Everything is bigger in Texas? Well not necessarily (e.g. the trucks are bigger in Australia), but it does have some pretty big dino footprints at its Dinosaur Valley State Park. Located just northwest of Glen Rose not far from Dallas and Fort Worth, this is a great chance to learn about the dinosaur giants of the past.

The footprints date from the early Cretaceous Period around 113 million years ago and at that time this part of what is now Texas was one the shores of an ancient sea. This is one of the best places in the United States to see dino prints and a great way to learn about the past - It's a perfect outing for families!

About The Dinosaur Valley State Park

  • Size: 617 Ha or 1,525 Acres
  • Opened: Opened to The Public In 1972
  • Status: Also Listed As A National Natural Landmark
  • Age: Early Cretaceous Period Approx. 113 Million Years Ago

The geological formation here is called the Glen Rose Formation and is made of mudstones, sandstones, and limestones and was once the coast of an ancient sea. Fortunately, for dino enthusiasts today, it was an ideal environment for preserving the mighty dinosaur's footprints. Over the last million years or so, the layers of rock above this layer have been gradually eroded by the Paluxy River, revealing the stunning footprints preserved underneath.

Related: Did You Ever Wonder What It Would Be Like To Walk With Dinosaurs? You Can At These Parks

Visiting The State Park

Today visiting the park is a fun and educational experience, that together with watching Jurassic Park, is sure to make the kids fall in love with dinosaurs. Jurassic Park was filmed in Hawaii, to see where and which sets to explore, see here.

There are a bunch of things to see and do around here. They include finding the dino tracks, hiking, mountain biking, swimming, horse riding, paddling in the river, picnicking, and fishing. In addition, there are is an interpretive center nearby that will help bring the tracks to life. There are also numerous campsites around here.

  • 20 Miles: There Are 20 Miles of Trails To Explore

Finding the dino tracks is really easy and one just needs to head down to the riverbed. But download the Mapping Dinosaur tracks page from the state park site to make it even easier.

  • Dino GPS Map: Find The Dino Tracks With The Mapping Dinosaur Tracks Page
  • Note: The Trails May Be Closed To Wet Conditions, Check Out The State Park Website For Up To Date Information
  • Cost Of Admission: Adult Day Pass $7.00 (Kids Under 12 Are Free)
  • Opening Hours: 8.00 am to 5.00 pm
  • Don't Miss: The Giant Apatosaurus (70 feet) and Tyrannosaurus rex (45 feet) Models Near The Park's Headquarters

About The Dino Tracks And Human Print Hoaxes

Many dino footprints have been discovered along the riverbed. For some time, some people claimed that humanlike footprints alongside the dino footprints proved humans and dinos lived together (normally young Earth Christain Creationists). But disappointedly for those fans of fantastic fantasy adventure movies like One Million Years BC and King Kong humans did not live alongside these mighty beasts. Instead, the prints are of dinosaurs with similar feet or they are hoaxes.

  • Hoaxes: Some Of The "Human" Footprints Are Believed To Have Been Carved During The Great Depression By Locals To Sell The Site

The types of footprints include:

  • Sauropods: There Was A Herd Of Sauropods (Long-Necked Dinosaurs)
  • Theropod: At Least One Theropod Seemingly Following The Herd (Large Meat-Eating Dino Like The T-Rex)
  • Supposed Species: Sauroposeidon And Acrocanthosarus
  • Chase Scene: It Appears There Was A Chase Sequence Between These Hungry and Scared Dinos
  • Other Dino Track Sites: Taylor Site, The Blue Hole Parlor, The Blue Hole Ballroom

For sites where dinosaur bones have been discovered see here.

Related: 10 Places Every Dinosaur Fan Needs To Visit

Horse Riding Tours

  • Horses: If One Happens To Have A Horse, One Can Ride It In The South Primitive Area of The Park

Most people can't bring a horse of their own to the park so, if one would like to have a horse riding tour of the park, then there's the Eagle Eye Ranch Carriage Company. They offer a range of horse adventures including guided horseback riding tours and old-timey horse-drawn wagon experiences.

  • Where: In The Dinosaur Valley State Park
  • Horse Riding Tours And Lessons: They Cater For Small Children To Adults, To see All Of The Wrangler Assisted Trail Rides See Here

The park rangers offer a whole range of programs - education and fun for the whole family. Not only do they teach about the iconic dino footprints, but also other things like archery, fishing, and even geocaching.

There is plenty of camping accommodation in or near the park. For a full list of the campsites see here.

Next: The Biggest Dinosaur Fossil Ever Found Belonged To A Long-Reining Canadian T-Rex