A Trail Through Time



Collared Lizard



About 30 miles west of Grand Junction is the Trail Through Time, a hiking trail through areas where dinosaur fossils are still being excavated.  This land is part of the Morrison Formation, the same as Dinosaur Ridge near Denver.  It's 1.6 miles in total, including an upper and lower path. 

Along the way, we finally saw a Collared Lizard, which eluded us at the Colorado Monument.  It's blue and green, so it's hard to miss.  The park ranger at the Colorado Monument told us that while we might think the lizard is posing for us to take its picture, but it's really standing its ground and telling us its not afraid of us.

Along the trail, signs note fossilized dinosaur bones trapped in rock, as well as signs of fossilized plants.  The rocks varied from almost black, to rust to red to gold to gray.  There was also colorful moss growing on some of the rocks, making some look almost tie-dyed.

Jeff and Henry did the whole route, while Ruth and I did half of the upper path and part of the lower one. It was pretty hot, but not too awful.

Henry's hand on top of a dinosaur
bone in a big rock.