northerndinotour.com
August 2005
Who We Are
The Northern Rockies Alaska Highway
Tourism Association serves as the
coordinating body for the Northern
Dino Tour Project. Phase One of tour
development showcases exhibits and
sites located within the six British
Columbia partner communities and
organizations. Significant dinosaur
and fossil sites are also located in the
Alberta Peace Country. Through
collaborative efforts, the vision will
expand to incorporate attractions in
both regions.
The mandate of the Northern Dino
Tour is to coordinate the development
of a year-round dinosaur circle tour
through the collaborative effort and
sharing of information and the
promotion of experiential learning
while maintaining a scientific standard
of excellence which further enhances
the visitor experience.
Northern Dino Tour
Rockies Alaska Highway
Tourism Association
PO Box 6850
9325-100th Street
Fort St. John, BC V1J 4J3
tel: 250.261.5577
fax: 250.261.6606
toll free: 1.888.785.2544
(once
igneous
Most fossils are actual
ly bones or
or sedimentary shells of ani
mals or impressions of
r o c k s
plants found in stratifi
ed rock. In the
changed
Peace Region many fos
sils are trace
through
fossils (ichnofossils),
such as dinosaur
pressure
trackways.
or heat)
rocks of
These sediment laye
rs become rock.
its outer
The hard parts of the
animal
crust. The
are sometimes replace
d with minerals
science
such as iron pyrites or
o f
silica.
These minerals then
Geology
form a detailed
fossil.
studies
these rocks.
Geologists have created a
classification of 'time' based on the rock
layers.
Geology: the first thing people think is "Oh ya,
rocks." But rocks are not just stones—rocks are
stories. The rock that you see today used to be
some other material in a different landscape at a
distant time in the past. That's a story, or a small
part of one. The history of Earth is recorded in the
igneous (rock formed by solidification from a
molten state), sedimentary (formed by the
accumulation of sediment) and metamorphic
We are currently in the Holocene Epoch, labeled
the “Age of Modern Man”, this time frame is
from 10,000 years ago to the present.
c/o Northern
[email protected]
www.northerndinotour.com
What is a fossil?
Embedded in the bones of the Earth, the
footprints and fossils of Northeastern BC and
along the Alaska Highway first attracted
scientific attention in the 1870’s. Beneath
glacial till, deposited in what is now the Peace
Region during the ice ages of the past 2 million
years, are many layers of sedimentary rocks of the
Mesozoic Era (245 - 65 million years old). In some
places these are exposed and yield fascinating
fossils. Most fossils are found in sedimentary
rocks - rocks formed when sand, mud and small
loose bits of rock settle and eventually the weight
and pressure from all the layers turns the
sediment on the bottom into sedimentary rock!
Examples of sedimentary rocks are limestone,
sandstone and shale. Geological and fossil evidence indicates that the Peace Region was, at
one time, a sea floor, a lush coastal delta, and an
environment of lakes and rivers.
What is a trackway?
A trackway is a series of footprints made as a
creature walks or runs. What can a trackway
tell? Well… scientists can determine whether or
not the dinosaur walked on two feet (bi-pedal)
or on four feet (quadripedal); they can calculate
the speed of progress, the weight and size of the
dinosaur; trackways indicate behaviour (were
they traveling in herds or hunting in packs?).
To tell the age of most layered rocks, scientists
study the fossils these rocks contain. Fossils
provide important evidence to help determine
what happened in Earth history and when it
happened. In the distant past, when most fossils
formed, the world was different from today.
Plants and animals that have long since vanished
inhabited the waters and land. A region now
covered with high mountains may have been the
floor of an ancient sea. Where a lush tropical
forest thrived millions of years ago, there may
now be a cool, dry plain. Even the continents
have drifted far from the positions they occupied
hundreds of millions of years ago. No human
beings were present to record these changes, but
through the stories told by fossils, paleontologists
(scientists who study prehistoric life) have pieced
together much of the story of the earth's past.
