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The Jurassic in Utah, US

Jurassic in Utah map
 

Generalized geologic map from the Utah Geological Survey.

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Permian
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Jurassic Fossils
Fossil photos from Jurassic in Utah

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Paleontology and geology

Immense fields of sand dunes covered Utah in the Early Jurassic. These formed thick sandstones with large-scale cross-bedding. During the Middle Jurassic, Utah was inundated by a shallow sea, which is recorded today by the presence of limestones, shales, and evaporites. By the Late Jurassic, the sea had withdrawn and sediments were deposited in a complex pattern of terrestrial environments of coastlines, rivers, marshes, lakes, ponds, dune fields, and floodplains. Early Jurassic fossils consist primarily of footprints and trails made by vertebrates and invertebrates in lakes formed between the dunes. Middle Jurassic fossils are mostly marine: brachiopods, clams, snails, ammonoids, and ichthyosaurs. A diverse and abundant dinosaur fauna, as well as the amphibians, reptiles, and fish that were their contemporaries, dominates the Late Jurassic fossil record.

Links to more on the Jurassic in Utah

Organizations | Education and Exhibits | Resources

Organizations

Government Agencies (showing 1 of 1 listings)

The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry: This Bureau of Land Management website provides visitor information about the quarry. The quarry is unusual in that the majority of bones are from a single species of carnivorous dinosaur: Allosaurus fragilis.

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Education and Exhibits

Physical Exhibits (showing 3 of 3 listings)

St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm: The St. George Tracksite has numerous dinosaur tracks preserved at the bottom of a 3 foot-thick sandstone layer, as well as fossil plants, invertebrates, and fossil fish. From the Utah Geological Survey web site.

St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm: This website includes images, an overview of exhibits, links to scientific publications on the site, and history of discovery for this locality with dinosaur trackways and other fossils.

Squatting Dinosaur Tracks at, the Johnson’s Farm: A vast number of tracks have been discovered at this site, including clear imprints of pelvis, tail and shuffling feet of a dinosaur, giving paleontologist the first evidence of a “squatting dinosaur.” From the Utah Geological Survey web site.

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Resources

Courses and Lectures (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Paleogeography of the Southwestern U.S.: The paleogeography of the southwestern U.S. from 1.8 billion years ago to 10 million years ago. Text and images by Dr. Ron Blakey from Northern Arizona University.

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Field Guides (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Fossil Cephalopods in Utah: A reference to help provide information on the identity, biostratigraphy and location of fossil cephalopods found in the state of Utah.

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General Reference (showing 2 of 2 listings)

Discovery of a New Pterosaur Tracksite at Flaming Gorge Reservoir: Significant tracksite along the shores of Flaming Gorge Reservoir containing trackways from a sauropaud dinosaur and pterosaurs, or flying reptiles. From the Utah Geological Survey web site.

Jurassic Dinosaurs of Utah: This web site from the Utah Geological Survey, offers detailed information on the dinosaurs of the Jurassic, Morrison Formation.

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