Texas Dinosaur Tracks You Can Actually Walk Up To

Like a lot of people here in Texas and beyond, I was saddened to hear about the passing of Sam Neill.

For me, Jurassic Park wasn't just a movie. It was part of family life. My kids grew up watching it. We spent plenty of nights eating chicken strips and French fries while dinosaurs stomped across the TV screen.

I even got the chance to visit Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii, where parts of Jurassic Park were filmed. For a fan, that was a dream come true.

Get our free mobile app

But as I found myself thinking about Sam Neill and Dr. Alan Grant, it reminded me that you don't have to travel to a movie set to experience dinosaurs. Texas has some incredible places where you can see the real thing.

Dinosaur Valley State Park Is The Crown Jewel

Dinosaur Valley State Park Facebook/Canva

If you're a Jurassic Park fan, start with Dinosaur Valley State Park, a place I have been to countless times.

Located near Glen Rose, the Dinosaur Capital of Texas, the park contains some of the best-preserved dinosaur tracks in North America. More than 100 million years ago, giant sauropods and meat-eating theropods walked through mud that eventually turned to stone. Today, visitors can actually stand in those footprints when water levels cooperate.

Government Canyon Lets You Hike To Dinosaur Tracks

Near San Antonio, Government Canyon State Natural Area offers another incredible track site.

A rugged five-mile round-trip hike reaches the tracks, but the payoff is seeing preserved dinosaur footprints in their natural setting. It feels a little like being Dr. Alan Grant on a field expedition.

Canyon Lake Gorge Has A Prehistoric Surprise

After major flooding in 2002, scientists discovered dinosaur tracks and fossils inside the Canyon Lake Gorge near New Braunfels. Guided tours occasionally allow visitors to see evidence of the creatures that roamed Texas more than 100 million years ago.

Dinosaur Tracks Keep Showing Up Across Texas

One of the coolest things about Texas is that dinosaur tracks are still being discovered. Recent flooding has uncovered tracks in areas around Travis County, proving there are still prehistoric secrets hiding beneath our boots.

A Fitting Way To Remember Jurassic Park

Maybe that's why Jurassic Park connected with so many of us. The dinosaurs weren't completely fantasy. They were real.

So if you're feeling nostalgic about Sam Neill, consider making a road trip out of it. Visit Glen Rose. Hike Government Canyon. Explore Canyon Lake Gorge.

No electric fences. No escaped velociraptors. No lawyer hiding in a restroom. Just a chance to stand where dinosaurs once walked and remember the actor who made so many of us believe we were right there beside them.