We asked, you answered: Dino Valley
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This week we shared a picture of a river and hilly landscape that couldn't possibly be in North Texas, could it?
- A surprising number of you knew exactly where the river flows.
The answer: Dinosaur Valley State Park offers great access to the Paluxy River, where dinosaurs once roamed.
- You can see the river in Glen Rose, about an hour southwest of Fort Worth.
The big picture: Visitors can glimpse dinosaur tracks left about 115 million years ago in the Early Cretaceous period.
- There are sauropod tracks, and footprints from theropods, mainly the Acrocanthosaurus, which left three-toed prints.
Fun fact: The Acrocanthosaurus were bipedal, carnivorous predators that could run up to 25 mph.
- They could reach 26 feet in length and weighed more than 2 tons. Their prints are still visible in Texas and Utah.
Flashback: Severe drought in 2022 dried up the Paluxy River to reveal more of the tracks.
- Though some tracks are visible in shallow waters, the full expanse is hidden in the river's depths.
Zoom out: More dinosaur tracks can be seen in Government Canyon State Natural Area in San Antonio.
- Our tracks are in what is arguably the tip top of the Texas Hill Country.
The bottom line: The first correct answer came from Jeff W., who will get some cool Axios swag.
🧐 Know a landmark that might stump your fellow readers? Hit reply and tell us about it.