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My family has owned their property since 1999. The owner, Fred Herrera has been collecting fill dirt and rocks on the property since the beginning. He would use these rocks to make a stable ground for his property, as well as a gravel road. In some places the ground has been raised as much as 4 feet with that fill dirt and rocks. We have always had abnormal rocks come from the piles of rocks that Fred has received throughout the years and stacked up. By 2024, we all By 2024, we all had our own collections of those rocks had our own collections of those rocks scattered across the property.
Around August of 2024, we kept finding what we thought was turtle fossils all over the yard, it became so bad that we would not even say the word. one day while looking at rocks, I wanted to try a new location on the property then our usual ones in the back. I started looking un the Northwest corner where Fred had added new dirt and rocks within the last 2 years. The first one that I found looked different from some of the other rocks we had. After giving t a good inspection, I noticed the similar characteristics as a turtle: shell, head, tail, 4 flippers but it looked like there was more than just one turtle together. After digging some more, I found other rocks that was from the same minerals’ quartz and calcite barite. The biggest distinction of these rocks was their weight. I collected 8 the first night, 3 looked like turtles, the others I collected because of how much they weighed compared to their size. after a couple days of using a paintbrush to clean some of the dirt if if the first rock, I had a distinct structure of what looked like a turtle to me. I started to notice a shape that looked like a baby T-rex, as if they were in a battle. After more cleaning I had multiple turtles and other structures showing. My first thought was that it was a dinosaur graveyard where multiple dinos were stacked on top of each other, mostly turtles, as well as a pincer creature, the baby T-Rex, and what looked to me a pterodactyl. when I first tried to show others the turtle grave yard, I was met with critics, some could see the first turtle but the other 10 I pointed out were not seen. After a week with the first rock, I was not satisfied with the slow pace that I was moving so decided to try another rock. This one introduces new structures to me, a centipede, and what looked like a dragon. After r more people not being able to see these same structures, I started my research online. From what I briefly learned online; I was convinced that I had fossils.
On August 16th, during a midnight rock hunt in the usual spot in back, Southeast corner, something caught my eye. It looked similar to what I had seen online during my fossil studies. It looked like a head. Looking at it, I could see that there looked like symmetrical features and what I thought were anatomically in their correct position. while putting that rock off to the side to take to the house with me, I noticed another. It was of different minerals, but the same kind of rocks that we were use to finding. And the I seen another head. And another. After looking around I seen nothing but dinosaur heads, and different shapes. It was at that moment that I realized that all of those cool rocks that we’ve been saving were actually dinosaur bones, heads, teeth and Gastropods. After more stung, I started to lay out the rocks we had already collected by their shape, and body part. I realized the main piles that we would rock hunt in, in the southeast corner were mostly limestone and sandstone heads, the gravel driveways were mostly gastropods, teeth, finger fragments. After laying out a good portion of rocks, I discovered that the turtles we were original finding were not turtles at all but the vertebrae of a bigger animal,
I realized that I needed validation from the Dinosaur Journey, Museums of Western Colorado. I received the head Paleontologist at Colorado Mesa Universitys, information to send her pictures of my findings. I wanted to make sure that I had the best rocks I could find thinking that you only get one shot, so I wanted use the best examples I could find. I continued searching the yard for good samples and would clean them with paintbrushes. After not being able to convince my family that the rocks were fossils, decided to take a different approach. I read online about using muriatic acid on rocks and fossils and so I decided to give t a try. The first batch I collected a random sample rock of every type of mineral I could find. I did not want to ruin a important pieces so I looked for pieces 3″ or less. I read online to dilute muriatic acid 1-3 parts water. and so that’s what i used. I believe the first batch I put in 20-30 rock samples. I begin that I had 100% return as fossils, one being a crystal, quartz ball. This intrigued me because I had thought that the Hydrochloric acid would eat the quartz with the calcite. I started to clean the quarts with a paint brush, when I found that the quartz had 2 colors if white, so I assumed that they were 2 different minerals. The second mineral was calcite which was unused of the quartz so it was not affected by the hydrochloric acid. after cleaning enough, I started to notice the same structures from earlier, The turtle and centipede. I started to look for samples of a crustal skull fossil online but never found another to reference. I needed up finding more crystal skulls days later, to date I have 4.
After the first round of sample rocks, after seeing the results, I started another round. This time with mid-sized rocks and better samples that looked like a specific body part. Through trial by error, I found the ones that worked the best, and the ones that did not work. After my third round I was fully convinced with the results so I started on rocks that would help prove that the rocks were fossils, after numerous trips looking for the best rocks to use, I came upon the Koloradosaurus.
The Colorado source was the first rock that I actually found that I believed was a fossil whenever I dug up the driveway. I had started cleaning it with a paintbrush for some time but after a while I gave up on it and started doing other quicker rocks. After doing some muriatic acid tests, and i felt comfortable with what i was doing, I went back to some of the older rocks that I have put to the side and started doing them in the muriatic acid. After a day of acid I seen the the specimen had a different shape then I had seen. After closer examination I seen the trunk, and the mouth. I was excited just to have found a different type of fossil then the Triceratops, allosaurus, and apotosaurus that I had previously been finding.
After doing some research I realized how major this discovery could be. It was at this time that I decide ti write out a journal of my experiments, and findings so that the test can be duplicated. Though I lack a solid science background, I feel like I did provide evidence throughout the research to be peer reviewed, and I encourage it.
At this point I feel like I am over my head. I have only collected samples that were easily accessible, with very minimal digging. I have not messed with some spots where I believe to be fossil remains. I will make a map of suspected full-sized fossils could potentially be. I feel like I have enough samples to prove the existence of hundreds, if not thousands, of fossils that have been found on-site in Fruta, Colorado. Now I think we need the experts to take over. While we do have a lot of the fossils piled up, there is still a lot within the 4 feet of dirt used to stabilize the property, as well as withing the native soil underneath.
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Join us in exploring the Jurassic Era
What fossils have you found?
We have discovered fossilized and petrified remains of the major dinosaurs from the Jurassic Era; Triceratops, Ankylosaurus Apatosaurus, Brontosaurus, Iguanodon, and possibly the oldest Elephant/Mastedon spieces found..
How many fossils have you found?
We have recently discovered potentially thousands of fossils on our property in “The Real Jurassic Park”, Fruita, Colorado.
Where can I buy the fossils you’ve found?
We have the fossils that we’ve found for sale.
How can I contact you for more information?
You can contact us for more information by visiting our website or calling our customer support.
What is the Alkalune Flats Dinosaur Museum?
The Alkaline Flats Dinosaur Museum is the dream of Lucas Rossett, the one who discovered the fossils on the property. His goal is to get the public’s attention regarding a large cashe of fossils discovered in Fruita Colorado
Can I visit your property to see
Visits to the public to see the fossils are not currently available, but plan to open soon. For Professional Services and research purposes please contact
How can I get in
You can get in touch with us by visiting our website or