LAS CRUCES, N.M. - On Jan. 20, the Bureau of Land Management will offer a guided hike in the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument, highlighting its geologic history and significant paleontological and recreational resources. The 3-mile hike will begin at 9 a.m., from the second parking lot located near the Monument entrance, and will last approximately three hours.
The Site Flood hike will take visitors to a scientifically important petrified wood site. Along the way, visitors will learn about the numerous marine invertebrates that lived in the ancient oceans of the Early Permian Period, 280 million years ago, as well as shallow-water trackmakers that left their mark on the nearby tidal flats.
Colin Dunn, the BLM Las Cruces Monument paleontologist, will discuss the geology and the paleoenvironments. In addition, he will discuss the importance of these sites to the scientific study of early Permian period track sites and the associated animal behaviors, which predate dinosaurs.
The Prehistoric Trackways National 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. 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.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
