Loved coming here for the nature hike and exploring the grounds. Dogs are no longer allowed on the trails read more

Dinosaur State Park - Hiking Near Me - Rocky Hill, Connecticut

This is a fun spot that's a little underwhelming in terms of the attractions. Part museum, part park, when we went it was covered in snow, so we only really were able to experience what's inside. It's $6, and small kids are free, which was an appropriate cost. You'll walk into a few small animals in exhibits - snakes, frogs, etc. - which are fun, and then get to the fossils and stuff. They have one of those topographical sand tables, which are fun for little ones (also saw some teens playing with it, so fun for all ages). They have a bunch of fossils, mostly fossilized footprints, and one mostly complete dinosaur specimen, as well as an impressive room that must've been 100 ft wide that shows tracks that different dinosaurs made over the eons. That part was very cool. But, it's a pretty small spot, and you can walk through it really quickly, probably in 15 mins or so if you're quick. We have a small kid, so we spent probably closer to an hour and ran through it a couple times. Ultimately, it was a good stop, but not something I'd really go out of my way to do again. read more

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If you love dinosaurs, this is the place to visit. It's a state park on 80 acres and 7 of that are dinosaur footprints. Yep! Actual preserved footprints, right in Rocky Hill CT. In 1966, 2,600 footprints were found and it's worth a visit. There are exhibits, live animals, and other informational kiosks for kids and adults. The kids loved the sand box. There is a gift shop and a space for kids to color. Outside there are 2.5 miles of trails. There is a footprint casting and mineral mining station outside too. The kids and I enjoyed our few hours spent there and look forward to going back soon! read more

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Anyone under 5 is free, anyone over is $6. This museum is on the small side. I finished it in 10-15 mins. But my toddler went around the museum about 5 times. So we were there for 1.5 hours. The best part for her was the interactive sand and the interactive floor screen that you can step on. We were able to watch a short film on dinosaur tracks in their auditorium. This museum is a perfect short trip. There's a hiking trail outside but we passed on that. She loved this museum so much and kept asking to see the dinosaurs again. We will stop by again if we are in the neighborhood. read more

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We were in CT for a wedding in April and unfortunately were not able to visit the park. In October we went down again for a wedding and this time made it a point to go as my son is a Dino lover (understatement) he actually thinks he's a dino.... We did the Dino track first as i figured it would be the highlight of his Dino obsession... it takes about 1hr to dry so in the mean time we went inside to see the museum which is quite small but has a few reptiles and plastic dinosaurs to entertain dino lovers. We didn't have too much time left so we did the shortest hike, i wish we could have walked more as it was a beautiful forest setting. If you're going for the Dino cast call before because we bought all items listed online and when we got there they had lots of buckets, veg oil that we could have used and not wasted money on... Overall pretty happy with our adventure and the price is super reasonable read more

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Honestly not sure what all the negativity is all about here. Maybe they had some changes in staff/volunteers but everyone we encountered was helpful and kind. The indoor exhibit is small and probably a little outdated but the facts & history haven't changed about this place for a long time! It was cool seeing all the dinosaur tracks and sad that they haven't found any bones but there are actually a lot more tracks than you think that were re-covered for their protection because they didn't have the money to expand. I will say some of the buttons didn't work for "lighting up" the dinosaur tracks but one of them did work. Other than the inside exhibit there is a place to do "mining", some nature trail walks, and even a place to make your own casting (bring your own plaster). Having your own fossil track casting just sounds awesome. I believe the biggest casting needed 15 pounds but online lists only 10 pounds max are necessary just FYI. They also have lots of "ancient" fauna and plants listed around the property. I also liked seeing the snakes and other reptiles. They even have an outdoor time area for their tortoises/turtles! That says a lot given most places those reptiles will never come out of their enclosures. We paid $6/adult which is $12 total?? A steal for a cool experience and a shame that so many people are hating on this place. read more

