Do you want to put your hand on the track of dinosaurs? The place to do this is Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen Rose, TX. This is a unique 1524.72 acres in Somervell County, TX and is located on both banks of the Paluxy River, a branch of the Brazos River. Using funds from the State Parks Program bonds, it was purchased in 1968 and opened publicly in 1972.
This area was an ancient sea about 13 million years ago. The deposits from this seashore provided the perfect geological setting for dinosaur tracks. There are two main dinosaur footprints that appear in the park. The footprint of the dinosaurs is three-legged, with sharp claws and fleshy flesh. It was a biped, and it was known as a theropod. These are thought to have been made from a large twenty to thirty foot, Acrocanthosaurus, carnosaur. The bones of this dinosaur are found in the same area. The second set of pins are long rods. These are thought to belong to the giant brontosaurus.
They were four-legged, grass-eating sauropods. The front tracks are like the round tracks of modern elephants and the back tracks are more like the tracks of a bear with huge claws. Pleurocelus is thought to be the maker of these tracks. The first known sauropod footprints were discovered in 1930 at Glen Rose.
The footprints in the area go back to at least 110 million years. They had remained buried in the bed of the river and on the shore until Paluxy, by eating the river, exposed it in hypostasis. Tourists are provided with maps to explore the trails. They are seen mainly in two places, the Pelagus Situs and the Blue Well. In the Blue Hole you can actually fish and swim among the dinosaur footprints. The Blue Hole is accessed from the west side of the field, or you can go down the river from the Main Site. The Main Site is found adjacent to the park of the park of the headward. The journey is short by stairs and on stepping stones. Since there are many paths in the river bed, it is advisable to anticipate the water depth and the weather before going there.
Tyrannosaurus-rex”>Tyrannosaurus Rex stand forty-five feet in the garden. So visitors get an idea of how huge they really were. They were founded in New York World’s Fair at the Dinosaur Exhibition in 1964. Commissioned by the Oleo Sinclair Company.
For the equestrian, the park has over 100 acres of wooded, semi-rocky terrain for riding. Bring your horse and enjoy a real river ride. there is a parking lot for trailers and restrooms nearby. There are no trails set so it is free to ride anywhere in the designated area. This is only day, no night rides.
It is also in mountain biking. Then you can take a cool swim in the cooling river for a while. Hiking offers great opportunities to not only enjoy the dinosaur tracks, but the wildlife that abounds in this park.
Of course there is camping and eating in the garden. The park has RV sites with water and hook-ups. It has a place to dump. Tables and grills are available at any parking location. There are campsites for backpackers about 1-2 miles from the entrance. There is no water, but there are no restrooms or showers. Also in the park there are days picnic area with tables and a large shed for large meetings with a fireplace He would like the amphitheater to be used occasionally. The headquarters has an interpretive center and plenty of volunteers to answer your questions. The park has plenty of cool drinks and snacks and of course dinosaur collectibles.
