Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs. . , Its difficult to believe now, but 65 million years ago the middle of this continent was a shallow sea. The area, when not underwater, was part of a hot, humid subtropical coastline of marshes, rivers and river deltas bearing dense vegetation near the water courses and grassy plains father to the west. , Fossils tell us that turtles, crocodiles, lizards, toads, small primitive mammals and dinosaurs lived on this coastal plain. The dinosaurs included species like Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Edmontosaurus, Ankylosaurus and Pachycephalosaurus. Many of the most complete specimens of these species on display worldwide were gathered here in Garfield and McCone Counties. The first Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton came out of these hills in 1902. In fact, half of the 30 some tyrannosaurus found in the world are from this area. The rock unit that these fossils came from is called the Hell Creek Formation and extends over much of eastern Montana and the Dakotas. , Displays of the dinosaurs found in this area can be seen in the Garfield County Museum, the Fort Peck Interpretive Center at Fort Peck Dam and the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.