Overview:

Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in Coahuila, Mexico, is an important archaeological puzzle connecting the past and the present. It is home to more than 3,000 fossilized footprints from prehistoric animals, including dinosaurs, unearthed during the excavation of an ancient volcanic ash deposit. The site provides scientists with valuable evidence of the evolution and migration of these ancient species, and it also sheds light on how these creatures interacted with each other and their environment. This protected monument contains fossils dating back more than 250 million years and has been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Mexico
Prominent Features:

• The Prehistoric Trackways National Monument is located in the city of Saltillo, in Coahuila, Mexico, and covers an area of about 15 miles. • It is home to millions of fossilized footprints dating back more than 100 million years. • The trackways contain footprints of various creatures such as dinosaurs, turtles, lizards, and crocodiles from the Late Cretaceous Period. • The Monument contains a multitude of diverse fossil sites, including trackways, trails, and navigation systems from the Prehistoric Era. • It also exhibits archaeological evidence of inhabited settlements that are believed to be more than 12,000 years old. • Paleontological research and studies are carried out regularly at the Monument. • The Monument is open to the general public for educational tours and visitations. • The Monument is protected by federal laws, which prevent the extraction of minerals or fossils from the area. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Mexico.

History:

The Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in northern Mexico was created in 2009, making it one of the newest national monuments in the country. The protected area contains several deposits of fossilized tracks from hundreds of thousands of extinct species, including early dinosaurs, amphibians, mammals, and other creatures. The protected area includes parts of the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. The site has been known since the late 1800s, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the fossilized tracks were recorded by a private collector, including a paleontologist from the University of Coahuila. Several expeditions and research projects followed, most notably the Prehistoric Trackways International Project (PTIP) in 2001, which conducted a thorough study to document the fossils with photographs, GPS data, and plaster molds. In 2006, a campaign was launched to protect the site from development and exploitation. In late 2008, the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument was established, as an effort by the Mexican government to protect this paleontological resource. The monument is located on 33,886 acres of land and is home to dozens of fossilized trackways. The fossilized tracks tell a story about the history of life on earth, going back hundreds of thousands of years and spanning multiple continents. The monument continues to attract international attention, with frequent scientific excavations and visits from professional photographers and amateur paleontologists. Visit one of the famous monuments of Mexico with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. Prehistoric Trackways National Monument was established in 2009 to protect fossils that are more than 290 million years old. 2. The fossils found at Prehistoric Trackways National Monument provide important evidence of life that existed during the Carboniferous period. 3. The monument spans an area of 2,177 acres and includes a variety of habitats from desert to marshlands. 4. The tracks provide evidence of creatures such as ferns, amphibians, reptiles, and insects that lived before the dinosaurs. 5. The fossilization process that occurred within the monument, created a bed of limestone containing thousands of fossilized footprints. 6. The unique formation of the ground in the monument created surprisingly well-preserved prints that show the exact path that the animals took. 7. Prehistoric Trackways National Monument was the first protected monument in Mexico that was made specifically to protect fossil tracks. One of the historical monuments of Mexico, it tells the story of a bygone era