Dinosaur Valley State Park

Welcome Y'all!

Ever thought of a happy medium that would make a parent and their little hooman happy? After binge watching Netflix during the pandemic that included Jurassic Park and its sequels (thanks to Spielberg!) there has been so much conversation at home about the grandiosity of these reptiles. We love hiking and when several acres of a Texas State Park is dedicated to the remains of dinosaurs, you know where we headed next - Glen Rose, TX aka The Dinosaur Capital of Texas! 

Scenic Overview - Paluxy River

For how famous this spot is to see and explore the dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy River, the beauty of the hiking trails and scenic view is not emphasized enough. Mostly populated with Junipers and Oak trees, this region was still plenty green and lush with hints of fall colors even though we were well into November by that time. 

This view of the Paluxy river so reminds me of the view of Frio River from Old Baldy trail at Garner State Park.

Limestone Ledge Trail

Limestone Ledge Trail during golden hour

Having spent quiet sometime in the Paluxy river bed discovering the Dino footprints, we took the trailhead from the riverbed that runs through a narrow trail with absolutely beautiful view of the grasslands, hills and the sunset. We started this hike closer to sunset and the hike for next several minutes felt like a cleanse to my soul. The Limestone Ledge Trail itself is just a mile long and the Overlook trail is a little over half a mile and both these trails offer scenic overviews. The hike was easy to moderate except for one spot that was tricky to balance. Wear good shoes and carry a cane depending comfort level. We hiked with a toddler and it took us a minute to get past this stretch. 

The fall colors, view of acres of lush green trees, the river bed and the sunset was beautiful. Note that this State Park does not have street lights. If you do plan on hiking during the sunset for the view, be sure to carry a flashlight. While we can cross out the possibility of bumping into a real dinosaur, there are snakes and other wildlife that call this place home :) 

We visited the Dinosaur models of Apatosaurus and T-Rex both while entering and leaving the park and recommend taking pictures for keep sake memories. It's amazing to learn how these reptiles moved between Montana and Texas. For History enthusiasts, the State Park's website shares so much wealth of information about Tonkawa, Wichita and Comanche being the early occupiers of this land before French traders got here in the 1700s. 

Apatosaurus and T-Rex models

 

This trip was so random and we left mid-day from Austin roughly 190 miles on a Veteran's Day holiday and did not plan an overnight stay, phew! If you do have more time and kids or for those who are kids at heart that would love exploring further, download the maps on your phone to Map the Dinosaur Tracks. I have intentionally not shared the pictures of the Dinosaur Tracks and saved it for your trip.

Pro Tip: The Dinosaur tracks in the riverbed are not visible when the Paluxy river has a healthy flow. The river is said to almost dry up during summer and March through November is their busiest season. Plan accordingly. 

Eat outs: There are few local restaurants and BBQ spots between the cities. We grabbed Burger King and stopped by D's Mediterranean in Waco, TX. D's is super personable and they even custom made our food to meet our needs.

Cheers,

J :)