Fascinating Dinosaur Trails to Explore in Texas

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Just a short drive from Fort Worth or Dallas, Dinosaur Valley State Park is the premier destination in Texas for dinosaur and nature fanatics alike. Once the boundary of an ancient ocean, you can now see giant tracks in the bed of the Paluxy River where prehistoric animals once roamed. Download maps on your phone to find specific tracks; however, be aware that the footprints may not be visible in times of higher water. You can swim and fish in the rivers as well, or check out the 20 miles (32 kilometers) of hiking trails, camping sites, and mountain biking areas.

Take your prehistoric-centric trip to the next level by checking out Dinosaur World, near the Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose. Three types of excavation activities allow you to find and keep real treasures, such as arrowheads and fossils. The museum contains both real fossils, cast fossils, and animatronic dinosaurs to educate visitors on various species and answer questions about the world in which they once lived. End your adventure at the gift shop with a mix of educational and just-for-fun keepsakes. You can even bring your well-behaved four-legged furry friend along to experience the fun!

Government Canyon National State Park boasts more than 40 miles of activities for all types of adventure seekers, including areas to camp, picnic, hike, bike, and even study dinosaur tracks. Dating back to 110 million years ago, the footprints are the only known dinosaur tracks on public land in Bexar County and require a two-mile (3.2-kilometer) journey through the park to reach. The tracks are those of Acrocanthosaurus dinosaurs – carnivorous creatures reaching up to 40 feet (12 meters) long – and Sauroposeidon dinosaurs, herbivorous, long-necked dinosaurs reaching up to 100 feet (30.4 meters) in length. Visitors can learn more about these tracks and the creatures that left them by visiting the nearby Witte Museum, which is opening a new exhibit this year in conjunction with the park.

Big Bend’s layered rock formations have been called a “geologist’s dream” thanks to their help in determining geological time, and more than 90 species of dinosaurs have been discovered here, particularly in the Aguja and Javelina Formations. Dinosaurs in Big Bend are the youngest dinosaurs unearthed in Texas, dating back to 66 million years ago. In 1971, University of Texas geology student Douglas Lawson discovered a new kind of fossil in the park; they were determined to be the long, thin wings of pterosaurs, also known as the Big Bend Pterodactyl. Though not technically classified as dinosaurs, they are still incredible to learn about and imagine. You can view a life-size replica of the 18-foot-long (5.5 meters) reptile at the Panther Junction Visitor Center in Big Bend. Get ready for your trip there by checking out 17 stunning photos of the park.