Colorado high school science teacher Kent Hups spent a morning in the Hell Creek Formation of western North Dakota and made a discovery that will excite both paleontologists and local families. While volunteering as a research associate for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Hups spotted two large three‑toed impressions in July 2025 that matched the size and shape of a Tyrannosaurus rex foot.
From disbelief to confirmation
“My first reaction was total disbelief,” Hups said. He measured the prints—about three feet long and two to two‑and‑a‑half feet wide—and recognized the classic three‑pronged pattern of a carnivorous dinosaur. Senior curator Tyler Lyson, also of the Denver Museum, helped verify the find by locating additional prints, ultimately identifying a four‑print trackway and a fifth print later that summer.
Why the trackway matters
The Hell Creek Formation, which stretches across Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota, is famous for its dinosaur bones, but footprints are rare because the sediment often erodes before preserving them. This trackway, dated to about 66.5 million years ago, provides the first clear evidence of a T. rex walking sequence, showing a stride length of roughly 13 feet (4 meters) and an estimated walking speed of 3.5‑4.5 mph (5.6‑7 km/h). Researchers say such data reveal real‑time behavior that bones alone cannot.
Scientific and local impact
Lyson noted that only two other isolated T. rex footprints have been documented in North America, making this discovery especially significant for the region’s paleontological record. The Denver Museum plans to collect three of the prints for further study of possible skin and tissue impressions, which could deepen our understanding of the iconic predator.
Hups hopes the find will inspire more people to explore the ancient rocks of the region. “It is the closest thing that we have to a time machine,” he wrote, encouraging locals and students to look harder at the landscape around them.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
