Dinosaur State Park

In 1966, a remarkable discovery was made at a construction site south of Hartford, Connecticut: two thousand dinosaur tracks, preserved in sandstone, dating to the Jurassic period. Just two years later, Dinosaur State Park opened on the same site and is now home to one of the world's largest collections of dinosaur tracks.

Enjoy a trip to the prehistoric world

Dinosaur State Park offers a glimpse of what life was like on prehistoric Earth. Five hundred dinosaur tracks remain on display beneath the park's geodesic dome, while the other 1500 were reburied for continued preservation. Visitors notice several types of tracks, each of which corresponds to a different dinosaur that inhabited the area some 200 million years ago. Life-sized dioramas reconstruct the ancient landscape and give viewers a better understanding of the creatures and plants that once stood in the very same location. To take home a piece of the past, visit the museum gift shop. It offers many dinosaur-related items, including books, models and shirts.

Visit a living museum

The park is also home to the Dinosaur State Park Arboretum. Here, visitors can enjoy more than two miles of walking trails and hundreds of plant species. Although many of the species cultivated are not native to the Connecticut area, they are all representative of plants that grew during the Mesozoic Era. Maps are available to guide guests through the various plant collections.

Anyone interested in dinosaurs should not miss the chance to visit Dinosaur State Park. The park is open daily year-round and the grounds are accessible free of charge. A nominal fee is required to visit the museum and to view the dinosaur tracks enclosed beneath the geodesic dome.