Warner Valley Dinosaur Tracks (and Fort Pearce)

Warner Valley Dinosaur Tracks (and Fort Pearce)

South of St. George, the Warner Valley Dinosaur Track Site preserves hundreds of roughly 200-million-year-old dinosaur footprints pressed into the rock — a free, off-the-beaten-path stop that pairs well with the nearby ruins of historic Fort Pearce.

The tracks

• Once thought to hold ~160 prints, the site is now known to have 400+ tracks, some beautifully preserved with toe pads and claw marks
• They appear as both trackways and isolated prints in the sandstone

Getting there

• Drive south from St. George or Washington on Warner Valley Road about 8 miles, then follow a signed dirt spur ~0.5 mile to the trailhead
• The access road is a maintained dirt road usually fine for passenger cars — but high-clearance is better after rain, and it's not recommended when wet
• No restrooms or water — bring your own

Fort Pearce

• Nearby stand the stone walls of Fort Pearce, a rare surviving 1860s guard post on the National Register of Historic Places

Tips: go in the cooler months, tread carefully and never deface the tracks, and combine it with Fort Pearce for a half-day of history and prehistory.