Colorado's State Symbols: The State Fossil

Schoolchildren suggested Colorado adopt a state fossil, the dinosaur Stegosaurus, in 1982.  One of the most recognized dinosaurs, with its line of plates along its back and spiky tail for defense, Stegosaurus lived in what came to be Colorado during the Mesozoic era, Jurassic period 150 million years ago.  Stegosaurus fossils have been discovered in Colorado.  For more on Colorado dinosaurs, see

• Dinosaur Remains in Colorado from the Colorado Office of Archaeology & Historic Preservation;
• Dinosaurs in our Backyard from the Colorado Geological Survey (on CD-Rom);
• and Colorado’s Dinosaurs, also from the Colorado Geological survey,

all available from our library. 

Image courtesy Colorado Geological Survey