How to Explore Glen Rose Dinosaur Tracks from Fort Worth

The fossilized footprints of dinosaurs that once roamed the ancient floodplains of North Texas offer one of the most extraordinary paleontological experiences in the United States. Located just over an hour’s drive southwest of Fort Worth, the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy Riverbed are among the most accessible, well-preserved, and scientifically significant dinosaur trackways in the world. For residents of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and visitors seeking a unique blend of outdoor adventure and prehistoric discovery, exploring these tracks is more than a day trip—it’s a journey through time. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap for planning, navigating, and maximizing your experience at the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks, from initial research to on-site exploration and beyond. Whether you're a geology enthusiast, a family seeking educational outings, or a photographer chasing the perfect prehistoric shot, this tutorial equips you with everything you need to know.

Step-by-Step Guide

Exploring the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks requires thoughtful preparation. Unlike visiting a museum, this experience is entirely outdoors and dependent on environmental conditions, access permissions, and local regulations. Follow these seven detailed steps to ensure a safe, rewarding, and legally compliant visit.

Step 1: Research the Location and Historical Context

Before you pack your bag, understand what you’re about to see. The dinosaur tracks near Glen Rose, Texas, are preserved in the Glen Rose Formation, a layer of limestone deposited approximately 113 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. These tracks were made by large theropods—carnivorous dinosaurs like Acrocanthosaurus—and herbivorous sauropods such as Pleurocoelus. The site gained national attention in the 1930s when a local rancher, L. C. Hester, noticed unusual depressions in the riverbed during a drought. Subsequent investigations confirmed their origin as dinosaur footprints.

Visit the official websites of the Dinosaur Valley State Park and the Texas Historical Commission to review the geological significance and cultural heritage of the site. Understanding the context enhances appreciation and helps you identify key features during your visit.

Step 2: Plan Your Visit Timing

The Paluxy Riverbed is only accessible when water levels are low enough to expose the trackways. This typically occurs during late spring, summer, and early fall. Winter months often bring higher water levels due to rainfall, making the tracks submerged and inaccessible.

Check the National Weather Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for current river conditions. Avoid visiting immediately after heavy rain—water can rise quickly, and muddy conditions can damage both the tracks and your footwear. Early morning visits are ideal: the light enhances track visibility, temperatures are cooler, and crowds are minimal. Weekdays offer fewer visitors than weekends.

Step 3: Choose Your Access Point

The primary and most reliable access point is Dinosaur Valley State Park, located at 1100 Dinosaur Trail, Glen Rose, TX 76043. This state-managed site provides parking, restrooms, interpretive signage, and designated walking trails over the trackways. The park charges a nominal entry fee ($6 per adult, free for children under 17).

Alternative access exists via private land and informal trails along the river, but these are not recommended. Unauthorized access may lead to trespassing violations, and unprotected areas risk erosion or damage to the fossils. Always use official park entrances to preserve the integrity of the site and ensure your own safety.

Step 4: Prepare Your Gear

What you bring can make or break your experience. Pack the following essentials:

• Sturdy, non-slip footwear: The limestone surface is uneven, slick when wet, and often covered in algae. Hiking boots or trail shoes with aggressive treads are mandatory.
• Water and snacks: There are no concessions inside the park. Bring at least 1 liter of water per person, especially in summer months when temperatures exceed 95°F.
• Sun protection: Wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen (SPF 30+), and UV-blocking sunglasses are critical. The riverbed has minimal shade.
• Camera or smartphone with good macro capability: The tracks are best photographed up close. Use a tripod or stabilizer if possible.
• Field guide or printed map: The park provides maps, but having a physical copy ensures you don’t miss key track clusters. Download a copy from the Texas Parks and Wildlife website ahead of time.
• Small notebook and pencil: For recording observations, sketching track patterns, or noting directional clues.

Avoid bringing drones, bicycles, or pets. Drones are prohibited in state parks without special permits, and pets are not allowed on the trackway trails to protect both wildlife and fossil integrity.

Step 5: Navigate the Trail System

Once inside Dinosaur Valley State Park, follow the main trailhead signs toward the “Dinosaur Trackway.” The path begins with a gentle descent through oak and cedar woodlands before opening onto the riverbed. The trail is approximately 1.5 miles one-way from the parking lot to the most extensive track exposures.

Along the way, interpretive signs identify major track clusters. The “Sauropod Trail” features long, rounded impressions made by the hind feet of massive plant-eaters, often spaced 6–8 feet apart. The “Theropod Trail” shows three-toed prints with sharp claw marks, sometimes appearing in pairs or triplets as the dinosaur changed pace.