Identify Dinosaur Footprints
Ankylosaur footprints have large hindfeet with
four toes, which are about as wide as they are long.
The forefeet are smaller than the hindfeet, have five
toes, are much wider than they are long, and are
shaped like a crescent moon. Ankylosaur trackways
can be fairly wide.
Ornithopod footprints have three main
toes on the foot. Usually the toes are blunt
and hoof-like. The footprints are almost as
wide as they are long and the trackway is
wider than that of theropds. When forefoot
(manus) prints are visible they tend to be
much smaller than those of the hindfoot
(pes).
Theropod footprints have three main toes
on the foot, often showing long, sharp claws.
The footprints are usually longer than they are
wide, and the trackway is often quite narrow.
Northern Dino Tour Must See & Do
nosaur track
Hudson’s Hope Di
Ankylosaur Track
way
Ichthyosaur Fossi
l
1 A short drive from Tumbler Ridge leads visitors to a
parking lot which is located at the head of the Flatbed
Pools Trail. Enjoy a 2 km hike and discover a
spectacular display of theropod and other prints near
the Cabin Pool rock. The trail is well marked and can
be explored unaccompanied. However, far more can
be seen and learned in the company of a guide. The
Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation offers tours from
June through August. For bookings contact the
Visitor Info Booth at (250) 242-3123 (seasonal)
audio-visual theatre. A 25-seat deli-style cafe on the
ground floor is open daily. Outdoor exhibits include
duckbilled dinosaur (Hadrosaur) tracks and marine
reptile (Plesiosaur) fossil remains. The Visitor Center
operates from Victoria Day to Labour Day. It is open
daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Reservations for large
groups are welcomed and appreciated. Admission
fees apply. Please call (250) 783-5048 or 1-888-3336667 for further information and off-season bookings.
Peace Canyon Dam, situated at the outlet of the
2 Wait for nightfall and then let an experienced interpre- 6 The
Peace River Canyon 5 kms south of Hudson’s Hope,
tive guide from the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation
lead you on a lantern tour to the Wolverine tracksite.
Nothing like it is offered anywhere else in the world. The
low angled lantern light brings out footprints which are
hardly visible by day, and the ambience is ethereal, with
the Wolverine River rushing by, and dinosaur sounds (or
scientists' best guesses at them) playing in the background. For bookings contact the Visitor Info Booth at
(250) 242-3123 (seasonal)
Tumbler Ridge Community Centre offers a series
3 The
of dinosaur and fossil exhibits for viewing. Exhibits
include an interactive display funded by Sci-Tech
North, which includes the acclaimed footage from
Knowledge Network and Discovery Channel on the
Tumbler Ridge paleontology discoveries. There is a
fossil fish exhibit, cabinets with many original dinosaur
footprints, trackway replicas, wall displays, and an
outdoor display which includes magnificent cycad
fossils. Other displays have been donated by the Royal
Tyrrell Museum of paleontology.
4 Take a step back in time at the Hudson's Hope
Museum. Dino and fossil "buffs" can view extensive
pre-history displays of Peace River dinosaur footprints,
skull casts, unique "Hudsonelpidia” ichthyosaur fossil
and additional fossils including starfish. The Gething
Creek trackway site showcases large hadrosaur track
impressions - some as deep as 10 cm.
5
The WAC Bennett Dam is located 21 kms west of
Hudson’s Hope. Interactive displays, informative theatre presentations and underground bus tours of the
powerhouse are available throughout the summer.
The Visitors Centre, overlooking Williston Lake
Reservoir, offers a wide range of exhibits and an
www.hellonorth.com
reuses water which has already generated electricity at
the WAC Bennett Dam.
Life-sized duckbilled
dinosaurs greet visitors to the Interpretive Center
which offers self guided and interpretive tours of displays on natural history, exploration, pioneer history
and the building of the Peace Canyon Project.
Recreational facilities are located close by at the
Dinosaur Lake reservoir. Tour guides are on duty daily,
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Victoria Day to Labour Day.
