I remember the first time I ever saw fossilized dinosaur footprints on a road trip. We stopped to stretch our legs near the Denver area on part of our 9000 mile road trip. It was incredible to think that a dinosaur as big as a building once walked where I was! When we got back home it started my research into where to find dinosaur footprints in the United States!
If you know if any other locations please let me know because I would love to keep growing this list!
At the bottom of this post I’ve also listed places with fossils that are worth visiting if you would like to extend your road trip past just natural dinosaur tracks!
Connecticut – Rocky Hill
It sounds incredulous that there are dinosaur tracks in the New England states – but it’s true! Dinosaur State Park, located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, has over 500 visible dinosaur tracks from the early Jurassic period visible and preserved. Over 2000 tracks were initially identified, but 1500 of them were buried to keep them preserved. You can see 500 of them on display, however, underneath a protected geodesic dome.
There are also more than two miles of trails through various habitats including a forested area, swamps and meadows. The state park houses one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America!
Massachusetts – Holyokem
Did you know that dinosaur tracks are Massachusetts’ state fossil? Did you even know that state fossils were a thing? In fact the Connecticut River Valley region has dinosaur tracks scattered throughout, but the Dinosaur Footprints Reservation in Holyokem which covers 8 acres is most well known.
There are hundreds of dinosaur footprints (almost 800!) from both small and large dinosaurs, including a relative to T-rex. The trail is free to visit between April 1-November 30th but is closed in the winter due to unsafe conditions. These footprints were also formed in the early Jurassic period. If you look closely you can also see prehistoric plant imprints as well.
You can ask around and look in Granby, Massachusetts as well for dinosaur tracks.
Oklahoma
The dinosaur tracks in the Black Mesa Nature Preserve (the highest point in Oklahoma!) are preserved in sandstone next to Carrizo Creek. There used to be almost 50 tracks in the 80’s when the prints were first discovered, but unfortunately due to erosion only a third of the tracks are visible currently. Although they are found on private property, you are allowed to see them during daylight hours.
The cool thing about these tracks is that they were formed from a dinosaur that walked on two legs. Could it be T-rex? Who knows! The tracks are pretty deep though!
You can find these spectacular dinosaur tracks when you leave the summit – take the dirt road just to the right and drive until you get to a turn around spot. The tracks are just down the embankment area.
Texas – Glen Rose & San Antonio
Dinosaur Valley State Park, about 70 miles southwest of Dallas, has dinosaur tracks down the Paluxy River that you can walk inside of! One thing to note, however, is that since many of the dinosaur tracks are in the riverbed, they are not always visible.
There are more than 20 miles of trails in the 1500+ acre park as well as geocaching, a park store, and camping on site! There are local companies that offer horseback riding through the park as well. If you’ve got young kids, make sure to check out their Ranger Program!
This page will help you find and identify the dinosaur footprints throughout the park.
In the San Antonio area you’ll find more dinosaur footprints in Government Canyon State Natural Area, which covers a whopping 12,000 acres of land. It’s a unique geological area which features the Edwards Aquifer as well as other fossils in addition to the dinosaur tracks.
The dinosaur tracks are a relatively recent find (2014) and can be found specifically by hiking 2.5 miles up the Joe Johnston Route, just past marker #19.
You can also find dinosaur footprints in San Angelo State Park. Dinosaur tracks found here are from the Permian period. You will want to look for the Trail of the Four Winds. You’ll definitely want to bring water as there is little to no shade.
The Leander dinosaur tracks can be found on the Good Water Loop Trail in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve northwest of Austin. The tracks here are primarily from the Cretaceous period and are about two and half miles from the visitor center. Sometimes the prints are submerged in water so the best time to go is during a dry spell. Because the tracks are not marked, I recommend following these directions to find them.
Colorado
Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison, Colorado, (about 20-30 minutes from Denver), has an impressive trail of fossils and yes – dinosaur tracks! As you can see above there is no shortage of tracks on this trail! You can absolutely see these for FREE, although there is a local company that does tours.
You can read more details about this location in my Dinosaur Footprints near Denver post, but I will let you know there is a pretty good include on this path! It’s a nice flat walking path but if you aren’t in the best of health you might want to opt for a tour.
