Post by Okwes on May 22, 2008 12:08:26 GMT -5
Layers Of History Are Visible In Picketwire Canyon
cbs4denver.com/local/Comanche.National.Grasslands.2.548835.html
<http://cbs4denver.com/local/Comanche.National.Grasslands.2.548835.html>
LA JUNTA, Colo. (CBS4) ¯ Many layers of Colorado history lie together
in one special section of the Comanche National Grasslands called
Picketwire Canyonlands.
This region of southeastern Colorado is home to the largest known
dinosaur trackway in North America, where footprints were left 150
million years ago.
"There are over 1,300 individual dinosaur prints representing as many as
100 different dinosaurs," paleontologist Bruce Schumacher said. "But the
real magic of this site is evidence of the social behavior of
dinosaurs."
Paleontologists say Picketwire Canyonlands, which was originally known
as Purgatoire Canyonlands, has the footprints Brontosaurs and Allosaurs
left in a muddy edge of a lake. Those prints were eventually buried and
turned to stone, and are now exposed.
Schumacher showed CBS4 a stretch of prints where two animals were
walking side by side along the ancient lake shore.
"It tells us most likely that these animals traveled together," he said.
"They actually had a social structure to their groups."
The canyon-filled area south of La Junta is also home to more recent
historical objects, including Native American rock wall art and remnants
of early Hispanic settlements. There's also a partially destroyed
historic 20th century ranching operation.
"We have Santa Fe Trail history here ... there's homesteading history
here, Mexican settlement history, (with) one right on top of the other,"
Comanche National Grasslands official Tim Peters said.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado is also active in southeastern Colorado.
A CBS4 photographer was there recently filming a volunteer crew removing
tamarisks, a non-native invasive species. In the Canyonlands, the
species chokes off all the native growth along the Purgatory River.
"Today what we're hoping for from our volunteers is removing a lot of
tamarisk, having fun and eventually becoming committed to VOC and its
cause of increasing an environmental ethic and helping to increase and
manage stewardship of public lands in Colorado," Volunteers for Outdoor
Colorado spokesman Paul Suazo said.
Wildlife that call the Picketwire Canyonlands home include deer,
antelope, coyote, snakes, lizards and birds. The prairie chicken is
perhaps the animal that has the longest history in the region, though.
They have staked out their territory out here for eons.
At this time of year, spring water run-off in the Purgatory River offers
only temporary relief in this harsh, dry landscape. If you go, be
prepared for hot and dry weather, and bring lots of water.
"To hike down here or mountain bike down here -- you get solitude; you
get the place to yourself," Peters said.
cbs4denver.com/local/Comanche.National.Grasslands.2.548835.html
<http://cbs4denver.com/local/Comanche.National.Grasslands.2.548835.html>
LA JUNTA, Colo. (CBS4) ¯ Many layers of Colorado history lie together
in one special section of the Comanche National Grasslands called
Picketwire Canyonlands.
This region of southeastern Colorado is home to the largest known
dinosaur trackway in North America, where footprints were left 150
million years ago.
"There are over 1,300 individual dinosaur prints representing as many as
100 different dinosaurs," paleontologist Bruce Schumacher said. "But the
real magic of this site is evidence of the social behavior of
dinosaurs."
Paleontologists say Picketwire Canyonlands, which was originally known
as Purgatoire Canyonlands, has the footprints Brontosaurs and Allosaurs
left in a muddy edge of a lake. Those prints were eventually buried and
turned to stone, and are now exposed.
Schumacher showed CBS4 a stretch of prints where two animals were
walking side by side along the ancient lake shore.
"It tells us most likely that these animals traveled together," he said.
"They actually had a social structure to their groups."
The canyon-filled area south of La Junta is also home to more recent
historical objects, including Native American rock wall art and remnants
of early Hispanic settlements. There's also a partially destroyed
historic 20th century ranching operation.
"We have Santa Fe Trail history here ... there's homesteading history
here, Mexican settlement history, (with) one right on top of the other,"
Comanche National Grasslands official Tim Peters said.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado is also active in southeastern Colorado.
A CBS4 photographer was there recently filming a volunteer crew removing
tamarisks, a non-native invasive species. In the Canyonlands, the
species chokes off all the native growth along the Purgatory River.
"Today what we're hoping for from our volunteers is removing a lot of
tamarisk, having fun and eventually becoming committed to VOC and its
cause of increasing an environmental ethic and helping to increase and
manage stewardship of public lands in Colorado," Volunteers for Outdoor
Colorado spokesman Paul Suazo said.
Wildlife that call the Picketwire Canyonlands home include deer,
antelope, coyote, snakes, lizards and birds. The prairie chicken is
perhaps the animal that has the longest history in the region, though.
They have staked out their territory out here for eons.
At this time of year, spring water run-off in the Purgatory River offers
only temporary relief in this harsh, dry landscape. If you go, be
prepared for hot and dry weather, and bring lots of water.
"To hike down here or mountain bike down here -- you get solitude; you
get the place to yourself," Peters said.