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Clayton Lake Dinosaur Tracksite Project

In 2019, CNM, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, and the New Mexico State Parks Department collaborated on a project to document, map, and model one of the largest dinosaur tracksites in the United States.

About The Project

New Mexico State Parks logo

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science logo

Hundreds of tracks, from at least four different species of dinosaurs, are exposed at the Clayton Lake State Park and Dinosaur Trackways in northeastern New Mexico. The goal of the Clayton Lake Dinosaur Tracksite Project was to provide a state-of-the-art record of the tracks, their relationships, and state of preservation for scientific analysis, education, and public exploration.

To study and document the dinosaur tracks at Clayton Lake, CNM students and staff used small, unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) to obtain photogrammetric data. The drones used were a Yuneec H520, a Mavic Pro 2 and a Phantom 4. 

Video: CNM Students Map Dinosaur Tracks

Story Map

Explore the Story Map below to learn about how students and faculty from CNM's Geographic Information Technology (GIT), Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and Geology programs used cutting-edge geospatial imaging technologies to help conduct a photogrammetric study of the Clayton Lake Dinosaur Tracksite.