Out for a Stroll in the Morrison
Objectives:
1) To observe, for yourself, evidence that dinosaurs once walked
the earth;
2) To learn more about these creatures and how they left
footprints that have lasted 150 million years!
3) To take photographs of these footprints.
Supplies:
For good photographs of the footprints, take a whiskbroom to
brush off the dust and debris, or you can fill the footprints with
water to outline them better. Low-angle (dawn or dusk) lighting
improves chances of good pictures. Making casts with plaster is
forbidden.
Drinking water, sunscreen.
Directions:
The site is located on BLM land and maintained by them. Proceed
on Hwy 191 (north if you are coming from Moab, south if you are
coming from Crescent Junction). The turnoff is to the east off Hwy.
191 at: N 38 49.493 W 109 46.886.
Note: The sign to the site is not visible from the highway.
You’ll cross a cattle guard and railroad tracks where you'll
see the first BLM sign. From there you will find good markers at
all intersections. The road winds around for 2.1 miles with 0.5
miles on bumpy cobblestones. We made it in our low-clearance Honda
Civic but we would recommend delaying your trip if the road is wet
and muddy.
You can park at: N 38 49.796 W 109 45.792. Follow the trail for
500’ to the tracks which begin just below a BLM descriptive
sign. The tracks are depressions in the sandstone roughly centered
at: N 38 49.900 W 109 45.723
Educational Requirement:
To get credit for this EarthCache you must
answer at least one Study Question and post a picture of your group
at the site or post a picture of a dino track.
Study Questions: [This can be a short
sightseeing visit or an extensive study unit, as you
wish.]
1.) Which species of dinosaurs left their footprints here?
Mill
Canyon
2.) How are those dinosaurs related to each other? Dinosaur
Classification
2.) What is the Morrison Formation? What is the Dinosaur
Diamond? Morrison
Formation and Dinosaur Diamond
4.) Where else in the U.S. might you go to find dinosaur tracks?
Dinos in the
U.S.
5.) Imagine you are a dinosaur scientist. How would you decide
how a dinosaur moved? … What he ate? … Whether he was
peaceful or vicious? Do you
think they sounded like this? If not, why not?
Bonus points for pointing out a feature near the trackway that
indicates the origin of the Ridge’s name.
Have fun!
You'll get much better pictures if you first clean off the
prints with a whiskbroom!
"The Bible" on Utah dinosaurs, Dinosaurs of Utah, was written by
Frank DeCourten: DeCourten
Other resources:
Wikipedia Article
Family Visit
UC Berkeley
on Dinosaurs
Ideas
about dinosaur behavior