Family Fun and Adventure in Glen Rose Texas



If you're looking for a fun, weekend getaway this summer, adventure awaits in Glen Rose, Texas, located southwest of Fort Worth. In addition to dinosaur tracks and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose also claims the Paluxy River, a picturesque, clean, clear tributary of the Brazos River that flows over a limestone riverbed full of sand and rocks, offering a cool and welcome respite from the heat of a north Texas summer. Any way you look at it, there's fun to be had in Glen Rose.

Dinosaur Valley State Park
You can easily spend an entire day at this 1,523-acre state park located five miles west of U.S. 67 on FM 205. For starters, the park is quite picturesque, heavily wooded and hilly. There are numerous areas within the park with access to the Paluxy River (which runs through the park ), offering plenty of opportunities for swimming, wading or simply enjoying the calming effects of the water cascading over boulders or running gently downstream. A clearing near the northern most point of the park , with sections of fine sand and a wealth of smooth rocks, provided my husband and small son with hours of enjoyment skipping stones into the river.

However, it is the dinosaur tracks that draw most visitors to Dinosaur Valley State Park. Said to contain some of the best preserved tracks in the world, the area was once part of an ancient seashore visited by theropods and sauropods over 113 million years ago. Occasionally severe storms drove dinosaurs from the marshes and upland forests down to the wide tidal flats bordering what was then the Gulf of Mexico. There, they left deeply impressed tracks in the soft, limy mud. When filled with new sediments washed in from bordering lagoons, and upon hardening into rock, the ancient footprints became the preserved molds found in the park today.

Three kinds of dinosaur tracks are found in the park , where tube like viewfinders are installed to help visitors locate the prints. All of the tracks are located in the river bed, so visibility is dependent upon how high the river is. Some can be viewed up close, while others must be observed from a rocky overlook. The most accessible and impressive tracks are located at track site number two ( the park provides maps identifying four track viewing areas), an easy, if rocky, climb down to the river. Here you can stand in the track of the brontosaurus-like sauropod Pleurocoelus or cross the river via a "bridge" of rocks to view numerous tracks made by Acrocanthosaurus, a two-legged carnosaur whose later relative included the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Park literature states that these tracks are the record of an ancient hunt as the Apatosaurus was being chased and hunted by the Acrocanthosaurus.

Children will especially enjoy the impressive 70-foot Brontosaurus and 45-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex models located just inside the park entrance. Entrance fees are $5 per adult ages 13 and older (children 12 and under are free). The park also has campsites available. Contact the park directly at 254-897-4588 for more information.

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
While Dinosaur Valley State Park offers a glimpse of a species now extinct, a few miles up the road the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center offers a rare up close glimpse of species that are still alive, but threatened or endangered. The drive through wildlife center, whose main objective is to preserve the species' survival, is a definite must see. Feed cups can be purchased at the beginning of the 9.5-mile scenic drive, which takes you through 2,700 acres of wooded hills and African-like savannahs. Visitors drive at their leisure, stopping to observe more than 25 species of animals, many of which will come right up to your window and eat out of your hand. A full color brochure provided at the beginning of the drive helps visitors identify the different animals, although some, such as the zebras that will come right up to your window and the giraffes that typically cause traffic jams as they bend their heads to look inside each car, require no identification.

Other more sensitive endangered creatures such as cheetahs, rhinoceros and wolves can be spotted within fenced viewing areas. Be sure to stop at the Overlook, a picturesque spot a little over halfway through the drive where you can get out of your car and stretch, visit the Children's Animal Center (featuring a petting area where kids can brush a sheep, observe and pet animals and or just run off some energy), shop at the Nature Store or grab a bite to eat at the Overlook Caf.

Visitors are not allowed outside their vehicles during the drive, and minivan doors cannot be opened, so plan to take a vehicle that has windows that roll down for optimum viewing. During the peak season (March-October) admission is $18.95 for adults and $12.95 for children 3-11 on weekends, and $16.95 (adults) and $10.95 (children) on non holiday weekdays. Wednesdays are half the weekend price. The admissions office is open daily from 8:30a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the park itself closing at 7:30 p.m.. Guided tours and overnight accommodations are also available. Call 254-897-2960 or visit www.fossilrim.org for more information.

Other Points Of Interest
Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant is also located in Glen Rose. The Visitors Center, located about a mile inside the front gate, has several interactive displays as well as a 10-minute video explaining how nuclear power is made. Group tours are made by reservation only and include a view of a control room simulator in which reactor operators are trained, as well as a driving tour for an up-close view of Comanche Peak Power Plant. Call 254-897-5554 for more information. Visitors to Glen Rose can also catch "The Promise," a musical drama of the life of Jesus of Nazareth at the open air Texas Amphitheater June through October.

Glen Rose is close to numerous other areas of interest, including Granbury, which boasts wonderful shopping and dining on the historic square, The Granbury Opera House (which hosts plays and musicals throughout the year), The Great Race Automotive Hall of Fame and the Brazos Old Fashioned Drive Inn. In nearby Bluff Dale, Bluff Dale Vineyards offers a view of the daily operations of a Texas Vineyard as well as a wine tasting room, food, a relaxing patio and special weekend events. Call the vineyard at 254-728-3540 for more information.

Where To Stay
The Best Western Dinosaur Valley Inn and Suites is quite possibly the nicest Best Western I've ever seen, with a cozy western themed great room, a wrap around porch with rocking chairs, a fish pond with a waterfall and complimentary continental breakfast. Families with kids will appreciate the on-site game room, heated pool and shaded kiddy pool, 15 person heated spa, bicycle rentals and complimentary popcorn and nachos each evening. Have the kids visit their website prior to your visit for dinosaur links and activities. www.dinosaurvalleyinn.com

Deborah Dove
Allen Image Magazine
www.allenimage.com





Family Fun and Adventure in Glen Rose Texas