Dinosaur Fossils & Children's Paleo Dig Site

The Paleo Dig Site was constructed in the Spring of 2019 by Morgan Sierra. This 10’x10’ excavation pit is made up of pine and is filled with several tons of sand, in which fossils have been hidden for children to discover. The shape of the site mimics the shape of the Edmontosaurus foot projection fossil located next to it.

If you look closely at the seemingly unremarkable rock, there is a large foot projection from an Edmontosaurus. An Edmontosaurus was a hadrosaur, or duck-billed dinosaur, with short front legs and strong hind legs, capable of walking erect or on all fours. They roamed in the Cretaceous period, long before a lake existed in this area. This fossil was found on the property of the Graves family while rebuilding the foundation of their home in 2007. It was identified by a volunteer paleontologist from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The Graves family graciously donated this fossil to Standley Lake in hopes that this piece of archaeological history could be shared with the many patrons of the park.

This foot projection was not the first fossil to be discovered in this area. Another track, believed to be a hadrosaur or ceratopsian footprint, was found in a sand trap in Walnut Creek Golf Preserve. This foot projection is featured near the front entrance of West View Recreation Center. Numerous additional dinosaur remnants have been identified north of Standley Lake as well, including 15 turkey and emu sized tracks, Tyrannosaurus rex skeletal remains, and several unidentifiable footprints. The palm frond imprint next to the Edmontosaurus print is another example of the diverse fossils found in this area. These fossils were studied and identified by the Denver Basin Study Team initiative based at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.