Hiking Warner Dinosaur Tracks

Arizona Strip

Overview

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RATING: Easy hike

LENGTH: 1+ hours (0.8 mile)

Mon

69 | 48

Tue

59 | 47

Wed

56 | 41

Thu

59 | 39

Fri

61 | 42

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SEASON: Fall, Winter, Spring (Hot in the summer)

GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear

WATER: None, bring all you need.

Mon

69 | 48

Tue

59 | 47

Wed

56 | 41

Thu

59 | 39

Fri

61 | 42

View Full Weather Details

hike

dog friendly

family friendly

access: high clearance

The track site in the slickrock floor of the wash.

Everybody loves dinosaur tracks! Well, our family does, at least.

The Warner Valley Dinosaur Track Site is a well-known paleontological site located near St. George, Utah. It features numerous fossilized dinosaur tracks preserved in the sandstone of the early Jurassic Moenave Formation, dating back around 190 million years. The tracks were left by various species of dinosaurs when this region was a muddy floodplain.

What we found particularly interesting about the site is the large number of tracks and different types of tracks. The site contains well-preserved tracks believed to have been made by bipedal theropods (carnivorous dinosaurs) and possibly ornithopods (herbivorous dinosaurs). Some tracks show distinct three-toed impressions, likely from theropods similar to Dilophosaurus, which lived during the Jurassic period. There is a lot going on in a small area.

The trailhead and start of the trail.

Notice the interesting patterns in the red layer of slickrock. I assume maybe fossilized corral?

Route

From the trailhead, cross through the gate opening, and head north on the old dirt road. It is only about 1/3 of a mile (5 minutes or so) to where the road turns and descends to the wash bottom.

Shortly down the wash is the large slick rock track site, BLM Information sign, and water diverter. The signs do a good job of showing where the tracks are and what they look like. Some are very evident, some take a closer eye. You can continue a short-distance part the sign to more tracks down the wash before it becomes dirt floored and less interesting.

Return the same way.