There is no charge at this Visitor Centre. For further
information, please call (250) 783-5000.
7 Chetwynd, the Western gateway to the Peace Region,
welcomes Northern Dino Tour enthusiasts. Explore the
town centre and discover a monument constructed
from local scallop-like fossils, 250 million years old.
8 Fort St John provides visitors with accommodation and
other services not available in our smaller partner communities. The Fort St. John North Peace Museum
interprets some local fossil finds and the area remains
a vast fossil resource with great potential. An enormous marine reptile (Shonosaurus), 23 meters long,
was excavated north of Fort St John in Pink Mountain.
It has been relocated to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in
Drumheller, Alberta for study.
9 Dawson Creek - Mile ‘0’ of the Alaska Highway
welcomes 38,000 visitors each year. The local museum
features a fossil display.
10 Each Monday evening the friendly staff at Jackfish
Dundee’s Pub in Charlie Lake, serves tantalizing
platters of "dino bones" to weary travelers and local
residents!
www.tumblerridgemuseum.com
FOR TRAVEL INFORMATION CALL THE NORTHERN
BRITISH COLUMBIA TOURISM ASSOCIATION
1-800-663-8843 or visit www.northernBCtourism.com
Critically
acclaimed
"Daniel's Dinosaurs" tells
the true story of the
dinosaur discoveries of
two young Tumbler
Ridge boys, which set in
motion a remarkable
chain of events, involving
some of the world's top
palaeontologists. Written by Dr Charles
Helm, Past President of the Tumbler Ridge
Museum Foundation, illustrated by local
artist Joan Zimmer, the book features
photographs on almost every page, and
contains text that conveys the immediacy of
the discoveries while introducing a wealth of
palaeontological information, the book,
although written for kids aged 5-12, will
appeal to all ages.
"Daniel's Dinosaurs" is on sale at the Tumbler
Ridge Visitor Info Booth and at bookshops
throughout the region for $10 (softcover) and
$20 (hardcover).
An exact hand-crafted
replica of a magnificent
theropod footprint from
the Wolverine Dinosaur
Footprint site, suitable
for wall-hanging, with
an accompanying
certificate of authenticity.
Cost is $25
PLEASE REPORT ALL
FOSSIL FINDS!
Peace Region Palaeontology
Research Centre
Your palaeontological discoveries
can now be studied in Tumbler
Ridge at the Peace Region
Palaeontology Research Centre
(PRPRC). Scientists, Rich McCrea
and Lisa Buckley work on site
identifying and studying regional
finds submitted by amateur and
professional fossil hunters. For a
copy of “Best Practices and
Collection Ethics” please contact
the PRPRC. Phone: 250-242-DINO
(3466) Email: [email protected]
www.prprc.com
For trip planning and travel information in Northeastern BC
and along the Alaska Highway call the
NORTHERN ROCKIES ALASKA HIGHWAY TOURISM ASSOCIATION
Toll Free: 1-888-785-2544 or visit www.hellonorth.com
Tumbler Ridge • Ankylosaur
"Four hundred of the 401 known dinosaur bones from BC have
been found near Tumbler Ridge, including by far the oldest
known dinosaur bone material in western Canada. This story,
and much more, will be on display in the BC Dinosaur
Discovery Gallery, scheduled for completion in the spring of
2006. This will complement the preparation lab and collections
area of the Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre (PRPRC). Staffed by
professional palaeontologists of the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation, the
PRPRC is the only facility of its kind in the province. Visit the interactive and
cabinet displays on dinosaurs and other fossils in the Community Centre, take
guided tours to dinosaur trackway sites including unique nocturnal lantern
tours, or attend BC's only week-long Dino Camp for kids aged 6-13."
Hudson's Hope • Ichthyosaurus
The Museum has extensive pre-history displays
of Peace River dinosaur footprints, skull casts, unique
ichthyosaur “Hudsonelpidia” (named for the town as elpis
in Greek means hope) and fossils including starfish.
