Mankind has always had doubts about his existence, and in the absence of facts he has been known to make his own. There was once a debate about man’s arrival on earth and a Paluxy riverbed, near Glen Rose, Texas, became famous for controversy surrounding evidence of fossilized human footprints—right beside those of dinosaurs—implying the two actually coexisted! There was in the 1930’s a belief, known as young-Earth creationism, that held that the Earth and its lifeforms were created by supernatural acts of the Abrahamic God between about 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, based on literal interpretations of the Book of Genesis. As it turned out the “human footprints” in the old riverbed were determined to be elongated dinosaur tracks, river scour marks, and hoaxes. No humans had walked the earth with dinosaurs. However, the dinosaur tracks attracted scientists from all over, making the Paluxy River famous, and putting Glen Rose on the map as the “Dinosaur Capital of Texas.”
Fast forward to today, Dinosaur Valley State Park is at the top of the food chain for excitement, exploration, and dinosaur mania. It places you in the midst of mystery and adventure in a time warp that’s almost unfathomable. As you stand there with the sun glancing off water the color of weak tea, the tracks in the riverbed of the Paluxy River are of two competing dinosaur types. Sauropods, giant herbivores with long necks, long tails, small heads, and four thick, pillar-like legs, were in the group that includes the largest animals to have ever lived on land. Theropods were upright-walking, three-toed, largely meat-eating dinosaurs, with claws. Nightmare lizards! Tyrannosaurus Rex belonged to this group. The riverbed clearly shows tracks of both types of dinosaurs. What makes the park so special is that it was one of the epic battlegrounds for survival among these behemoths! It was the proverbial ole watering hole.
The best time of the year to see the tracks is summer, in morning before heat gets ahold of the day, when the water level is lowest. Bring rubber boots because you’ll need them to get up close and personal. There are five main track site areas that have been mapped within the park. Each area has individual track sites. The largest track site in the park is referred to as “The Ballroom” (Track site 1) because of the many directions of tracks, as if the dinosaurs were dancing. This site contains nine very large sauropod tracks with mud swells rising 8 inches above the surface. Ten smaller well-preserved juvenile sauropod tracks show evidence that a young sauropod was being pursued by a theropod. Some of the theropod tracks are classified as “elongated” because the dinosaur was walking on its metatarsal bones. Many of these tracks do not show the typical three-toe pattern because the tracks were made in runny, deep mud, and the toe impressions were buried.
The territory here is a smorgasbord. The hilly, hardscrabble limestone terrain is at the intersection of several ecoregions, offering up an interesting mix of plants and animals. Scientists believe that around 113 million years ago, this place was the “beach area” of an advancing and retreating ancient sea. The limey mud was formed from calcium carbonate deposits left behind by the shells of crustaceans who once lived in the sea. This mud had the perfect consistency to record footprints for posterity: not too wet, not too stiff. What makes this such a big deal is that these were the first distinct sauropod tracks ever found. For the first time, scientists could plainly see that these giant plant eaters walked on all four legs, rather than relying on a volume of water to support their hulking weight—they could walk on land. This collection of tracks unlocked many secrets about dinosaur habits and behavior for scientists everywhere.
The unique and revolutionary dinosaur tracks are what converted this area into a park. At 1,587 acres, Dinosaur Valley State Park was acquired from private landowners under the State Parks Bonds Program and opened in 1972 for the express purpose of preserving these valuable dinosaur tracks for people to learn from and enjoy. The National Park Service has designated this park as a National Natural Landmark and tracks from the park are on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Texas Memorial Museum in Austin. You can see a concrete copy of the most famous tracks at the park headquarters. Also nearby are fiberglass models of a 70-foot Sauropod (Apatosaurus) and a 45-foot Theropod (Tyrannosaurus rex)—both of these giants are sure to capture the attention of the kiddos.
If you’re like me, after you’re done admiring the tracks, you’ll probably want to do something more adventurous than wading in the water and jumping—or trying to—from one track to another. This park is a perfect location for entertaining groups of kids for the entire weekend. First off, there’s camping here for those who own RV’s. There are 44 water/electricity-only RV sites nestled in the woods, located well away from the noise and bustle of the popular riverbed. Additionally, for our primitive campers there is a mixture of walk-in and hike-in sites waiting for you and your tent—15 in total. For groups of all ages there are two options: a 20-person and a 40-person group campsite—both set aside in isolated locations.
If you enjoy the water, you can always rent a kayak from headquarters and savor floating the Paluxy as it gleams like fine turquoise threads winding through the overhanging trees. Also, there’s over 20 miles of hiking trails peppering the valley, all practically begging to be explored. The vistas from atop some of them are especially stunning. Some are mountain bike approved.
If you are a horseman, there are not a lot of state parks where you can explore from horseback, but this is one of them. A 100-acre South Primitive Area has been set aside for your pleasure and the river runs through this wooded, semi-rocky part of the park too. Be advised: no potable water is available along the trail, but horses can drink from the river if you bring your own bucket.
If you like horses but don’t have a horse—no problem! Nearby Eagle Eye Ranch Carriage Company offers a variety of equestrian services from guided horseback riding to horse-drawn wagon rides, and wrangler-assisted trail rides for children 3 to 14 years old. Talk about a memorable adventure-filled experience for kids! You can make reservations at (817)-382-9855. In addition, you can set up a personalized tour or program through the park headquarters too. The rangers are knowledgeable and eager to entertain and educate.
Now, for you over-the-top crazy types. If you’re up for the challenge, the “Dino Dive” is a park experience that is a bit out there on the edge of the term “recreation.” This recurring event happens every New Years Day, so you’ll have to plan ahead. One of the track site river locations in the park is called the Blue Hole, and it’s a 20-foot-deep swimming hole that in January is certain to “shiver your timbers” as you plunge into freezing water. Go on, give it a try. . .I double-dog dare you!!
There are even more attractions outside the park. In Glen Rose, for example, you can tour the downtown square, visit Barnard’s Mill and Art Museum, and the Somervell County Museum. At the end of town, you can visit the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, a sure-fire hit for kiddos who like zoos (entrance tickets required, open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm). Some may find learning about nuclear power an interesting way to spend part of a day. Contact the Comanche Peak Visitors Center at 254-897-5554 to schedule a visit. For history buffs, not far away in the small town of Acton, TX, is a State Historical Site inside the cemetery presenting a statue and the burial site of Elizabeth Crockett (Davy’s second wife). It’s the smallest State Park in Texas!
Most all state parks offer a playlist of similar activities set in different ecological backdrops. Dinosaur Valley State Park is not like most state parks; this one is different. National notoriety and dinosaur stories carved in stone change everything! In summer months it will be crazy busy with church and scout groups, tourists, and curiosity seekers from all over. Group activity levels will remain high during the school months. The message here is NOT to stay away—everyone should see this park sometime during their life—but rather to make reservations for anything other than a day visit. The park is no less than 238 miles from Bastrop. For me, that would be a bit over 4 hours’ drive. That’s a tough day use only visit. So, what are you waiting for? Pull out the tents, grab the grandkids, and get out there and make some lifetime memories!
By Larry Gfeller