OverviewSP member Shannarae2k sits in a dinosaur footprint at Dinosaur Lake A unique treasure awaits your discovery out on the lonely and desolate wastelands of southeastern Colorado.
250 million years ago, the great dinosaurs of the Jurassic era walked on the very ground that is now an exposed track bed of limestone in the Picketwire Canyons of southeast Colorado. Over 1300 footprints are available for viewing, making this site the largest evidence of dinosaur herd activity in the nation. Visitors can walk on the same ground once frequented by the great prehistoric beasts that came to the long gone “Dinosaur Lake” for a drink of water, perhaps on their migratory route. The excitement and wonder of seeing the footprints of these fascinating creatures in the wild rather than in a museum is an unexpected treat, realized only upon your arrival at this desolate and secluded location.
Wilderness enthusiasts, hikers, historians and dinosaur lovers will all enjoy a visit to Dinosaur Lake. In addition to the dinosaur tracks, evidence of 5,000 years of human activity is present in the Picketwire Canyons. Along the trail are ruins of adobe dwellings, homesteads and a mission, complete with a graveyard dating back to the late 1800s. It’s hard to fathom folks wanting to live in this desolate and forgotten wasteland. During your visit, you’ll need to remind yourself that you’re in southeastern Colorado.
The trailhead to Dinosaur Lake is located about 30 minutes south of La Junta in a vast prairie wasteland briefly interrupted by shallow canyons. The dinosaur tracks are down in the canyon itself alongside the Purgatorie River. Under the jurisdiction of the Comanche National Grasslands, this amazing hiking destination is gradually becoming more popular, so the day is coming when this magnificent desolation will no longer be so desolate.
In the spirit of such excellent offerings on SP as “The Wave,” “Moorea,” and “Black Ridge,” Dinosaur Lake is offered as another off-the-beaten-path, “other” type of SP destination. Be sure to check out the links at the bottom of this page that will take you to a number of “different” SP destinations.
Be sure to check the related links in the LINKS section (upper left).
There are plenty of web sites about dinosaur tracks, quarries and related subjects, but there is ONLY ONE official web site about Dinosaur Lake, as posted by the Forest Service/Comanche National Grasslands. With this page, SummitPost is the only other web site that has hiking information and historical background about this amazing find presented in a comprehensive format.
Getting ThereOne reason why Dinosaur Lake is only now becoming a mainstream hiking destination is its isolated location. Until recently, Dinosaur Lake only appealed to locals and dinosaur enthusiasts. Learning more about this wonder, let alone learning how to get to it can still be a chore for interested folks.
But Summit Post has it now!
The town of La Junta is located on Highway 50, 65 miles east of Pueblo. However you get to La Junta is up to you. Near the center of town and the Hogsbreath Saloon is the junction of Highway 50 and 109. A propane refilling station is at the southeast corner of this intersection. Proceed south on 109, which is also Adams street. You’ll soon exit the city limits onto the vast prairie lands that seem to go on forever.
13.6 miles later, turn right onto county road 802 (David Canyon road on topographic maps). Follow this dusty dirt road west 7.9 miles to county road 25. Turn left on this lonely road (Rourke Road on topographic maps) and follow it for 6.1 miles due south to a large parking area and corral on the left. Here, in the great nothingness of the Comanche National Grassland, you’ll find a decent toilet facility, perhaps a harbinger of the hordes to come once this spot gets popular.
Drive east through the gate on a narrow dirt road, FSR 500A. This road may be closed in wet conditions. Passing through a boundary fence, the road goes south, turning back east at a water tank. At an intersection, go left, staying on the obviously more traveled road. At almost 3.3 miles, you should arrive at a slanted, primitive parking area. Park here. Another toilet facility is provided here in this surprisingly isolated spot.
Not far to the north, the road begins dropping into Withers Canyon and here it is blocked by a gate. A Forest Service sign states distances to various destinations, including the dinosaur tracks at 5.3 miles.
ALERT! Getting to or from the Dinosaur Lake trailhead can be a real adventure in wet weather. FSR500A is closed in wet conditions. County roads 25 and 802 can also be dicey in wet conditions. Check out this report by SP member Nelson Chenkin and then proceed carefully: GETTING OUT OF THERE
Here is a map to orient yourself and help get you to Dinosaur Lake.
Red TapeHorseback riding and mountain biking are permitted. People are allowed in the canyon from dawn to dusk only.
No unauthorized motorized vehicles are allowed in the Picketwire Canyons. HOWEVER, auto tours are available by registration. Be advised these tours are administered by the controversial Recreational Fee Program. A site opposed to this fee system can be found here.
