BLM Offers Guided Hike for Prehistoric Trackways
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LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On August 19, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will offer a guided hike in the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument (Monument), highlighting its geologic history and significant paleontological and recreational resources. The three-mile hike will begin at 8:00 a.m. from the second parking lot located near the Monument entrance, and will last approximately three hours.
BLM Paleontologist Colin Dunn will take visitors to the original major deposit of Paleozoic Era fossilized “trackways”—footprints of numerous amphibians, reptiles, insects, and plants,—dating back 280 million years. Visitors will learn about the terrestrial world of the Early Permian Period, and the animals that roamed the tidal flats of the ancient oceans.
In addition, Dunn will discuss the importance of these sites to the scientific study of early Permian period track sites and the associated animal behaviors and paleo-environments of the time, which predate dinosaurs.
The Monument is located northwest of Picacho Avenue and Shalem Colony Trail. Participants for the hike are asked to dress appropriately and to remember their outdoor essentials – water, snacks, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. For more information, contact the BLM Las Cruces District Office at 575-525-4300.
As stewards, the BLM manages public lands for the benefit of current and future generations, supporting conservation as we pursue our multiple-use mission and serve the American family. The Prehistoric Trackways National Monument was established by Congress in 2009 to conserve, protect and enhance the 5,280 acres of unique and national-important paleontological, scientific, educational, scenic, and recreational resources and values of the Robledo Mountains in southern New Mexico.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.