Dinosaur National Monument: A Secluded Oasis Full of History

 

In May, I took a solo trip to Dinosaur National Monument. It was on my list of places to explore since I first moved to Colorado in 2003. Finally, I was able to make the trek and it was well worth it! I was in a place of needing some alone time, as well as, soul refreshment. The drive from Denver up toward the northwest corner of Colorado took about six hours. I checked in and found my spot at the Green River Campground. It was a peaceful setting, situated next to the river with views of Split Mountain Canyon toward the northwest. It was an idyllic spot (especially since I got there on Thursday night before the weekend crowd). At night, shadows of campers sitting around their campfires reflected above me in the branches of the cottonwood grove. I was quickly reminded of the Fremont people who once lived here, leaving stories carved along rock walls nearby.

(Cub Creek Petroglyphs)

 

In the morning, I drove over to the Quarry Visitor Center and Quarry Exhibit Hall. My eyes widened as I entered the exhibit hall and immediately began to decipher an entire wall of well-preserved dinosaur fossils stacked on top of each other. One of the most intact dinosaur skulls in the world is located here, Allosaurus fragilis.

 

(Replica of Allosaurus fragilis)

 

(Part of the fossil wall located inside of the Quarry Exhibit Hall)
 

This wall was actually a part of a sandstone foothill, where in 1909, Earl Douglass found several dinosaur bones sticking out of the ground. He then continued his research efforts in conjunction with the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1915, Dinosaur National Monument was created to protect this fossil bed. Today, visitors can view over 1,500 bones ranging from Allosaurus, Camarasaurus, Stegosaurus (the Colorado State fossil), and others.

Later, I spent some time hiking along several of the park trails looking for petroglyphs and wide open spaces. Eventually, I ventured down toward Josie Morris's cabin (pictured below). Josie, an independent woman, built her own cabin here in 1913. She lived off the land, planted vegetables, tended the ranch, and lived and died here over fifty years later. Today, visitors can step inside her humble abode and envision what life may have been like for Josie.



(Josie Bassett Morris's cabin)

 

Dinosaur National Monument is situated so that half of the park is in Utah and the other portion in Colorado. Interestingly, there is no public knowledge of any dinosaur fossils on the Colorado side. So, if fossils are your interest then you must make your way to Jensen, Utah. On the Colorado side of the monument, is where I felt most secluded. The views were expansive and I had the chance to feel like I was the only one on the planet. I found the perfect spot to sit, ponder, and adjust my bearings for whatever life brings next.

(Thank you NPS for preserving such beautiful landscapes and natural history!)

 

(View from Echo Park Overlook on the Colorado side)

 

The park is huge. On my next visit I hope to visit the Gates of Lodore area, raft along the Yampa or Green Rivers, and hike a few more trails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve

Replica of a Colombian Mammoth skull found at
Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve

 

I continue to be enthralled and fascinated by the prehistory of Colorado.

I recently visited the Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve in Littleton, Colorado. My friend and I met up with the tour guide at the Douglas County Library in Roxborough. After a thirty-minute slide presentation regarding the history of the site, as well as, a short spiel on prehistoric landscapes we then drove to the site.

 

We soon found ourselves standing where Charles Lamb stood in 1960, when he stumbled across bones of some very large prehistoric animals. Who knew that Colorado was once home to not only the Wooly Mammoth but also the Colombian Mammoth? And to date, this site holds title to the largest cache of Colombian Mammoth fossils in Colorado.

 

Other prehistoric fossils such as the Ground Sloth, Mastodon, North American species of camel and a distinctly North American species of horse have also been discovered.

 (Yes, you read that correctly).

   

 

Interpretive signs describing the site history



Wannabe historian (and this writer) holding a collection of projectile points

An issue of contention and topic of archaeological debate, is whether or not paleo-Indians inhabited this site at the same time as such mega fauna. According to our guide, evidence suggests that paleo-Indians may have used this site as a meat processing area (many of the fossils were discovered in piles). However, without the discovery of stone tools some scholars are reluctant to draw such conclusions.

 

Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve is clearly a significant educational and archaeological site. However, despite the significance of the area, the Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve has not been able to raise the funds necessary to be able to exhibit their findings.

 

I hope the educational and historic significance of this site can one day be displayed for all to see.

 

 

 

**FREE tours offered seasonally.