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Dinosaur Valley State Park
Glenrose, Texas

        
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Dinosaur Valley State Park contains some of the best preserved dinosaur tracks in the world. The dinosaur tracks are located in the riverbed, so please call ahead to check on river conditions. There are two fiberglass models; a 70-foot Apatosaurus and a 45-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex. They were built, under commission of the Sinclair Oil Company, New York World's Fair Dinosaur Exhibit of 1964 - 1965. Other activities include camping, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding in a separate 100-acre area (no horses furnished), river swimming and fishing, and wildlife observation. There is a portion of the Texas longhorn herd in the park.

Dinosaur Valley State Park, located just northwest of Glen Rose in Somervell County, is a 1524.72-acre, scenic park set astride the Paluxy River. The land for the park was acquired from private owners under the State Parks Bonds Program during 1968 and opened to the public in 1972.

The Paluxy River runs through the area, and the terrain is wooded, hilly, and semi-rocky. Plants in the Paluxy River drainage
are characteristic of the Cross Timbers and Prairie vegetational areas. The uplands show similarities with the plants of the
Edwards Plateau to the south and west, supporting Ashe juniper, live oak, Texas red oak, and Texas ash, with some post oak and mesquite and various grasses and shrubs. Trees in the bottom lands are mainly American elm, cedar elm, Texas sugarberry, burr oak, and green ash. In well-watered zones along the river, the woodlands are made up of pecan, walnut, cottonwood, sycamore, black willow, and several kinds of shrubs, and vines.

The area hosts many species of both resident and migrant birds including the endangered Golden-Cheek Warbler and the Black-Capped Vireo along with wild turkeys. Waterfowl are occasionally seen near ponds and slack water pools. Mammals known to live in this environment include white-tailed deer, coyote, bobcat, raccoon, beaver, skunk, opossum, armadillo, fox squirrel, rabbit, and small rodents. There are also several kinds of lizards and snakes, and a variety of fish live in suitable portions of the river. A bird checklist is available at park headquarters.