Colorado Just Held Its First-Ever ‘Stego Stampede’ Along a Dinosaur-Filled Trail
If you love dinosaurs, Colorado had a pretty fun way to celebrate its 150th birthday last weekend. Dinosaur Ridge held its first-ever Stego Stampede on September 27, with runners and walkers making their way along a trail filled with real dinosaur tracks.
The 2.2-mile event was a family-friendly run, walk, or stroll, and dinosaur costumes were encouraged.
Dinosaur fossils were first discovered at what is now Dinosaur Ridge in 1876, the same year Colorado became a state.
Money raised from the event helps Friends of Dinosaur Ridge protect fossils and support education and scientific research at the site.
The Trail Has More Than 300 Dinosaur Tracks
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The Stego Stampede took place right on Dinosaur Ridge’s paved trail.
Dinosaur Ridge says there are more than 300 fossil tracks along the site, plus more than 15 marked fossil and geological stops. Visitors can normally walk or bike the road, or take a guided bus tour. Some of those tracks weren’t discovered until road construction cut through the ridge in 1937.
The area has much older discoveries too. In 1876, Arthur Lakes collected dinosaur fossils from the ridge and sent them to paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh. Those finds included fossils later used to name Stegosaurus.
Costumes Were Part Of The Fun
Of course, a Stego Stampede needed some dinosaurs. Visitors were encouraged to wear dinosaur costumes, and prizes were planned for categories like best-dressed individual and best-dressed team. Well-behaved dogs could join for free too.
After the run, the Paleo ArtFest continued until 3 p.m. with local art, food trucks, and music. The event also took place on an SCFD Free Day so that visitors could check out the Dinosaur Ridge exhibit hall for free.
The First Stegosaurus Fossils Were Found Here
Dinosaur Ridge has a pretty big connection to the Stegosaurus name. The Martin G. Lockley Discovery Center says the world’s first Stegosaurus fossils were unearthed at Dinosaur Ridge in 1876. The museum now has a life-size Stegosaurus reconstruction near the area where those fossils were found.
The site was named a National Natural Landmark in 1973 and now gets around 250,000 visitors each year.
If you missed the Stampede, the Dinosaur Ridge Trail is still open to visitors. You can walk it on your own daily from sunrise to sunset.
