Massive dinosaur footprint discovery near 2026 Winter Olympics venues in Italy

A wildlife photographer exploring Stelvio National Park in the central Alps spotted something remarkable high on a rocky mountain wall: an estimated 20,000 dinosaur footprints stretching across roughly three miles of terrain. The prints date back about 210 million years to the Triassic period, when the region was a warm coastal plain rather than icy peaks.

Officials explained that the footprints were made by long‑necked, bipedal herbivorous dinosaurs that may have reached up to 33 feet in length and weighed around four tons, suggesting they were similar to early prosauropods. The tracks show patterns that could indicate herd movement and even circular group behavior, offering scientists valuable clues about how these animals lived and interacted.

The remarkable site was discovered in September by nature photographer Elio Della Ferrera, who initially set out to photograph wildlife. Because the prints are located at high elevation — between about 2,400 and 2,800 meters above sea level — access is challenging, and researchers have relied on drones and remote sensing to study the footprints in detail.

Paleontologists at Milan’s Natural History Museum heralded the find as a major scientific discovery, calling it one of the richest Triassic footprint sites in the world. Lombardy regional officials described the discovery as a symbolic “gift for the Olympics,” even though the steep, remote location makes it unlikely to be accessible during the Games themselves.

The site’s proximity to Olympic venues — such as Bormio, where alpine skiing events will be held — adds an unexpected layer of prehistoric significance to the region just months before athletes arrive for the Milan‑Cortina Winter Games in February 2026.

Researchers plan to continue studying the footprints in hopes of learning more about the dinosaurs’ behavior, the ancient landscape they trod, and how these prints came to be preserved so vividly on a near‑vertical cliff face that would only be revealed millions of years after they were made.