Scientists Find First Adult T. Rex Trackway – And The Footprints Are Human-Sized
We've finally tracked a Tyrannosaurus rex.
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Paleontologists have made a landmark discovery in North Dakota: the first-known trackway created by an adult Tyrannosaurus rex. The findings, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, reveal a series of four impressions stretching approximately 23 feet, with each footprint measuring roughly 3.2 feet in length. The tracks, preserved in calcium carbonate and dating back 66.5 million years, provide rare behavioral insight into these massive predators moments before the asteroid impact that would end the non-avian dinosaur era.
The fossilized footprints offer scientists an extraordinary window into T. rex locomotion. Analysis of the track spacing indicates an average stride of about 13 feet and an estimated walking speed between 3.3 and 4.5 miles per hour—comparable to a casual human pace. While skeletal remains of T. rex are relatively common, actual trackways are exceptionally rare, with only isolated footprints previously documented in New Mexico and Montana. This continuous trail represents an unprecedented opportunity to observe how the enormous predator moved across ancient terrain.
The discovery, made in 2025 by amateur fossil enthusiast Kent Hups, highlights challenges inherent in paleontological work. Tracks and bone fossils rarely appear together due to different preservation requirements, and similar three-toed impressions can be difficult to distinguish between carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs. Despite weathering damage, researchers confirmed an adult Tyrannosaurus rex as the most probable trackmaker based on the prints’ age, location, and physical characteristics. Three of the four footprints will soon be relocated to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
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Originally reported by Sciencealert →
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