Where are all of Washington's dinosaurs?

Mossback finds the answer in an epic geologic journey with Nick Zentner (aka Nick on the Rocks).

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Knute Berger

Knute Berger Sep 18, 2018

Sep 18, 2018

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          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>Where are all of Washington's dinosaurs?</h1>
                <h2><p>Mossback finds the answer in an epic geologic journey with Nick Zentner (aka Nick on the Rocks).</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/knute-berger/">Knute Berger</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Sep 18, 2018</time></p>
            </header>
            <figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="100%" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://player.pbs.org/partnerplayer/OdFlmg9ZTRZotBTMmRBggQ==/?start=0&amp;end=0&amp;topbar=false&amp;autoplay=false&amp;endscreen=false" width="100%"></iframe></figure><p>In 2015, scientists found the first — and only — dinosaur fossil in Washington state. It was the partial thigh bone of a theropod — a group that includes raptors, t-rex, and modern birds. Dinosaur fossils have been found in every state in the west, and Washington has plenty of mammoth, mastodon, and giant sloth bones. Why is evidence of dinosaurs so rare here? Turns out, the answer has a lot to do with an epic geologic journey. To help unravel the mystery, Knute turns to Nick Zentner (aka Nick on the Rocks).</p>
          </article>

In 2015, scientists found the first — and only — dinosaur fossil in Washington state. It was the partial thigh bone of a theropod — a group that includes raptors, t-rex, and modern birds. Dinosaur fossils have been found in every state in the west, and Washington has plenty of mammoth, mastodon, and giant sloth bones. Why is evidence of dinosaurs so rare here? Turns out, the answer has a lot to do with an epic geologic journey. To help unravel the mystery, Knute turns to Nick Zentner (aka Nick on the Rocks).

By Knute Berger

Knute “Mossback” Berger is an editor-at-large and host of "Mossback’s Northwest" at Cascade PBS. He writes about politics and regional heritage.