When To HikeEarly spring or late fall is best for visiting. The area sees visitation in the winter to a lesser degree. A visit to the area in the summer is not recommended. Although it is called grassland, the area is for all intents and purposes, a desert, and temperatures are searing hot during the summer.
Late spring could find the river running high and make the needed crossing to view the track bed a tricky undertaking.
In any season, take lots of water (more than you would normally require).
CampingCamping along FSR 500A is permitted, but camping in the Picketwire Canyons is not allowed.
The Holiday Inn Express is a highly recommended alternative to camping. Reasonably priced and 30 minutes from the trailhead, the hotel also offers a great breakfast, pool and hot tub.
La Junta Chamber of Commerce Restaurant Options
Canyon Conditions
Picketwire Canyon enroute to Dinosaur Lake
Photo by SP member Nelson High run-off in the late spring could make the crossing of the river a tricky affair.
Expect wind any time of the year, but notably during spring and winter. The area sees very little rain and temperatures are mild except in summer, when they often exceed 100 degrees.
There is no potable water, although filtered water from the Purgatorie River in an emergency would probably suffice. Do not expect it to taste good.
Comanche National Grassland
1420 East 3rd Street (east of Vanhooks Fruit Market off Highway 50)
La Junta, Colorado 81050
(719) 384-2181
Office Hours: 8-12 and 1-5, Monday through Friday.
Emergencies:
Otero County Sheriff’s Office
(719) 384-5941
HistoryPetroglyphs have been found the area. Due to lack of research, very little is known of the ancient Native American peoples that once lived in or traveled through the region. They were believed to be nomadic hunter gatherers. The rock art is believed to be up to 4500 years old. Exact locations of the rock art is not made readily available, although more information can be attained at the Comanche National Grassland office in La Junta (see Conditions section).
Several Native American cultures have figured in the area’s history, including the Kiowa, Comanche, Cheyenne and Apache.
The Dolores Mission and Cemetery was built prior to 1889, during the likely brief attempt by Mexican Pioneers to settle in this inhospitable area.
The Purgatorie River (El Rio de Las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio), is known as the River of Lost Souls in Purgatory. A legend about some Spanish soldiers looking for lost treasures that perished without a proper burial led to the naming of the river. A strong presence by Frenchmen hunting for beaver pelts likely resulted in the different spelling of the river’s name, which was later corrupted into “Picket Wire” by cowboys and ranchers.
Open range ranching prospered in the late 1800s, and in 1869, the Santa Fe trail followed the Purgatorie River (and is probably the trail you walk to the dinosaur tracks today), from Las Animas to Trinidad. The stage route was abandoned in January of 1880.
Geology & The Dinosaur TracksThe dinosaur track site itself displays about 100 different track ways. 40 percent of the tracks were made by the Apatosaurus (formerly known as Brontosaurus), the giant plant eating dinosaurs we all know and love. Tracks indicate a westerly direction along the shoreline of Dinosaur Lake. This evidence of social behavior among younger apatosaurs is the first of its kind to be discovered.
60 percent of the tracks were made by the carnivorous and ferocious Allosaurus, a two footed supposed pack hunter and scavenger.
The tracks are believed to be 139 million years old, and made during a time when the area was warm and wet, and forests of ferns, pines, sequoias and cycads thrived.
The tracks were originally made in a marshy area. Buried over millions of years, the track bed was transformed into limestone. With the gradual formation of the canyon, 300 feet of deposit was removed by the Purgatorie river to reveal the tracks preserved in the limestone. The limestone also contains remains of clams, fish and microscopic creatures that lived in Dinosaur Lake.
To illustrate how long ago this all occurred, the Rocky Mountains did not exist. The footprints at the track site are thought to have been made 139 million years ago. 65 million years ago, the dinosaurs became extinct. Somewhere in between, the Rockies were formed!
The force that revealed this amazing find also threatens it today. The forest service took long term precautions and installed erosion control structures built from eroded blocks of the limestone to protect the track site.
Source for this page: Comanche National Grassland
Published by the US Geological Survey, the book Dinosaur Lake is currently a hard one to find, although the Comanche National Grassland web site claims they have the book available.
The Other SummitPost DestinationsBelow is a collection of links of other SP pages that are unique in that they are not mountains or crags, and some other type of natural feature is offered. Outstanding stuff! Enjoy!
The Wave
Moorea
Erg Chebbi
Island in the Sky
Wheeler Geologic Area
Black Ridge
Calico Hills
Gem Canyon
External Links Images
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