Como Bluff

Como Bluff is a famous dinosaur locality in Wyoming, between the towns of Rock River and Medicine Bow. Occur here ( Sundance, and Morrison Formation ) and of the lower Cretaceous to days in a saddle geological strata of the Upper Jurassic. It is both a National Natural Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places of the United States.

Como Bluff was discovered as a dinosaur discovery site at work of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1877. Main excavator was Othniel Charles Marsh from 1877. His competitor in the Bone Wars Edward Drinker Cope dug out here. The American Museum of Natural History ( AMNH ) undertook 1897/98 extensive excavations here. In the 20th century it dug Robert Bakker. Also the AMNH dug here from 1968 to 1970 again after mammal fossils.

Here fossils of Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus were ( the skeleton is in AMNH ), Barosaurus, Dryosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Camptosaurus and discovered the only known copy of Coelurus. Also reptile fossils ( turtles, crocodiles, lizards ) were found, pterosaurs, fish and mammalian fossils. A total of 26 species of dinosaurs here and 45 mammal species were discovered, often with complete skeletons. The findings can be found in museums.

Entering today is only allowed with the permission of the respective landowners and prohibits excavation without permission. There are near Medicine Bow, a Fossil Cabin Museum, built in 1932 from about 5800 dinosaur bones from the gas station owner Thomas Boyle.