Dinosaur State Park
🦕 Trusted Guide to Connecticut’s Jurassic Trackway – Updated 2025
Walking Where Dinosaurs Walked
Beneath a striking 55,000-square-foot geodesic dome in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, over 500 dinosaur footprints lie preserved exactly where they were made 200 million years ago — frozen in Jurassic sandstone at Dinosaur State Park. Discovered accidentally in 1966 by a bulldozer operator, this site contains one of North America’s largest dinosaur track collections, with over 2,000 individual prints identified (1,500 reburied for preservation). The 80-acre park combines world-class paleontology with nature trails and an arboretum featuring plants descended from Mesozoic-era species — a place where deep time becomes tangible.
The Exhibit Center
The geodesic dome Exhibit Center is the park’s crown jewel. Beneath its soaring ceiling, visitors walk among hundreds of exposed three-toed tracks classified as Eubrontes — Connecticut’s official state fossil since 1991. These massive prints, each about 16 inches long, were likely made by a large carnivorous theropod dinosaur similar to Dilophosaurus. The exhibit includes dioramas recreating the Jurassic environment, interactive displays, fossil collections, and a life-size model showing what the track-maker may have looked like. Smaller Grallator and rare Otozoum tracks add to the diversity.
Trails & Arboretum
Outside the dome, 2-3 miles of nature trails wind through the park’s arboretum, which intentionally cultivates plant species descended from or reminiscent of Mesozoic vegetation — ginkgos, magnolias, ferns, and conifers that evoke the world the dinosaurs knew. A boardwalk crosses a red maple swamp, and diverse habitats support seasonal wildflowers and good birding.
Practical Tips
- From Hartford (10 miles): Take I-91 South to Exit 23, follow West Street to the park
- Entry fee: $6 adults, $2 children (6-12), free under 6
- Best time: Year-round (the dome is climate-controlled), but May-October for outdoor cast-making
- Plan 1-2 hours for the Exhibit Center — it’s genuinely fascinating for all ages
- For the cast-making activity, check the park website for current season dates and bring your own plaster of Paris
- This is a day-use park only — no camping, swimming, or fishing
- The park is a National Natural Landmark — one of the most important dinosaur track sites in eastern North America
- Combine with the Connecticut River Valley for more geology and scenery
