Dinosaur State Park

About Dinosaur State Park

The Connecticut Valley has a long history of fossil footprints, and if you like dinosaurs, you'll love taking your own dinosaur footprints home. An outstanding specimen, discovered in a 19th century lignite quarry, found its way into the State Park. A new chapter in the history of such discoveries was written in 1966, when hundreds of traces were discovered in Rocky Hill.

The Connecticut Valley has a long history of fossil tracks, and if you like dinosaurs, you'll love your own dinosaur prints at home. An outstanding specimen, discovered in a 19th century lignite quarry, found its way into the State Park. A new chapter in the history of such discoveries was written in 1966, when hundreds of traces were discovered in Rocky Hill. This remarkable site has become the Dinosaur State Park, which houses the world's largest collection of dinosaur fossils.

The preserved railway is a natural monument registered by the National Park Service. Today, the site is Dinosaur National Park and houses the largest collection of dinosaur fossils in the United States and the world.

You will need a tape measure and a parking map, and there is an EarthCache page to facilitate access to the parking lot of Dinosaur State Park and the dinosaur fossils. Earth Cache was created by the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other government agencies.

How to get there: The park is located on West Street, follow the parking sign and park at the park entrance. The description of this link may contain spoilers, so please read on to learn more about how it works.

Look for a sign with a large geodesic dome on the right side of the parking lot at the entrance to the park, near the intersection of West Street and West Avenue.

In August 1966, bulldozer driver Edward McCarthy excavated the rocky terrain of the state building.

The grey sandstone slab proved to be as far from the building as you can see from West Street and West Avenue at the entrance to Dinosaurs State Park.

News of the discovery spread quickly and officials, scientists and media were informed, and within weeks authorities decided to preserve the site as a state park. Two seasons of careful excavation led to the identification of more than 1,000 dinosaur fossils and many more traces were discovered. The area has since been fenced and guarded, with the exception of a small section at the entrance to Dinosaurs State Park.
Those who like dinosaurs and are planning an EarthCache should t
ake their time to experience this incredible park. There is even the possibility to take home your own dinosaur footprint and all the materials needed to create the shape.

The exhibition centre, surrounded by a 10 hectare arboretum, consists of two main buildings, a museum and an exhibition hall, as well as a visitor centre. There are also several nature trails of interest, including the blue trail, which provides access to a wooded area with a variety of plants and animals and a picnic area.

During the school year, the park offers guided tours for all classes from 1st grade onwards. Dinosaur State Park, where students can explore the museum, enjoy nature and meet Connecticut's scientific standards. The park houses a museum that preserves dinosaur fossils and other prehistoric animals and plants from around the world.

Students will study a variety of fossils and dinosaur models to find out what makes each dinosaur unique. Learn how Connecticut was in the days of dinosaurs and what you can learn about dinosaurs, dinosaur prints and other fossils.

The rocks and minerals tell the story of the evolution of life on Earth from the dinosaurs to the present day in the form of rocks, minerals and fossils.

Many of these materials are still used in life today, and students will explore their properties and discuss how they are used. The Connecticut landscape that surrounds us today has been shaped by colliding continents and erupting running water for hundreds of millions of years. Students will study rock samples and minerals from the Connecticut area and learn more about the interaction of these forces by studying the geology, chemistry, geophysics and geochemistry of rocks, minerals, fossils and fossils. They will discuss the history of the material and its use and explore its properties.

The footprints and rocks of dinosaurs found in Connecticut offer a unique insight into the evolution of life on Earth over the last millions of years. Plates were moving and the changing environment made Connecticut what it is today, and students will be studying rock samples from Connecticut. Select a timeline of activities to study important evolutionary events and what activities are fossil - dated.

The park is located just off West Street, and parking signs follow the following route from the parking lot on the east side of the street to the park entrance on the corner of West and East Streets.

Look for a sign with a large geodesic dome on the east side of West Street, east of the parking lot, and then east on East Street to the park entrance.