Dinosaur Valley State Park

Camping has become a passion.  Just tonight, I made reservations for yet another outing at a Texas state park.  But that is an entry for another day.

Last week, we went to Dinosaur Valley State Park, which is a truly unique park.  Countless centuries ago dinosaurs walked the lands around the Puluxy River near present-day Glen Rose, Texas.  They left tracks and footprints that became preserved and you can see today (at least, when the water is low).  Glen Rose is proud of their dino-history.  If proof is needed, the life-size dinosaur models should bear witness!

 















This was our first time camping at Dinosaur Valley, although we have day-tripped it to hike the backcountry trails such as the one to Wildcat Hollow/Falls.  The campground is shaded and relatively small, and some of the sites short, but we lucked out with good neighbors around site #43.  The bath house was close as was the playground.  It was a cozy little corner of the park.

For days I had been watching the weather and the river levels, concerned that the high water would make hiking difficult and track-viewing impossible.  The worry about the tracks was well-founded in that the rushing water concealed the dino-prints.  The trails, however, with a bit of wading, were open for business.  

The Buckeye Trail, which meandered along Buckeye Creek, was a highlight in that part of the trail was the creek.  

The water was inches deep all along this part of the trail.

Several grottos and falls could be seen

The loop off of Buckeye Trail

Sadie found a crawfish!

All told, we put in several miles, backtracking from time to time due to missed (or non-existent) trail markers.  The park-provided map was handy to keep our bearings.

Upon crossing the Puluxy again, Sadie lost her hiking stick to the swift waters.  Wading it was fun however, and we returned with Wee Fergus for a splash!

Dinosaur Valley has become a favorite of ours, and not only a destination to be checked off.  We will be back with a strong recommendation for campers of varied interests to explore a small Texas treasure.

The overlook on Cedar Ridge