We visited Dinosaur Valley State Park while in the Waco area. It was interesting but I would not make a trip here to just visit the park. The park is located in the Glenn Rose area and as we got closer there we noticed lots of emergency sirens mounted on huge poles located throughout the area. I got curious and got online and started trying to figure out why they had so many, not only around town but out in the country. Found out there is a nuclear power plant in the area, which we saw from a distance but did not realize what it was at the time. Anyway the signals are part of their emergency response plan.
At the park there are a few tracks that have been identified as belonging to different types of dinosaurs. There is a really nice river (Paluxy River) running through the park that sometimes covers the tracks. You have to walk across some big rocks to get to the other side of the river where the main tracks are located. The rocks are very steady so no issue crossing to the other side, especially since the water was so low.
Walkway across river
Walkway across river
The water was low enough while we were there so the tracks were out of the water. They have ropes around the tracks so you can’t get real close to them but you can still see most of them fairly well.
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur Prints
Dinosaur prints under the water
There was one couple fly fishing and some kids playing in the water. The river is very clear and you could see lots of small minnows in the areas you walk across to get to the dinosaur tracks.
Minnows in the water
We had not planned on doing any hiking but it was a nice day out and a cool breeze blowing so we did two of the trails, one along the river and another one that took us to an overlook of the river. The ranger had told Bruce the overlook trail was steep but we did not believe him. It looked pretty flat when we started and for most of the trail it was not bad. When we got close to the end it suddenly became steep and but at that point we had gone most of the way so we climbed up the rocks and got to the top. The overlook was ok but the views were prettier lower down.
Me on one of the trails
View of river from the trail
View of river from trail
View of river from trail
View of river from trail
River from one of the spots on the trail
River view
View of river from overlook
Along the banks of the river
along the banks of the river
Along the banks of the river
We did discover there is a Creation Museum here in Texas, we did not have to go all the way up to Cincinnati to visit the one there. The museum here is very close to the state park but it was closed the day we were there.
