Who knew that nestled between US route 5 and the Connecticut River in Holyoke, 190 million years ago, there wandered groups of dinosaurs along what was once a lake bed. It's really cool to literally walk in the same footprints of these Jurassic creatures. The tracks include Eubrontes, a bipedal ornisthiscian which apparently was an ancestor of the iconic T-Rex. The site is not very large but it is easily accessible and it not only offers the aforesaid dino footprints but also nice views of the CT River. Well worth a stop! read more

Dinosaur Footprints - Side trail to CT River - Parks Near Me - Holyoke, Massachusetts

Small but mighty is how I describe this place. I was not a dinosaur kid - I was an oceanographer or astronaut type instead but there's no way I would pass up the opportunity to see dino footprints no matter what age or what I was into. Met up with a friend from the area en route to NH and we took a pit stop here. He told me you can see them best if you put a little water in the print to see the contrast and that really brought them to life. Couple tips: -Bug spray! Down by the water is mosquito heaven and I'm still picking my skin over a week later. -Solid footwear. You don't need hiking boots but a legit sole and covered toe would be good. It's slippery, slanted, and rocky. -sunglasses, water, or a hat. It's exposed and you'll cook. Don't plan your trip around this but def stop by if you're in the area!! read more

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Oh boy! Were my in laws and husband unimpressed! The dinosaur footprints are few and far between and maybe should have been blocked off or presented to so they would look as they did in 1850. But this is a beautiful free spot to check out on the Connecticut River. I quite enjoyed myself... But don't tell the kids it is jurassic park or anything... You don't need to deal with that fall out. Just a nice road side stop for a pleasant walk with a couple of signs of prehistoric life. No bathrooms and very little parking but there isn't enough to do n to keep you there long enough that you'll feel the need to pee. read more

Dinosaur Footprints - Foot print? - Parks Near Me - Holyoke, Massachusetts

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This is tiny. Totally worth visiting but just be sure to make this a stop on the way to visiting something else in the area - not the reason you're visiting. The dinosaur footprints are a short walk from the parking on the road. As part of a "dinosaur weekend" for my 4.5 year old daughter that included a visit to Springfield Museums (Science museum has dinosaurs) the day before, this was a fun stop. Just 2 signs put up by the Trustees and the dinosaur footprints. Amazing though. read more

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The kid in me had been wanting to check this place out for a while. No matter what age you are though, this spot is really impressive. Just to see prints of creatures that once roamed the earth is beyond incredible. I like that they have that large life like painting illustrating how it must have been when they were alive on that same plain that you currently step on. During my visit there were lots of kids visiting, and it was fun to see them so excitedly looking at the prints, but you don't have to be a kid to admire being here. The visit was short as we were only walking around for about half an hour but it was a very cool thing to see. read more

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Pretty cool! I was expecting a little more but it was still really cool to see 45 million year old footprints!

Exciting to stand where dinosaurs stood, but a little lackluster as it's essentially a slab of rock with a few discernible footprints. It was a little difficult to find the trailhead and there was a lot of graffiti and trash nearby. Not worth going out of your way to see, but cool if you're already in the area. read more

Where dinosaurs once roamed the earth! We stopped here while on vacation in Massachusetts and weren't sure what to expect. I thought it might be hokey. Trust me, it wasn't- far from it, in fact. This place is beyond amazing. Yes, there are dinosaur footprints here and there found all across the globe, but the number and depth of the prehistoric tracks left here are really something to see. We got down on the ground and were able to touch the spots where dinosaurs left visible impressions in the sandstone. We literally walked in their path! That was pretty impressive. Come on, we were walking in the paths of these prehistoric giants! What could be more interesting than that? In all, there are a few hundred visible tracks/imprints left in sandstone in and around the reservation and along the river bank (measuring about eight acres for the entire wilderness reservation area), including impressions left by not only dinosaurs, but also fish, trace fossils and wave marks left by an ancient pooling area millions of years ago. Even prehistoric vegetation is preserved through time! The prints date back to the Jurassic Period, 200 million years ago, with tracks from various types of prehistoric, two-legged creatures, including bipedal carnivores that are said to have stood 20 feet tall. Wow, that makes for some interesting track marks to photograph. If you don't bother taking pictures of these impressive footprints, then you're missing out. They make for great pictures. I know- I blew up some of mine and they hang on the wall of my house today. When we went, everyone in my group took plenty of pics, myself included. The tracks in this park/reservation area were among some of the first to be analyzed and described in detail by nineteenth century scholars. Since that time, the region has been praised for its large volume of known fossils and tracks. While the entire area is pretty vast and not all of it is comprised of good terrain, most of it is easily walked and navigated, with most of the prints in highly visible locations. The park is open to the public during daylight hours (dawn to dusk) daily from April-November. Dogs are allowed, but must be on a leash. Educational programs for children are also held throughout the year. If I was a kid that lived in the area, I would be at one of those classes in a heartbeat. My parents wouldn't have to ask me twice. I really enjoyed trekking through here and not just because I like dinosaurs, either. It was interesting and not something you see every day. Anyone with even a passing interest in ancient history or paleontology should see this sight at least once. I'd call it a "bucket list" (I dislike the phrase, but it aptly describes something like this) thing to do. read more

