Dinos in the Mist

Located just outside Glen Rose, TX, Dinosaur Valley State Park reportedly has some of the best preserved dinosaur tracks in the world!  (The 70-foot Apatosaurus and 45-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex above were built under commission of the Sinclair Oil Company for the New York World’s Fair Dinosaur Exhibit of 1964 – 1965 . . . they haven’t left tracks that we know of.)

Dinosaur Footprint

The tracks (from the Cretaceous period) can be seen mostly on the rock ledge in the bed of the Paluxy River. When we visited, it had been raining for a few days, so the water was high and a bit murky, but even so the clawed theropod tracks and big, round sauropod (brontosaurus) tracks were pretty amazing.  Maybe because it was so misty and deserted, it was easy to imagine dinosaurs lumbering around when these were the shores of an inland sea.

Dinosaur Tracks in the Riverbed

Glen Rose is only an hour and a half or so from Fort Worth, so it’s doable as a day trip, though with so much to explore you could easily spend a few days. There are a number of nature trails at Dinosaur Valley for hiking and wildlife viewing. Some trails can be used by mountain bikers, and there is a separate area for equestrian use. Camping spots are also available.  Nearby attractions include Meridian State Park, Cleburne State Park, Comanche Peak Visitor’s Center and the Fossil Rim Wildlife Park.  The town of Glen Rose has a number of shops, restaurants and historic buildings.  Kids might enjoy nearby Dinosaur World.

Click for pics of the tracks and the river.