A rare discovery of thousands of dinosaur footprints has been made in a remote section of Stelvio National Park, Italy, just a few miles from the Bormio site, the mountain town set to host alpine skiing events during the 2026 Winter Olympics. The dinosaur footprints, estimated to be around 210 million years old, were found high in the Italian Alps near the future Olympic site, drawing scientific attention for their size, number, and unexpected location.
The tracks cover a stretch of nearly three miles and include as many as 20,000 individual prints, according to paleontologists. Experts say the area, now a high-altitude rock wall near the Swiss border, was once a prehistoric shoreline. Despite its exposure to the open air, no previous evidence of dinosaur activity had been recorded there.
Photographer’s chance encounter leads to major discovery
The discovery was made by wildlife photographer Elio Della Ferrera in September. While photographing local animals such as deer and vultures, his camera captured what appeared to be unusual markings on a vertical wall nearly 2,000 feet above the nearest road. Intrigued, Della Ferrera climbed the steep face to examine the shapes up close and realized they were fossilized footprints embedded in the rock.
🚨 Incredible find in Italy: Thousands of 210-million-year-old dinosaur footprints discovered near the 2026 Winter Olympic site in Bormio! 🦕🇮🇹
A rare glimpse into prehistoric life.#DinosaurFootprints #Italy #Olympics2026 #Paleontology #Bormio #FossilFind pic.twitter.com/IhWtMucI3Z
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) December 17, 2025
Cristiano Dal Sasso, a paleontologist from Milan’s Natural History Museum, was the first expert contacted about the find. He confirmed the prints date back to the Triassic Period and were likely made by large, bipedal herbivores similar to Plateosaurus.
These dinosaurs, according to Dal Sasso, may have reached up to 33 feet in length and weighed as much as four tons. Some of the footprints measured up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) across, with visible claw impressions.
Prehistoric dinosaur footprints discovered near Olympic site
Dal Sasso added that the arrangement of the tracks indicates the animals moved in groups. In certain spots, the dinosaurs appeared to pause in circular formations, possibly as a defense strategy. He also noted the tracks show no signs of rushing or panic. Instead, the footprints reflect a calm, rhythmic walking pattern.
Although the site lies in plain view, its high elevation—between 7,900 and 9,200 feet—and shaded, north-facing position made the prints difficult to detect without a powerful lens.
Lombardy’s regional governor, Attilio Fontana, described the discovery as a timely and meaningful find, calling it a gift for the upcoming Olympics. However, due to the site’s inaccessibility during winter months, there are currently no plans to open it to the public.
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