Dinosaur Valley State Park, Texas
Since we are Dallas visiting family over the holidays, I decided to take a short day trip to Glen Rose Texas and check out Dinosaur Valley State Park. I arrived at the park headquarters about 8:30 am, checked in with the park ranger, and asked about recommended trails. The ranger at the desk recommended the Blue Trail which follows a ridge above the North shore of the Paluxy River.
I started out on the White Trail trailhead on the south side of the river. Within the first quarter mile I came to the Paluxy river crossing which consists of nothing more then a few strategically placed stepping stones. With river levels slightly higher than usual I had a hard time keeping my feet dry. More then 90% of the parks backcountry trails lie north of the river and there are no bridges within the park. I made it across the river with little incident and followed the blue trail along the ridge stopping frequently to take in views of the river.
The Blue Trail was short. No more then 2-3 miles in total length. Trail surface consist of lose rock and gravel. Moderate grades and little elevation change. The park has more than 20 miles of backcountry trails but unfortunately I only had the morning to explore.
At the end of the Blue Trail are some prehistoric dinosaur tracks embedded and preserved in the limestone river bottom. These are what gives the park its name. But I will talk more about that tomorrow.
Here is a link to a Picasa album of Dinosaur Valley State Park, Texas