The Mystical Place In Arizona Where Dinosaurs Once Roamed
By Monica Spencer|Published March 04, 2018
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
As a child, there are few things more intriguing than the thought of massive creatures roaming the earth. Whether it’s dinosaurs, dragons, or mythical creatures from folklore, these creatures always manage to capture the imagination and wonder of children. Well, what if you could see some evidence that at least one of these actually walked across Arizona?
Actually, you can do just that near Tuba City, a small community located on the Navajo Nation. It's an easy day trip from Flagstaff and a perfect excuse to stretch during a road trip.
At the Moenkopi Dinosaur Tracks, you'll find a variety of dinosaur prints that extend across the flat sandstone landscape, most of them dating to about 200 million years ago.
The area is easy to find; it sits just off the highway with a hand-painted sign advertising the dinosaur tracks. Parking is free and tours are optional.
Some areas are covered in dozens of footprints, making it almost difficult to discern each one but with careful study, you can see each individual print.
The footprints are large, measuring longer and wider than the average human hand. This goes to show how massive these creatures were all those millions of years ago!
However, despite what the tour guides on-site may tell you, there aren't any prints from the famed T-Rex. Instead, these are from smaller dinos, like the dilophosaurus.
You'll also find other interesting fossils that are difficult to determine. Tour guides say these are turtle eggs...
What’s known as Coprolite, these fossilized feces are from animals that lived millions of years ago. They are considered to be trace fossils, and are most fascinating!
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This is a fun detour that you can expect to take about 15 to 30 minutes of your time! Afterward, consider stopping in Tuba City or Moenkopi for lunch!
The Moenkopi Dinosaur Tracks are located on Highway 160 just west of Tuba City on the Navajo Nation. It is just over a one-hour drive from Flagstaff and you can find a map of the exact location on this here.