First-ever adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackway discovered in North Dakota badlands

Live updates

1. 10h ago

   High school teacher discovers first adult T. rex trackway in North Dakota

   A high school teacher discovered the first known continuous trackway of an adult Tyrannosaurus rex in the North Dakota badlands. The 66.5-million-year-old sequence consists of four connected footprints that provide the first direct locomotion data for a full-grown T. rex. The dinosaur maintained a 13-foot stride and traveled at a speed of 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour, which researchers compare to a brisk human walking pace. This discovery shifts the understanding of the predator from a constant runner to an animal that frequently strolled.

   Why it matters

   Most knowledge of T. rex anatomy and behavior comes from skeletal remains. Footprints provide a rare record of active movement and behavioral patterns in a natural environment. This specific trail was formed when the dinosaur marched through a swampy area.

   What is confirmed

   • The adult T. rex trackway in North Dakota consists of four connected footprints.
   • The dinosaur had a 13-foot stride.
   • The footprints date back roughly 66.5 million years.
   • The predator moved at a speed of 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour.
   • Kent Hups, a high school teacher, discovered the trackway while volunteering on a dig.

   Still unconfirmed

   • More giant footprints remain buried at the site.
   • The trackway is the first ever confirmed adult T. rex trackway.

   What to watch next

   • Excavation of additional footprints suspected to be buried nearby.
   • Peer review of the locomotion data by independent paleontologists.
   Sources used for this update (7)

   1. gizmodo.com — Massive Footprints Found in North Dakota Reveal How T. Rex Walked
   2. www.yahoo.com — Captured Mid-Step: First Continuous Adult T. Rex Trackway Discovered in North Dakota
   3. timesofindia.indiatimes.com — T. rex wasn't always running: Scientists found 66 million years old the first-ever footprints of a fully grown T. rex, and they reveal how it really moved
   4. www.smithsonianmag.com — These Four Giant Dinosaur Footprints Discovered in North Dakota Might Represent the First Trackway Made by an Adult T. Rex Ever Found
   5. wsvn.com — First-ever adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackway discovered in North Dakota badlands
   6. www.foxnews.com — Teacher discovers first confirmed adult T. rex trackway
   7. www.foxnews.com — Scientists uncover T. rex's ancient path — and say more giant footprints remain buried
   confidence 90%
2. 2d ago

   First Adult T. Rex Trackway Discovered in North Dakota

   Paleontologists have uncovered the first-ever adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackway in the North Dakota badlands near Marmarth. Discovered in 2025, the 66.5-million-year-old sequence features four giant three-toed prints. The fossilized trail records a 13-foot stride and shows the massive predator was strolling at a speed of 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour rather than running. Researchers state that while bones provide extensive anatomical details, these footprints capture a distinct moment of behavior and offer new insight into the movement patterns of the iconic dinosaur.

   Why it matters

   For decades, scientific understanding of Tyrannosaurus rex relied entirely on bones, teeth, and isolated footprints. This sequence provides concrete physical evidence of how the apex predator moved across North America. The discovery sheds light on dinosaur locomotion and behavior nearly 66.5 million years ago.

   What is confirmed

   • Four giant three-toed prints found in 2025 near Marmarth, North Dakota, are the first trackway ever attributed to an adult T. rex.
   • The 66.5-million-year-old sequence records a 13-foot stride.
   • The predator was strolling at 3.5 to 4.5 mph.
   • The footprint sequence shows the giant dinosaur walked rather than ran.

   Still unconfirmed

   • One single-source report mentions the discovery of continuous footprints of a running T-rex in North Dakota.

   What to watch next

   • Further scientific publications detailing the analysis of the Marmarth trackway
   • Additional field studies in the North Dakota badlands to search for related fossil evidence
   Sources used for this update (11)

   1. WLWT — First-ever adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackway discovered in North Dakota badlands
   2. theguardian.com — One giant step: first known adult T rex footprints found in North Dakota
   3. Space Daily — Four giant three-toed prints found in 2025 near Marmarth, North Dakota turned out to be the first trackway ever attributed to an adult T. rex, and the 66.5-million-year-old sequence records a 13-foot stride — the predator was strolling at 3.5 to 4.5 mph, about the
   4. Sci.News — Paleontologists Discover First-Ever Adult Tyrannosaurus rex Trackway
   5. Newser — T. Rex Footprints Are a Discovery
   6. National Geographic — How an Unlikely Fossil Hunter Found a Tyrannosaurus Trail
   7. Good News Network — Massive Footprints Reveal First Ever Adult T Rex Trackway, a 66-Million-Year-old Walk Through North Dakota
   8. news.ssbcrack.com — First-Ever Continuous Footprints of Running T-Rex Discovered in North Dakota
   9. madhyamamonline.com — First known adult T. rex trackway discovered in North Dakota
   10. timesofindia.indiatimes.com — 66.5 million years ago, a T. rex crossed North America; fossil footprints now show the giant dinosaur walked, not ran
   11. news.ssbcrack.com — Discovery of First Adult T. rex Trackway Provides Insight into Dinosaur Movement
   confidence 95%