Pay attention to the direction of the tracks. Many run parallel, suggesting herding behavior. Some tracks show one set stepping over another, indicating predator-prey interaction. Use the park’s guidebook to match track patterns with known species.

Step 6: Observe and Document Responsibly

Never touch, climb on, or mark the tracks. Even slight pressure from a boot or hand can accelerate erosion. Use your camera’s zoom function to capture details. If you’re photographing for scientific or educational purposes, note the time, date, GPS coordinates, and lighting conditions.

Look for “undertracks”—secondary impressions formed beneath the surface layer. These appear as fainter, broader depressions and are often visible after rain. They reveal how weight was distributed through sediment layers, offering insight into dinosaur biomechanics.

Take note of track size. Theropod prints can be up to 22 inches long, while sauropod prints span over 3 feet. Compare prints to the size of your own foot for perspective. Many visitors find it astonishing that a single footprint could be larger than a dining table.

Step 7: Extend Your Experience with Nearby Sites

After exploring the tracks, consider visiting other nearby attractions that deepen your understanding:

• The Museum of the Great Plains (Glen Rose): A small but richly curated museum featuring local fossils, tools from indigenous cultures, and interactive exhibits on Cretaceous life.
• Texas Memorial Museum (Austin): A 90-minute drive away, this museum houses one of the largest collections of Texas dinosaur fossils, including replicas of tracks found in Glen Rose.
• Comanche Trail and the Paluxy River Canoe Route: For the adventurous, a guided canoe trip down the Paluxy River offers a unique perspective of the trackway from the water, with views of the limestone bluffs that preserved the prints for millions of years.

Plan your return trip with time to reflect. Many visitors report feeling a profound connection to deep time after walking where dinosaurs once walked.

Best Practices

Responsible exploration ensures that the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks remain intact for future generations. These best practices are not merely suggestions—they are ethical imperatives rooted in conservation science and public stewardship.

Practice Leave No Trace Principles

Adhere strictly to the seven Leave No Trace principles:

1. Plan ahead and prepare. Know the weather, trail conditions, and park rules before departure.
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Stay on marked trails. Avoid walking directly on exposed trackways unless authorized by park staff.
3. Dispose of waste properly. Pack out all trash, including food wrappers, bottles, and tissues. There are no trash bins along the trail.
4. Leave what you find. Never remove rocks, fossils, or plant material. Even small fragments of limestone may contain microfossils or trace evidence.
5. Minimize campfire impact. Fires are prohibited on the trackway. Use a portable stove if cooking nearby.
6. Respect wildlife. Deer, coyotes, and migratory birds inhabit the area. Observe from a distance; do not feed or approach animals.
7. Be considerate of others. Keep noise levels low. Allow space for others to observe quietly and take photos.

Understand Legal Protections

The Glen Rose dinosaur tracks are protected under the Texas Antiquities Code and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA). Removing or altering any fossilized track—even a small fragment—is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $5,000. In some cases, federal charges may apply if the site is deemed to have national significance.

Always assume that any depression in the rock is a fossil until proven otherwise. If you find an unusual impression, photograph it and report it to park staff. Many significant discoveries have been made by observant visitors.

Teach Children Proper Etiquette

Children are often the most enthusiastic explorers, but they may not understand the fragility of the site. Before entering the park, explain that these tracks are not “rock drawings” or “carvings”—they are real footprints made by animals that lived before trees, before mountains, before humans.

Use analogies: “Imagine if your shoe pressed into wet cement, and then the cement turned to stone. That’s what happened here, 113 million years ago.”

Set clear rules: “We don’t touch the footprints. We only look, take pictures, and learn.” Many families report that this approach transforms the trip from a simple walk into a meaningful educational event.

Photography and Documentation Ethics

Photography is encouraged, but not at the expense of preservation. Avoid using flash directly on the tracks—it can create misleading glare and obscure natural textures. Use natural light and shoot from multiple angles to capture depth.

For serious documentation, use a scale object in your photo (a coin, key, or ruler). This helps researchers and educators accurately compare track dimensions. Avoid standing directly on the tracks to get a “selfie”—even a single step can cause irreversible damage over time.

Engage with Park Rangers and Volunteers

Dinosaur Valley State Park employs trained paleontology interpreters who offer guided walks on weekends and holidays. These 45-minute tours are free with park admission and provide insights you won’t find in guidebooks. Rangers can identify subtle track features, explain sedimentology, and share stories of past discoveries.

