Learn about dinosaur history, see tracks and other fossils at these 5 sites near Pueblo

Dinosaur enthusiasts residing in Colorado have plenty of reasons to be proud of their home state.

Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Allosaurus, and Diplodocus remains all have been unearthed in Colorado. The Centennial State also has 583 fossils, the seventh most of any U.S. state preserved in public collections, according to USA Today.

There are plenty of places to see dinosaur footprints and remains throughout the state. Some of them are closer to Pueblo than you think. Here are five places within 100 miles of Downtown Pueblo with significant ties to dinosaur history.

Garden Park Fossil Area

The Garden Park Fossil Area, 3501 Garden Park Road, is located approximately 6 miles north of Cañon City. It has been a popular site for paleontological discoveries since the late 1870s.

Early discoveries of dinosaur bones were uncovered during the "Bone Wars" between rival paleontologists Edward D. Cope and Othniel C. Marsh. Remains of 14 Jurassic species, including 80% of a Stegosaurus stenops skeleton nicknamed "Ms. Spike," have been found in the area.

Today, visitors to the Garden Park Fossil Area can learn about the groundbreaking discoveries made in the area through markers and displays along hiking trails. More information can be found on the Bureau of Land Management website at blm.gov/visit/garden-park-fossil-area.

Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience

Looking for somewhere to take the whole family? Try the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience at 44895 U.S. Highway 50 in Cañon City.

Families can view full-scale dinosaur replicas of dinosaur skeletons, along with authentic dinosaur fossils. There's also animatronic dinosaurs, interactive exhibits, and even a ropes course in and around the 16,200-square-foot facility located less than an hour's drive from the Chieftain's building at 825 W. 6th St.

Access to either the museum, the animatronic Dinosaur Wild Walk, or the ropes course is $15 for adults and $12 for children ages 5 to 12. Tickets accessing all three experiences are $41.95 for adults and $31.95 for children ages 5 to 12. More information can be found at dinoxp.com.

Royal Gorge Regional History Museum and Center

If it hasn't been made apparent already, there is a wealth of dinosaur history to learn about in Fremont County.

Not to be confused with the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience, the Royal Gorge Regional History Museum and Center is located at 612 Royal Gorge Boulevard in Cañon City. It is the current home of several fossils once displayed at Cañon City's now-closed Dinosaur Depot Museum.

Popular fossils displayed at the Royal Gorge Regional History Museum include a fossilized Iguanodon footprint found in the extinct coal town of Chandler, Colorado, and "Tony's Tree"— an 18-foot, 150-million-year-old petrified tree.

The museum is free and open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, the museum will be closed the Friday and Saturday after Christmas. More information can be found at museum.canoncity.org.

Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center

The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, 201 S Fairview St. in Woodland Park, is another family-friendly destination for dinosaur enthusiasts.

Since opening its doors in 2004, the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center has exhibited authentic and replica fossil specimens. Such specimens include pterosaurs, marine creatures and mammals, in addition to dinosaurs. The center also is home to a paleontology lab and large gift shop.

Admission to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center is $9 for children ages 5 to 12, $12 for seniors and $13 for adults. There's also packages for birthday parties and group tours. More information can be found at rmdrc.com.

Picket Wire Trail

Did you know that North America's largest collection of dinosaur tracks is located in southeastern Colorado?

Picket Wire Trail is located along the Purgatoire River south of La Junta. There are over 1,400 Brontosaurus and Allosaurus tracks at the site, according to the U.S. Forrest Service. Visitors have the luxury of walking along paths walked by dinosaurs 150 million years ago.

"The tracks’ arrangement offer paleontologists insight to the dinosaurs’ behavior," according to the USDA Forrest Service. "For example, parallel tracks among the Brontosaurus footprints indicate that these dinosaurs may have traveled in groups and suggests social behavior in these creatures."

More information about Picket Wire Trail can be found on the U.S. Forrest Service website.

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Where to see dinosaur fossils near Pueblo, Colorado