Dinosaur Footprints - Personal vacation photo- where dinosaurs once roamed the earth! - Parks Near Me - Holyoke, Massachusetts

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It is so cool to see dinosaur footprints in person. It took me around 5 minutes to get there. read more

Dinosaur Footprints - Parks Near Me - Holyoke, Massachusetts

This past weekend while traveling through Holyoke we came upon this Rt. 5 cut out and decided to stop. When reading the sign we expected to to see some really phenomenal dinosaur prints, but the weather and visitors have warn down the site. It was difficult to see the footprints in the rocks but the site was still enjoyable. We had a great time relaxing by the river and also reading about the history of the site. In the end, this is a decent place to stop at if you need to stretch your legs while on the road, but not something that you should take time out of your schedule for. read more

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Very small place just a short walk down the trail with almost enough parking for 5 cars. There was quite a bit of dinosaur footprints to see every easily . Pretty cool to see overall read more

This place is literally on the side of the road (Rt. 5). We parked and walked about 2 minutes and came upon a large flat rock. It had lots of footprints of all sizes. It is very cool to see something so special on the side of a highway like that. We spent the day in Springfield, so the drive was only about 15 minutes to get here. I wouldn't drive hours out of my way to see it, but if you Are in the area, I highly recommend this stop. It was a very cool find. I will stop by again when I'm in the area. read more

Nice place to check out on a road trip for a break or stretch. The prints were unfortunately colored in with check when I went!! It is a small area with very pretty scenery nearby. read more

I love the weird little things you encounter on road trips--so I definitely slammed on the brakes and changed course when I spotted a small "Dinosaur Tracks this way" sign as I was leaving Easthampton, MA (planning to head in the opposite direction). It was well worth the diversion. This is not a huge park; it's basically just a road-side pull-off with some signage. From the pull-off, you descend a short, slightly steep trail through a pretty forest and come to some additional signs and a large, flat patch of rock. At first I wasn't sure I was in the right place--and then suddenly, I saw them: giant, three-toed footprints in the rock! Once you spot the first one, more quickly pop out, all heading the same direction. I loved that there were no fences or guards on the site, so I could just quietly stare in awe at the vast eons of history represented by those impressions. Definitely a memorable experience for the 15 minutes invested--and a stop I'd recommend to travelers in the area. read more

Great educational opportunity! Bring your camera and kids on this very easy path to see dinosaur footprints. There are signs with information about the history of the area in both English and Spanish. Parking area is small and hard to see, it's on the side with the river. Watch out, the rock face with the footprints is very slippery when wet. read more

A nifty little place that's either a bit hard to find or just sneaks up on you as you're driving along Rt. 5. The small parking area is well marked from the road, and leads down to a slope of slate with many dinosaur footprints. Alas, many have been worn down. Still, worth a trip down to see them. Warning: The slope on the first bed isn't too bad, but the second slope has a higher grade and can be slippery if wet. See photos. read more

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I almost could not believe my eyes! The largest of these footprints are huge (about one foot long) and well defined. They were left by an early ancestor to the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex! The fact that there are multiple tracks and they all go in the same direction suggests the presence of herd-like dinosaur formation! This is a must see, even if just to stretch your legs. read more