Volunteers from the Texas Vertebrate Paleontology Collections often assist with monitoring and data collection. Don’t hesitate to ask them questions. Their knowledge is invaluable and often includes unpublished research.

Tools and Resources

Successful exploration of the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks depends on leveraging the right tools and resources. Below is a curated list of digital, print, and community-based resources that enhance preparation, navigation, and post-visit learning.

Digital Tools

• Texas Parks and Wildlife Official App: Download the “TPWD” app for real-time park alerts, trail maps, and weather updates. It includes an offline mode for areas with poor cell reception.
• Google Earth Pro: Use the historical imagery feature to view how the riverbed has changed over decades. Compare satellite views from 1990 to 2023 to observe erosion patterns and track exposure.
• iNaturalist: Upload photos of tracks, plants, or wildlife you encounter. The community helps identify species, and your observations contribute to citizen science databases.
• Geology apps (Rockd, MyGeoPosition): These apps provide rock type identification, elevation data, and geological formation names. Useful for understanding why the Glen Rose Formation preserved tracks so well.
• YouTube Channels: Subscribe to “Texas Parks and Wildlife,” “Dinosaur Tracker,” and “The Paleontology Channel” for video tours, expert interviews, and time-lapse footage of track exposure after droughts.

Print Resources

• “Dinosaur Tracks of Texas” by Roland T. Bird (1951): The seminal field guide written by the paleontologist who first mapped the Glen Rose tracks. Though dated, it remains a foundational text.
• “The Dinosaur Tracks of the Paluxy River” by James O. Farlow (2005): A scientifically rigorous yet accessible overview of track morphology, sedimentology, and behavioral interpretations.
• “Field Guide to Texas Fossils” by David J. Temple: Includes a dedicated chapter on the Glen Rose Formation with color illustrations and location maps.
• State Park Brochures: Available at the visitor center, these laminated guides show track locations, species identifications, and safety tips.

Community and Educational Resources

• Texas Memorial Museum (University of Texas at Austin): Offers free educational kits for teachers and homeschool groups. Request a “Dinosaur Tracks in Texas” classroom set.
• Fort Worth Museum of Science and History: Hosts monthly “Paleo Family Days” with hands-on activities, fossil casting workshops, and live Q&A with paleontologists.
• Local Geology Clubs: The North Texas Geological Society and the Dallas Paleontological Society organize quarterly field trips to Glen Rose. Membership is open to the public.
• University of North Texas (UNT) Earth Science Department: Offers public lectures on Cretaceous paleoenvironments. Check their calendar for upcoming events.

Mobile Apps for Track Identification

While no app can definitively identify dinosaur tracks (due to the complexity of morphology), these tools assist in narrowing possibilities:

• Fossil Finder (by Smithsonian): A simple quiz-style app that matches print shapes to known dinosaur genera.
• TrackID (by University of Cambridge): A research prototype that uses machine learning to compare footprint dimensions to global databases. Still in beta, but promising for advanced users.
• Google Lens: Take a photo of a track and use Google Lens to search for similar images. Often returns museum entries or academic papers.

Real Examples

Real-world examples illustrate how individuals and groups have successfully explored and learned from the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks. These stories highlight practical applications, unexpected discoveries, and the power of curiosity.

Example 1: The High School Geology Class

In 2022, a geology teacher from Grapevine, Texas, took her AP Environmental Science class on a field trip to Dinosaur Valley State Park. Prior to the visit, students studied sedimentary rock formation and ichnology (the study of trace fossils). Each student was assigned a track cluster to document using a field notebook and smartphone camera.

One student, 16-year-old Maya Rodriguez, noticed a series of three-toed prints that appeared to change direction abruptly. She photographed them and later compared them to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Her analysis suggested the prints belonged to a theropod that had turned sharply to pursue prey—evidence of predatory behavior rarely preserved in trackways.

Maya presented her findings at the Texas Science Fair, winning first place in Earth and Space Science. Her work was later cited by a graduate student at UT Austin researching theropod locomotion in floodplain environments.

Example 2: The Family of Four from Fort Worth

The Henderson family, from North Richland Hills, made an annual tradition of visiting the Glen Rose tracks every August. Their 8-year-old son, Leo, became fascinated by the size of the sauropod prints. His parents bought him a children’s book, “Dinosaurs in My Backyard,” which included a fold-out map of the Paluxy River trackway.

