Dinosaur State Park in Connecticut features a dome displaying over 500 Eubrontes dinosaur tracks dating back 200 million years. The park also has trails, an arboretum, and activities such as trace casting and gem mining. Admission fees apply for the dome display.
Dinosaur State Park is a state park in Rocky Hill, Connecticut several miles south of Hartford. It is notable for its large and unusual display of dinosaur tracks – dating back to the Jurassic era – which were found in a gray sandstone slab during the construction of a new government building in 1966. The tracks are preserved and displayed in a dome geodesic .
This assemblage of trace fossils was identified as Eubrontes, named for geologist Edward Hitchcock, who first studied the Connecticut Valley trace fossils. They were made by a species of carnivorous dinosaur similar to Dilophosaurus. Trace fossils are given separate names from the identity of the dinosaurs that created them. Eubrontes is the official Connecticut fossil.
The Dinosaur State Park dome covers part of the sandstone track, which is estimated to be about 200 million years old. There are approximately 2,000 tracks on this runway: 500 tracks are exposed in the dome and another 1,500 have been reburied to preserve them. The tracks are 10 to 16 inches (25.4 to 40.6 cm) long and 3.5 to 4.5 feet (106.7 to 137.2 cm) apart. One of the activities available at certain times of the year is trace casting, during which visitors can make plaster impressions of designated trace fossils.
The park also has an extensive network of trails and an arboretum containing many trees and plants whose families existed during the time of the dinosaurs. This collection at Dinosaur State Park includes nearly 200 types of conifers, as well as ginkgos, ferns, and other representative species. Maps are available showing the locations of the various plantations.
Other activities in the park include a large collection of films that are shown on weekends in the auditorium. Gem and mineral mining is available during the summer season, with guides available to instruct visitors in the processing and identification of any finds. There are also guided walks and educational programs for school groups. The bookstore offers a selection of dinosaur and fossil related books, keepsakes and gifts. Any proceeds support The Friends of Dinosaur Park and Arboretum, a group active in promoting and supporting the park.
Dinosaur State Park is open year-round, with the exception of holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. In 2011, there was no fee to visit the park grounds and library, but admission to the domed track display was subject to a fee for adults and children over the age of 5. Before traveling to the park, it is recommended that you confirm current hours and fees by contacting the park or the Connecticut Department of Parks.
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