Dinosaur Valley State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dinosaur Valley State Park |
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The Paluxy River with visible dinosaur tracks in Dinosaur Valley State Park
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| Location | Somervell County, Texas |
| Nearest city | Glen Rose, Texas |
| Area | 1,524.72 acres (6.1703 km2) |
| Established | 1972 |
| Visitors | 243,001 (in 2022) |
| Governing body | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
| Designated: | 1968 |
Dinosaur Valley State Park is a special place in Texas, near a town called Glen Rose. It's famous for something amazing: real dinosaur tracks that are about 113 million years old! These footprints were left by two main types of dinosaurs: meat-eating ones called theropods and giant plant-eaters called sauropods. You can see these ancient tracks in the Paluxy River as it flows through the park.
Imagine a time long, long ago when this part of Texas was a coastline next to a huge inland sea. Dinosaurs walked on soft, muddy ground, leaving their footprints behind. Over millions of years, these footprints were covered and turned into rock, keeping them safe for us to discover today.
The first big discovery happened in 1909. After a flood on the Paluxy River, a child found "large, three-toed tracks" along the riverbed. Later, in 1928, a scientist named R.T. Bird, who studied ancient life (a paleontologist), visited the area. He found sauropod tracks, which was exciting because it was the first clear proof that these huge dinosaurs walked on land! Today, the park also has two big dinosaur statues, a Tyrannosaurus and a Brontosaurus, which were given to the park by the Sinclair Oil Corporation.
Contents
Discovering Dinosaur Valley's Past
Dinosaur Valley State Park is a beautiful area covering about 1,525 acres. It sits right along the Paluxy River in Somervell County. The land for the park was bought in 1968, and it officially opened to visitors in 1972. Besides being a state park, it's also a National Natural Landmark, which means it's a very important natural site in the United States.
How Dinosaur Tracks Formed
The rocks you see in the park, like limestone, sandstone, and mudstone, were laid down about 113 million years ago. This was during a time called the Cretaceous Period. These layers of rock formed along the shores of an ancient sea. Over millions of years, the Paluxy River has slowly worn away (this is called erosion) these rock layers. This erosion has uncovered the flat, rocky river bottom where the dinosaur footprints are perfectly preserved.
What to See and Do
Dinosaur Valley State Park is a fantastic place to explore and learn about dinosaurs. You can walk in the riverbed and see the actual footprints left by dinosaurs millions of years ago. It's like stepping back in time!
Exploring the Dinosaur Tracks
The park has several main areas where you can see the dinosaur tracks. These tracks show how different dinosaurs moved. Some tracks are from theropods, which were fast, two-legged hunters. Other tracks are from sauropods, the massive, long-necked dinosaurs that walked on four legs. Seeing these tracks helps scientists understand how dinosaurs lived and moved.
Dinosaur Sculptures and Exhibits
Don't miss the two giant dinosaur sculptures in the park! There's a huge Tyrannosaurus and an enormous Brontosaurus. These statues are great for photos and help you imagine what these incredible creatures looked like when they roamed the Earth. The park also has exhibits that teach you more about the dinosaurs that lived here and how their tracks were preserved.
Images for kids
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The Paluxy River with visible dinosaur tracks in Dinosaur Valley State Park
See also
- Geology
- Paleontology
- Trace fossil
- Sedimentary structures
- List of Texas state parks
