Ammonite City EarthCache
Hidden : 4/10/2009
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:


This EarthCache is located in Red Rock Canyon Open Space, one of the newer parklands of the City of Colorado Springs. Parking is off of U.S. 24 or 31st Street. The Hogback Valley Trail or Red Rock Rim and Lion Trails will take you close to this site. Please DO NOT create social trails or bushwack in order to get to this location! Go to the south end of the Hogback Valley Trail and there is a northward leading trail at the contact of the Ft. Hays Limestone/Codell Sandstone layers which will lead you to this site. Upon arrival, you will note that there are several in situ examples of fossil ammonites. You will want to bring water for your hike, and a ruler or other measuring device. Also, please remember that fossils in the Red Rock Canyon Open Space are protected and that collecting is not allowed!

Ammonites are cephalopods (cephalopod meaning “head-foot”), and are related to the modern octopus, squid, and nautilus. They are fairly common in the fossil record, and were around in one form or another from about 400 million years ago until the end of the Cretaceous Period, about 65 million years ago. Because of their ubiquity, they are used to fine-tune the age of rock strata and are utilized to increase the accuracy of corresponding geological maps.

The ammonites at this location are found in Codell Sandstone, which was laid down about 90-92 million years ago in the Cretaceous Period. Codell Sandstone represents a coastal deposit formed from sandbars, barrier islands, and marine shelf sands in the Western Interior Sea.

At this site, and in the immediate area to the north, you will see the remains of several fossil ammonites in the east-facing wall of Codell Sandstone.

To log this EarthCache, send me an email with the answers to the following questions:

1. How many ammonites do you see at this site?

2. What is the diameter of the largest one?

Please consider posting photos of yourself, or the local geology, when you log this EarthCache. Photos can be an additional rewarding part of your journey, but posting them is not a requirement for logging this EarthCache, and is strictly optional.

The above information was compiled from the following sources:

2002. Blake, D.B., and B.S. Kues. Homeomorphy in the asteroidean (Echinodermata); a new late Cretaceous genus and species from Colorado. Journal of Paleontology, Nov. 2002. Online at: (visit link)

2003. Varriale, F.J. Improving the Accuracy of Geologic Maps Through the Use of Ammonite Biostratigraphy. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 35, No. 6, September 2003. Online at: (visit link)

Colorado Springs City Webpage: Red Rock Canyon Open Space: (visit link)

Geologic Map of the Red Rock Canyon Area: (visit link)

Thanks to the City of Colorado Springs and the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department for allowing placement of this EarthCache!

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