Do you want a quick encounter with the Jurassic time period? Well, there is a little place in Massachusetts, where you can actually see Dinosaur fossil footprints. It’s a small park 8-acre and you can basically walked on the prints themselves since the footprints are like “engraved” in the stones. This place is very close to the Connecticut Valley River. It’s a hidden Jurassic gem.
I would recommend to bring a bottle of water so you can pour water on the prints and they become more visible and it would be easier to actually see the footprints path. It’s great for kid. Check it out!
Getting there can be easy to miss, so if you are coming from Northampton Street, you will see a small bay for parking. Don’t worry about parking since people tend to spend 15-30 minutes max.
Some interesting facts:
- The direction of the footprints supports the theory that dinosaurs travel in groups.
- The tracks were formed during the Jurassic period 190 million years ago.
- The footprints are from 3 types of dinosaurs Eubrontes giganteus, Anchisauripus silimani, and Grallator Cuneatus.
Since the park is small, it’s good to schedule other activities nearby. I visited Mount Tom State Reservation, which is literally across the street like 10 minutes driving. Here, you can do an easy or serious hiking, it’s up to you. In Bray lake, you can just sit down and relax or do the Bray loop trail, which is approx one hour and I saw a deer! You can fish there too and I saw parents with kid fishing. The Park has also a playground for kids.
Mount Tom State Reservation:
Other activities you can do nearby, if you are not into hiking:
- A visit to Dr Seuss Natioanl Memorial Sculpture Garden in Springfield
- Holyoke Children’s museum
- Springfield Armory National Historic Site
- Volleyball, hall of fame in Holyoke,
- Mount Holyoke College Art Museum
- Simply go to the Holyoke downtown for a walk. The City Hall building is very beautiful
Holyoke City Pictures:
- A visit to Holyoke Downtown and Heritage State Park:
From Massachusetts, with love