The Picket Wire Canyonlands inside of the Comanche National Grasslands is home to some of the largest dinosaur tracks in the country – over 1900 prints in 130 separate trackways extend over a quarter mile along the banks of the Purgatoire River. The roundtrip for these dinosaur tracks is quite a bit – topping at over 11 miles roundtrip. Please make sure to prepare accordingly if you plan this hike and temperatures can soar – each person hiking should be carrying at least a gallon of water.
Utah
Tucked away in the southwest corner of Utah is the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm. Tracks from both herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs are found here. Many other types of fossils have been found here – not just dinosaur tracks!
They have a pretty cool interior museum, self-guided of course. You’ll also find an outdoor park area with a sandbox for kids! Not sure if you can make it out there? Check their website for a virtual tour!
Practically neighbors to the St. George site is the Warner Valley Dinosaur track site. There are over 400 tracks in this remote area and you can even see toe pads and claw marks here! These are believed to be from the lower Jurassic period. You can view additional trail photos here.
I can’t tell you how bummed I am that I didn’t know about the Mill Canyon Dinosaur track site just north of Moab when we camped there! That’s why this post is so important! Finding dinosaur footprint sites are difficult to fully research online! These dinosaur tracks were formed in the early Cretaceous period and were also relatively recently found (2009).
There are hundreds of track from at least ten different types of dinosaurs here! The general Moab area is rich and full of geological formations (Arches National Park!), petroglyphs in multiple locations, and we even camped in a cave here!
About 20ish miles north of the Moab area are the Copper Ridge dinosaur tracks. What’s special about the Copper Ridge dinosaur tracks is that it is the first reported brontosaurus/sauropod track in Utah! The entire interpretive trail is only a third of a mile roundtrip so it’s not far! You can find driving and trail maps here.
Also near Moab are the Poison Spider dinosaur tracks (and petroglyphs!). These are slightly harder to navigate to but easy to find once you’re there! This site has great directions you can follow along with more pictures!
North of Vernal in Red Fleet State Park you’ll find several hundred Dilphosaurus tracks on a thin layer of sloped sandstone. The amount of tracks you can see at any given time will depend on the water level of the reservoir. Follow these detailed directions to get there. View the trailway guide here.
Dinosaur National Monument is a large park located in both Colorado and Utah. This place has been on my bucket list for years! Since the park is located in two different states, each state has a visitor center – the Quarry Visitor Center near Jensen, Utah and the Canyon Visitor Center near Dinosaur, Colorado. If this massive park didn’t have enough features, it’s also a Dark Sky Park location! .
The Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall is stunning and has 1500 dinosaur fossils on display! You’ll find a lot of dinosaur variety here including the Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, and Stegosaurus.
This beautiful scenic park is far more than “just” for seeing dinosaurs – although that is a major draw! You can also hike through the canyons or go river rafting on the Green and Yampa Rivers! You’ll find both petroglyphs and pictographs along the canyon walls too.
The dinosaur tracks at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area are unique because it appears as though the dinosaur tracks defy gravity as if dinosaurs were walking up a wall. The assumption is that the rock has shift over the years giving it this appearance.
The dinosaur footprints in this area are relatively newly discovered (circa 2008) and span over multiple time periods in history. A few dozen have been discovered, but there is still a lot of research to be done here. I recommend contacting the local park service for more information on where these are found. *See more details about the Glen Canyon National Recreation section listed under Arizona.
Nevada
The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, just a few miles west of Las Vegas, also has a very recent discovery of small therapod dinosaur tracks confirmed in 2011. However these tracks are found in sandstone making them very fragile and are still being researched.
Arizona
In Glen Canyon National Recreation you can find theropod tracks by visiting the Carl Hayden Visitor Center in Page, AZ. Tracks are also found in the Wingate Sandstone, Kayenta Formation, and Navajo Sandstone. They have even found sauropod skin impressions in the Summerville and Morrison Formations near Lake Powell. *See more details about the Glen Canyon National Recreation section listed under Utah.
The Moenkopi Dinosaur Tracks are found out in the open on the Navajo Reservation and are free to view, although supporting the vendors nearby is always a great idea! Here are some directions for these tracks.
New Mexico
You can find about 500 dinosaur prints at Clayton Lake State Park about 30 miles south of the Colorado – New Mexico border. The trail to see the tracks is just over a 1/4 mile down a boardwalk so it’s a short easy walk – just look for the signs on the path. While you are in the state park you can fish, camp, boat and hike – there is plenty of room to run around. Take a virtual tour here!
