Spring weather means exploring where the dinosaurs roamed

BY BETHANY KILPATRICK

Multimedia Journalist

Flowing rivers, enormous rocks, trails through mysterious woods and even dinosaur tracks lie in a place approximately 40 minutes from the campus of Tarleton State University.

Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose offers 20 miles of trails and enchanting scenery for all to enjoy. When an afternoon of no plans and beautiful weather occurred, Tarleton students Taylor Gutermuth and I took Wednesday afternoon to explore these outdoor beauties. 

The state park offers twelve hiking trails, ranging in distance from .1 miles to 7.5 miles and with intensity levels of easy, moderate and challenging. We chose to hike the Limestone Ledge Trail, which was 1.5 miles and considered a moderate trail. 

Before we took off on the Limestone Ledge Trail, we decided to explore the Paluxy River, which runs through the park. The water was a light blue color, decently transparent and quite chilly. Gutermuth was not as bothered by the cool water as I was, but its beauty was enough to distract me from the low temperature.

Certain parts of the river were extremely shallow, with a steady stream just barely covering the tops of the white rocks, while some sections of the river were waist-deep. The overall flow of the river was gentle and easy to move against. 

We crossed the river and walked alongside it for approximately a quarter of a mile and decided to climb the massive white rocks that overlook the river. Once we were at the top, we were able to see the river from a high elevation, and it was stunning. 

After spontaneously exploring for the first hour, we were ready to start our hike on the Limestone Ledge Trail. 

The trail begins right at the river's bank and takes an uphill curve to a beautiful pasture that appears to go on for miles. The path begins to wind and takes its adventurers through a shaded section with beautiful trees, providing a dark and windy pathway. 

This leads to a ledge that overlooks the whole park as well as the river. The trail continued downhill, and we ended up by the bank of the river. The trail does not make a loop, so we had the option to either begin tracing our steps or walk through the river back to where we started. 

Gutermuth insisted we wade our way back to our starting point, so off through the chilly water we went.

After noticing that we were already soaked from the waist down, Gutermuth asked if I wanted to fully get in the water and go for a swim. I hesitated, but he told me I needed to live a little more, so we swam. 

After swimming around in the river for a little while, we began to make our way back to the parked car, drenched and taking in all of the sights and scenery we had just seen.

“The scenery was absolutely beautiful,” Gutermuth said. “The rivers, the rocks, it was just beautiful. I liked how the hills went along with it, I was able to see some cool scenery, go off trail a little bit and get a better look at things.”

Not only is hiking enjoyable, but it is also beneficial to an individual’s overall health. Hiking has been shown to improve mental, emotional and physical well-being, according to the National Park Service. 

Building stronger bones and muscles and improving the state of one’s heart are proven physical benefits of hiking. According to a study done by Stanford University, hiking lowers the risk of depression, which is an obvious benefit to the improvement of one’s mental health. 

The park in Glen Rose is a great place to begin experiencing the benefits of hiking due to its variety of trails and overall beauty. 

There are a few things one ought to be made aware of and prepared for if they intend on taking some time to explore the park. 

Firstly, the park is open seven days a week, and the office remains open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. However, the gate to the park remains open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Secondly, there is an $8 day pass that adults must purchase upon entering the park.

Individuals wishing to explore the park should also be in the proper attire to have the best experience. Wear shoes that can get wet because crossing the river is almost inevitable. 

Guests of the park will also be able to use the free maps provided throughout the park to study the trails and all the park has to offer. The same map is available for download on https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/dinosaur-valley/map for individuals wishing to study the trails prior to arrival, which is recommended. 

“I wish I would have known the trails a bit better before I went,” Gutermuth said. “We kind of got lost for the first fifteen minutes. I do wish I studied the map a little bit better.”

Guests should also be aware that the park often reaches capacity and reservations are recommended. Reservations can be made online at https://texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/dinosaur-valley-state-park/r/facilityDetails.do?contractCode=TX&parkId=1200095&_ga=2.264897035.546344660.1588003601-486977258.1574702617&pk_vid=e079661d28f900771743363603793f01 or by calling the customer service center via cell at (512) 389-8900. 

“It is good to get out of school and to have an interest in going to hiking places like that,” Gutermuth said. “Getting to see the world, rather than just sticking in your dorm, and seeing what God created.”