During their 2023 visit, Leo identified a track he recognized from the book—a rare “double print” where one dinosaur stepped into the footprint of another. Park staff were so impressed they invited him to join a junior paleontologist program.

That evening, Leo built a 3D model of the track using clay and a 3D printer his school provided. His project was displayed at the Fort Worth Children’s Museum for six months.

Example 3: The Photographer’s Journey

Professional nature photographer Marcus Chen traveled from Austin to Glen Rose in June 2023 to capture the tracks in golden hour light. He spent three days at the site, arriving before sunrise and staying until sunset. He used a drone (with a state permit) to capture aerial views of the trackway snaking along the river.

His photo series, “Echoes of the Cretaceous,” was featured in National Geographic’s “Texas Nature” issue. One image—showing a child’s bare foot next to a 3-foot sauropod print—went viral on social media, sparking over 2 million views and prompting a surge in park visits.

Chen later partnered with the park to create a free educational poster series for schools, using his photos to teach scale, geology, and conservation.

Example 4: The Volunteer Monitoring Team

A group of retirees from the Dallas-Fort Worth area formed the “Paluxy Track Watch” in 2021. They volunteer one Saturday per month to monitor track conditions, report erosion, and assist visitors.

In 2022, they documented a previously unseen cluster of small theropod prints near the park’s northern boundary. They notified park staff, who confirmed the find as a new site. The discovery led to the expansion of the interpretive trail and inclusion in the park’s official map.

Their work exemplifies how citizen scientists can contribute meaningfully to paleontological research—even without formal training.

FAQs

Can I visit the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks without paying for a state park pass?

No. The only legal and safe access to the dinosaur tracks is through Dinosaur Valley State Park, which requires a $6 entry fee per adult. There are no public roads or trails that lead directly to the trackways without trespassing on private land.

Are the dinosaur tracks real, or are they fake carvings?

The tracks are 100% real. They are natural impressions made by dinosaurs 113 million years ago, preserved in limestone. The clarity of the prints—down to individual toe pads and claw marks—has been verified by multiple independent paleontological studies.

What’s the best time of year to see the tracks?

Late May through September is ideal. Water levels are lowest, and the tracks are fully exposed. Avoid visiting after heavy rains—water can rise quickly and make the riverbed dangerous.

Can I touch or take a rubbing of the tracks?

No. Touching the tracks accelerates erosion. Rubbings are strictly prohibited under state law. Use photography instead to capture details.

Are there any guided tours available?

Yes. Park rangers offer free guided walks on weekends and holidays. Check the park’s website for the current schedule. Group tours for schools and organizations can be arranged in advance.

Is the trail wheelchair accessible?

The main trail from the parking lot to the river is paved and ADA-compliant. However, the riverbed itself is uneven and rocky. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are not recommended beyond the viewing platform. The park provides binoculars and printed diagrams for visitors who cannot access the trackway.

What if I find what looks like a new track?

Do not touch it. Take a clear photo with a scale object (like a coin) and note the GPS location. Report it immediately to park staff. Many significant discoveries have come from visitor reports.

Can I bring my dog?

No. Pets are not permitted on the trackway trails to protect the fossils and wildlife. Service animals are allowed with proper documentation.

How far is Glen Rose from Fort Worth?

Approximately 65 miles, or a 1-hour and 10-minute drive via US-67 S and TX-36. Traffic is typically light, and the route passes through scenic Texas countryside.

Are there restrooms and water available?

Yes. Restrooms and drinking fountains are located near the visitor center and picnic areas. There are no facilities along the trail, so plan accordingly.

Conclusion

Exploring the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks from Fort Worth is not just a day trip—it’s an immersion into Earth’s ancient past. These footprints, etched into stone over a century before the first mammals appeared, offer a rare and tangible connection to a world long vanished. By following this guide, you ensure that your visit is not only memorable but also responsible, educational, and respectful of the natural and scientific heritage you’re witnessing.

The tracks are more than geological curiosities. They are silent witnesses to the behavior, movement, and survival of creatures that once ruled the land. When you stand beside a 3-foot sauropod print, you are standing where a living animal once stood—breathing, stepping, living. That moment of connection is irreplaceable.

Whether you’re a student, a parent, a photographer, or a lifelong learner, the Glen Rose dinosaur tracks invite you to slow down, observe closely, and wonder deeply. With the right preparation, mindset, and respect for the land, your journey through time will leave you not just informed—but transformed.

Plan your visit. Pack wisely. Walk gently. And let the rocks speak.