Here's a few photos from the terrific drive-through geology exhibit called Dinosaur Ridge, near Morrison, Colorado (type locality of the Morrison Formation).

On the advice of my friend Michelle, I made a special detour to check out the area on my drive out west in June. It was worth on many levels, but my favorite part of the array of neat geology was this section, where you can see three-dimensional cross sections (if that's not an oxymoron) of sauropod footprints.

The idea is that when these sediments were wet and pliable, adult Apatosaurus (or a similar brontosaur) walked on by, sinking down into the wet sand and mud. Layers of sediment beneath were compressed (as if beneath a dropstone) and then a later deposit of sand filled in the "brontosaur bulges," preserving them. Now they are weathering out of the Dakota Hogback in relief!

Labels: colorado, dinosaurs, fossils, travel