Emily Lessner: Tracking Grand Staircase’s Jurassic Dinosaurs

NOTE: Limited to 25 people.  To RSVP, sign up here. Caravan and carpool from GSEP office to tracksite. No pets please.

The Twenty Mile Wash Dinosaur Tracksite preserves over 1200 mapped footprints of at least three different kinds of animals. One of the best preserved and most accessible Middle Jurassic age (circa 160 million years old) tracksites in the region, it offers unique glimpses into “a day in the life” of some of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument’s ancient inhabitants. Spend the day learning about these amazing fossils and the animals that made them, including doing some actual science on the tracks!

HIKING INFO: Minimal hiking (less than ½ mile round trip), but approach is steep and moderately strenuous. Hike is not universally accessible.

WHAT TO BRING:

• sturdy hiking shoes
• lunch
• 2 liters of water
• sunscreen, sunglasses, and hat

Dr. Lessner quickly gave up her dreams of becoming a veterinarian when she realized paleontology was a real career option. She received her undergraduate degrees in biology and geology from Virginia Tech and her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Missouri. She spent several summer seasons at Petrified Forest National Park during her undergraduate education, learning about Triassic reptiles. She recently came to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to serve as the seasonal paleontologist for a 6 month term. Her research interests include reconstructing soft tissues and behaviors in extinct animals, digital methods in paleontology, and the geographic distribution of ancient animals.