 300 tracks have been preserved, thanks to the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge.
Further along Dinosaur Trail, the Dinosaur Ridge Bone Quarry shows exposed dinosaur bones from Stegosaurus and Apatosaurus. It is permitted to touch the bones, which likely were deposited during a flooding event and subsequently fossilized over the past millennia.
Guided tours are available for a fee. Families can also do a self-guided tour of Dinosaur Ridge and the trails free of charge. In addition, there is a shuttle bus tour offered on a first-come, first-served basis between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and includes a 40-minute guided tour of Dinosaur Ridge for $5 per person.
Go explore the ancient floodplain of Colorado. For more information about Dinosaur Ridge, visit www.dinoridge.org or call 303-697-3466.
