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The final approach to the trackway has Red Fleet reservoir in clear view. Actually, the state park is mostly recreational. The dino tracks were discovered only several years ago. The main facilities (boating, water sports, and fishing) are on the southern side of the reservoir. Thus a boat ride across gives one much faster access than the hike does.
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The trackway extends about a hundred yards from the reservoir shore and rises into cliffs well above the water. The upper part of the trackway, shown here, has many if not particularly clear tracks.
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The photo below, with the tracks somewhat enhanced, shows two tracks from one or more two-legged herbivorous dinosaurs. The top track on the previous page is that of a carnivorous dinosaur, and as most of the other tracks closer to the water edge, it is much deeper and clearer. Or was much deeper and clearer. I don't know which tracks the three Boy Scouts cut and threw into the water.
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There is an interesting dichotomy between naming dinosaurs from tracks and naming them from skeletons. Since known correspondence is a guess in most instances, dinosaurs known by tracks have names different from those known by bones. In a very general sense (and to go against the naming convention), one could say the trackways are from a proto-iguanodon and a proto-allosaur. Vaguely. Nevertheless, in this area, over a hundred million years ago, live dinosaurs left their mark on the world.
The good news: From an AP release, dated August 1, local divers recovered 90 percent of the dinosaur tracks thrown into the reservoir. I don't know, however, whether the tracks can be returned in place or whether they're to go to a museum. It's a very beautiful area. I hope they can be returned. | ||
