Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site

About Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site

When Dinosaurs Roamed Preserved in the rocks of the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is evidence that dinosaurs once roamed this area millions of years ago. Fossil footprints, or tracks, were first discovered in these sandstone cliffs in 1998, and are aiding scientists in their understanding of ancient life. When this track site was re-examined in 2012, paleontologists found 17 tracks and identified them as Grallator and Kayentapus. Eubrontes tracks can be seen near the end of the trail. When dinosaurs left their footprints here 190 million years ago, the landscape of the southwest was in transition. Aridity was increasing; the large meandering rivers and shallow lakes that characterized an earlier geologic time were giving way to wind-blown seas of sand. The Red Cliffs Track Site occurs in the transition zone between the Kayenta Formation and Navajo Sandstone formed during the Jurassic Period. In this transition zone, river deposited siltstones, mudstones, and fine-grained sandstones typical of the Kayenta Formation are layered with crossed-bedded, windblown sandstone typical of Navajo Sandstone. The tracks here are in fine-grained sandstone and were probably left in the soft sediments of a stream or lake edge during a wetter climatic cycle. Who's Toes are Those? Although paleontologists cannot tell from tracks which specific type of dinosaur made them, tracks can be tied to a general group of dinosaurs based on shape and size. This allows for names or ichnotaxa to be given to the track forms themselves. The three different types of tracks found in Red Cliffs have been identified as Grallator, Eubrontes, and Kayentapus. Paleontologists suggest the Grallator and Eubrontes tracks have been made by Megapnosaurus and Dilophosaurus. The dinosaur linked to the Kayentapus track remains unknown. Tracks are trace fossils that are not actual parts of animals or plants, but objects or signs left behind by them. Other trace fossils include coprolites (mineralized feces) ,

How to Get There

Access note: To enter the Red Cliffs Recreation Area, vehicle and trailer height and width is restricted to 11 feet 9 inches to pass through two narrow underpasses beneath the I-15 freeway. Plan your travel according. Northbound from Saint George: From I-15 northbound, take exit 22 for UT-228 north toward Leeds, then turn right onto Old Highway 91. Continue for 2 miles, then turn right onto West Red Cliffs Campground Road. Southbound from Cedar City: From I-15 southbound, take exit 23 toward UT-228/Leeds, then turn left onto Silver Reef Road. Continue for 480 feet, then turn right onto Main Street. After 1.5 miles, continue southbound on Old Highway 91 for 2 miles. Turn right onto West Red Cliffs Campground Road.

Plan Your Visit to Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site

Heading to Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)