Trip Report: Dinosaur Valley State Park

Who isn't fascinated by dinosaurs? Have you ever thought about how big they actually were? Have you ever wanted to see evidence of their existence? I'm a science nerd, so this park completely fascinates me!

You can see some of the best preserved dinosaur tracks in the world just by traveling a little over an hour south from Dallas or Fort Worth! Dinosaur Valley State Park is full of history and also offers a family or group of friends the chance to hike, camp, fish, and stargaze. This video has great information for when you plan your next road trip!

The Paluxy Rivers runs through Dinosaur Valley State Park
and contains preserved dinosaur tracks!

My first time visiting Dinosaur Valley was during a random road trip in the February of 2011. My favorite thing to do is take a road trip when time and funds allow! I was getting restless studying and decided to put my new Texas State Park Pass to good use and visit a park I had never been to before. That Saturday was chilly, but it was a perfect day to do a little exploring by foot. Upon entering the park, you are greeted with two HUGE models of dinosaurs - a 70-foot Apatosaurus and a 45-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex. From there you can head to one of  three sites where dinosaur tracks are visible. Track Site #2 (see map for more info) is the main site where you can get a glimpse of Theropod tracks and Sauropod tracks.


My second visit to the park happened as a volunteer during a Texas Outdoor Family workshop when my project, North Texas Kids Outside, sponsored three families to attend who had never been camping or to this particular park! Being with people experiencing and enjoying the outdoors for the first time is the best feeling in the world. There was so much excitement and all of the kids had great questions for the rangers.

We learned about fossils from the rangers, took a hike to see the tracks, learned how to geocache, and Ranger Cassie taught us how to make a cake in a dutch oven with only 3 ingredients! For more pictures of the Dinosaur Valley Workshop in November 2012, visit our Facebook Photo Album!

A Junior Ranger relaxing after helping her family set up their
tent, provided by Texas Outdoor Family!

Families discovered organisms living in the water
in the dinosaur tracks. 

A park ranger gives us a hands-on presentation about
fossils and how they are preserved and studied.

I hope you will consider a visit to this wonderful state park. Here is some more information from the TPWD website:

Directions:
Head to Glen Rose, Texas and then you are only 4 miles from the park. Click here for directions and a map!

How much does it cost to visit?

• Adult: $7 a day
• Child (12 and under): Free
• State Park Pass: Free for everyone in your vehicle (get more info about the pass here)

What can you do at Dinosaur Valley?

• picnic
• camping (water/electric)
• primitive camping/ backpacking (call first!)
• hiking
• mountain biking
• horseback riding (in a designated equestrian area)
• fishing

Visit the Interpretive Center and learn about the area, dinosaurs, and local flora and fauna! 

Event Schedule
Interpretive Guide for the Park

Maps:
Map of the Park
Map of the Trails