Dinosaur Tracks, What Are They For?

Near Boulder, Colorado there is a place where one can, quite literally, walk along the same sandy beach that the dinosaurs enjoyed. It has, of course, been turned to stone and tipped up at an angle by the forces that created the Rocky Mountains. It would now be hidden from view except for the fact that decades ago the area was quarried revealing a smooth sandstone slab with beautiful ripple marks and dinosaur footprints.

The question is should this special place be concealed from the public, or should the public be invited to take a walk along a "Dinosaur Beach?" On the one hand there is the danger that somebody might vandalize the footprint. On the other hand, this is a special place close to a major metropolitan area where people can experience the enormity of time in a way that you just can't do in a museum.

On the Klondike Bluffs trail near Moab, for example, better footprints are found in the middle of a jeep/mountain bike trail where they are clearly marked with rings of stones. There they are left alone and deeply enjoyed by far more visitors (with giant SUV's) than would ever visit this Boulder site. Surely, Boulder's visitors are at least as responsible.

Still, in Boulder, the decision has been to "protect the resource" and keep the people away.

What's the value in that? It's doubtful that scientists need it. They have been studying dinosaurs for decades and there are still mountains to be excavated that would yield better specimens if further research is needed.

The value of this place is in building human connections with the natural environment. And, that's the missed opportunity. Write the Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks department and ask them to change their mind.

In the meantime, here are some pictures. Still, it's not the same as being there. Can you find the track?