Palaeontologist’s research along the shores and drainage that feeds Williston
Lake revealed large, clear, accessible hadrosaur tracks, an amblydactylus track
way, crocodilian tracks and turtle tracks. The Gething Creek site showcases large
hadrosaur track impressions some as deep as 10 cm.
BC Hydro W.A.C. Bennett Dam • Edmontosaurus
A plesiosaur (marine reptile) fossil and dinosaur tracks
are on display at the W.A.C. Bennett Dam Interpretive
Center; life-size hadrosaur (Edmontosaurus) models at the
Peace Canyon Dam Visitors Center; provides access to the
Gething Creek track site via the dam crest road.
Chetwynd • Pectinidae
Chetwynd, the Western gateway to the Peace Region,
welcomes Northern Dino Tour enthusiasts. Explore the
town centre and discover Dedication Park where the
many volunteers who helped to make the town’s
signature chainsaw carving project a reality are recognized.
The base of the dedication monument is constructed from
local scallop-like fossils, 250 million years old.
Dawson Creek • Marine fossils
As Mile ‘0’ of the Alaska Highway, Dawson Creek
welcomes 38,000 visitors annually and is a primary
promoter of regional attractions. The city provides
transportation, accommodation and visitor services which are critical to the
development of the Northern Dino Tour. The Museum features a fossil display
and the area has great potential for further pre-history development as local
farming practices have revealed large fossil beds indicative of a shallow,
inland sea.
Fort St. John • Shonisaurus
The 200 million-year-old Shonisaurus, excavated from
Pink Mountain by the late Betsy Nicholls of the Royal
Tyrrell Museum is one of the world’s largest and
most complete specimens. The city provides visitor
services for satellite communities. The Visitor
Information Center employees serve 10,000 visitors
annually and are consistent in their promotion of
regional attractions. The area boasts spectacular undeveloped
fossil finds along the Beatton and Pine Rivers for consideration as future
development sites. The Fort St. John North Peace Museum features fossil displays.
DINO CAMP
The community of
Tumbler
Ridge
hosts Dino Camp,
a joint project of
Northern Lights
College with the
Tumbler Ridge
Museum Foundation. Dino Camp offers
children the opportunity to participate in a fun,
interactive and educational program on
dinosaurs, fossils and paleontology delivered
through classroom, field and computer based
activities. The camps are 2 to 5 days in length
to accommodate children from 6 to 13 years
of age.
For information on the Dino Camps call
Maxine Osmond, Continuing Education
Coordinator for the Northern Lights College
in Tumbler Ridge at 250 242 5591.
Local artist
Joan Zimmer
Thank you!
Artist Joan Zimmer has been drawing
and painting since she was eight
years old culminating in a degree in
graphic design & fine arts. She excels
in various mediums and teaches
locally offering both private and
public instruction in drawing and
painting.
Joan has won two Peoples Choice Awards in
regional juried art shows. Her work can be seen in
Parks Canada brochures and signs; commissioned
works of landscape and portraits; information and
promotional signs for her community of Tumbler
Ridge and in books.
Her most recent work is the artwork used to
promote the Northern Rockies Alaska Highway
Tourism Association’s newest initiative, the Northern
Dino Tour. Her illustrations are featured on the Dino
Dodge Ram 4x4. Joan has contributed much of her
work for the Northern Dino Tour as a commitment
to support the economic development of the region
and to indicate her support of the initiative.
NORTHERN DINO TOUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM
Ask how you can participate in the Northern
Dino Tour sponsorship program ....
The Northern Dino fact sheet is sponsored in part by:
w w w. n o r t h e r n d i n o t o u r. c o m
www.communityfutures.biz
scitechnorth.bc.ca
NORTHERN DINO TOUR
Tumbler Ridge • Hudson’s Hope • W.A.C. Bennett Dam • Chetwynd • Dawson Creek • Fort St. John
ntern Tours
Tumbler Ridge La
Peace Region Paleo
ntology
Research Centre
ipant
Dino Camp partic
Theropod print
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Paved Road
Gravel Road