Triceratops is genus of chasmosaurine ceratopsian dinosaur that lived during the late Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 to 66 million years ago in what is now western North America. It was one of the last-known non-avian dinosaurs and lived until the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event 66 million years ago. Triceratops is Greek for "three-horned face," but this dinosaur actually had only two genuine horns; the third, a much shorter "horn" on the end of its snout, was made from a soft protein called keratin (the kind found in human fingernails) and wouldn't have been much use in a tussle with a hungry raptor. Paleontologists have identified the remains of a two-horned dinosaur called Nedoceratops (formerly Diceratops), but it may represent a juvenile growth stage of Triceratops. Part of what makes a Triceratops so recognizable is its enormous skull, which, with its backward-pointing frill, could easily attain a length of over seven feet. One of the lesser-known Triceratops facts is that they had birdlike beaks and could clip off hundreds of pounds of tough vegetation (including cycads, ginkgoes, and conifers) every day. They also had "batteries" of shearing teeth embedded in their jaws, a few hundred of which were in use at any given time. As one set of teeth wore down from constant chewing, they would be replaced by the adjacent battery, a process that continued throughout the dinosaur's lifetime. Why did Triceratops have such a prominent frill? As with all such anatomical structures in the animal kingdom, this thin flap of skin over solid bone likely served a dual (or even triple) purpose. The most probable explanation is that it was used to signal other members of the herd. A brightly colored frill, flushed pink by the numerous blood vessels under its surface, may have signaled sexual availability or warned of the approach of a hungry Tyrannosaurus rex. It may also have had some temperature-regulation function, assuming that Triceratops were cold-blooded. Triceratops fossils date to the very end of the Cretaceous period, just before the K-T asteroid impact killed the dinosaurs. By then, paleontologists believe, the pace of dinosaur evolution had slowed to a crawl and the resulting loss of diversity, combined with other factors, virtually guaranteed their quick extinction. Along with its fellow plant eaters, Triceratops was doomed by the loss of its accustomed vegetation, as clouds of dust circled the globe in the wake of the K-T catastrophe and blotted out the sun.
We make no representations as to the accuracy of the figures attached to the Geocache. Obviously dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years and the descriptions included are based upon research of paleontologists and other scientists much more learned than El Fartero & La Vaca Verde.
"Walking with Dinosaurs" is a Reptilia-themed power trail consisting of 25 traditonal microcaches hosting their featured dinosaur, and 2 large, well-stocked ammocans you'll have to answer some questions to find. It extends for a total of 4 miles north from Hubbel Corners toward Grand Gorge on the lovely, but lesser known Southern portion of the Stamford Rail Trail. The trail is mostly flat, wide and level, and other than a few sections that can get watery, it is dog, stroller and bike friendly. Most of the caches are winter-friendly, but a few are not, so check the attributes if there's deep snow. We recommend doing it over two days for a more enjoyable, leisurly experience, but more ambitious cachers (or First-to-Find maniacs!) can start early and do it in one. We have tried to provide good coordinates and helpful hints to give you a rewarding caching experience.
Parking is available at the South end of the trail at N42 18.165 W74 33.256, or at the North end at N42 21.238 W74 31.250