Dinosaur Tracks
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk beside a dinosaur? Dinosaur track fossils give us a peek into the past, showing us where these creatures walked, ran, and sometimes even slipped in the mud!
Long ago, dinosaurs walked through mud, sand, and swamps—leaving behind tracks that turned into fossils.
These ancient footprints are like time travel clues, helping us figure out how dinosaurs moved, traveled in groups, and what their world was like years ago.
Let’s take a step back in time and explore the amazing stories hidden in their tracks!
Dinosaur Tracks are Trace Fossils
Fossils often bring to mind skeletons and bones, but one of the most fascinating types of trace fossils left behind by dinosaurs isn’t part of their bodies at all—it’s their footprints. Known as dinosaur tracks, footprints, trackways, or ichnofossils, these preserved footprints offer a rare glimpse into how dinosaurs moved, behaved, and even interacted with their environments.
Key Terms:
- Trace Fossils or Ichnofossils: Fossilized remains of the traces of animal activity from different geologic time periods including burrows, tracks, trails, borings, and other features found in sedimentary structures. (Source: USGS website)
- Ichnology: The study of trace fossils. The word ichnology comes from a Greek word that means footprint or track.
What are Dinosaur Tracks?
Dinosaur track fossils are natural impressions left in sediment by dinosaur feet. These impressions were made in soft ground—such as mud, sand, or silt—that later hardened and turned into stone over time. The tracks are not the actual foot or skin, but rather the trace or mark left behind.
As mentioned above, these fossils fall under a broader category called trace fossils, which include any evidence of ancient life activity—like burrows, nests, tooth marks, or even coprolites (fossilized dung).
How did Dinosaur Track Fossils Form?
The formation of a track fossil requires a very specific set of conditions:
- Soft Sediment: A dinosaur walks across a moist surface like mud near a river, lake, or coastal area.
- Quick Burial: The footprint gets rapidly covered by more sediment (like sand or silt) before it can erode.
- Compaction and Preservation: Over time, the layers are compressed and turn into sedimentary rock, preserving the footprint in place.
Because these conditions are rare, track fossils are relatively scarce—and incredibly valuable for paleontologists.
Why are some Dinosaur Tracks indented and others are raised from the rock?
This is a common question people ask about fossilized dinosaur tracks in rocks. The answer is pretty logical and intuitive. It is a result of how the fossil was made.
When a dinosaur stepped into soft mud, it left a footprint called a true track—that’s the actual impression made by the dinosaur’s foot. The mud where the track was formed dried.
Then, a flood of water suddenly filled the track with sediment that hardened and formed a natural cast—kind of like a 3D copy of the footprint.
So, a true track is the original step, and a natural cast is a natural version of a fossil mold!
Where can I find Dinosaur Tracks in the United States?
You can find dinosaur tracks in many surprising places—sometimes even right out in the open! Many tracks are preserved in ancient rock layers that were once riverbeds, lake shores, or muddy plains. Today, you might spot them in state parks, quarries, or special fossil sites in places like Texas, Utah, Colorado, and even parts of the East Coast.
Some are hidden in the wild, while others are on display in museums where you can walk beside them (just like a dino detective!). Always check with a park or museum first—some tracks are protected and can’t be touched, but they’re still amazing to see!
East Coast US Dinosaur Tracks
The East Coast has a surprising number of places to see dinosaur tracks. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, and even New Jersey have places where people can see dinosaur track fossils.
Central US Dinosaur Tracks
In the central United States, dinosaur tracks can be found in states such as Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas, including famous trackways found in the bed of the Paluxy River.
Western US Dinosaur Tracks
In the western U.S., dinosaur tracks are found in states like Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. These rocky landscapes were once home to floodplains where dinosaurs left behind footprints.