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We were in the area and stopped in. I must have been there as a kid on a field trip, but don't remember. It is cute, educational, great place for families. I want to go back when the weather allows to walk the paths in the woods. The admission fee is very reasonable. read more

Small but very well run and thorough museum, terrific for all ages. Affordable outing that will only take about an hour of time indoors, but lovely grounds with trails and interpretive signs and a welcoming picnic area. I don't know how I never got here before but I'll be back. read more

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Not a bad place to kill an hour. It's small but well-kept and pretty. To go inside, it's $6, and that's where you'll find some reptiles in their tanks, the dinosaur tracks, and lights that will keep toddlers busy. Outside, there are a couple of trails you can walk for free, plus picnic tables. Went on a Sunday and it wasn't crowded at all. Good for kids! read more

It's small, and doesn't seem like there is a lot to see or do. However, the price is proportionate, so if you're in the area anyway, and especially if you have young kids, it might be worth stopping in for an hour. A few of a the historical "facts" they present are somewhat contested, but overall, not a bad side trip. read more

Went with my 3 year old. Live animal encounter was great. Staff were super friendly. Building is a bit narrow, but it is a historic site. Gift shop is front and center, so be ready for requests. Discovery room must be great for group trips. read more

It was nice. Amazing wooden walkway on one of the trails. it also had fantastic rock samples collection. It's worth a visit if you've never been before. I think most people will find this average but good for a short visit, read more

I took my 3.5 year old for the first time to this place and overall was pleased with our experience. First of all you can access the 2.8 miles of walking trails without having to pay admission. The trails are well marked, well maintained, and were perfect for my toddler who was excited to "hike." Most of the trails are also nicely shaded, which is fantastic for a summer stroll even in the middle of the day. There are also multiple picnic areas too. The museum/exhibit space is moderately sized and cute. I would say kids need to be 5+ years old to be interested in the actual explanations of the fossil formation and sediment history (admittedly it is a tad dry after several rows of plaques), but the exhibits are very interactive and have lots of hands on activities for kids. Some of the lights of the exhibits and displays were non functioning and seemed tired, but that's not surprising given how these buttons and plaques are beat on by unsupervised kids. There are multiple live reptiles (turtles, iguana, snakes, frogs, etc.) that were fun to read about and for kids to see. The room where the fossils are preserved is pretty cool to walk through and try to imagine the scale of the dinosaurs that traversed the ground ages ago. There is an additional room where kids can look at scores of fossils, additional live reptiles, color, and engage in more tactile activities. For ~$15 you can purchase a fossil kit at the small gift shop and "mine" for fossils outside or if you bring your own materials (listed on their website) create a dinosaur fossil. Admission is extremely reasonable ($6 for me and free for my 3 year old) and there seems to be lots of different rotating events for kids and families. I'd say the walking trails are great for anyone looking for a 1-2 hour max easy trek (with or without small kids...not stroller friendly FYI) and the actual museum probably 5 YO-12 YO age. If you live in the greater area this is a fun and unique place to bring your young family for a few hours. read more

It's a good place to spend a few hours with your little kids. There's nothing much inside except a fossil and a few live reptiles. But for the older ones, I don't think there is much to keep them occupied. The place is clean and has a nice walking trail. There is no store inside to get food, I saw people bringing their own food. read more

Dinosaur State Park - Hiking Near Me - Rocky Hill, Connecticut

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I've never been to the Dino State Park. I've always seen the signs for it on i-91. Finally my wife set up a day to go on our Sunday Funday with my daughter. We got there around 10AM. When you park and start walking on the sidewalk they have these great blocks with writing representing the age of the earth and when life started to form. We read it as we went and my daughter loved it. Right outside the entrance they have this replica sized dinosaur foot that you can sit on or take a pic next to. Inside they have a children's activity area. You can identify fossils, dinosaur bones, make bookmarks with fossils embossing on them or inspect different rocks to learn about them. Most of these rocks were all found in different areas of Connecticut. It gives you some depth to our state for our child. We went into the auditorium and watched a video about the Dino State Park and about the Dinosaur footprints here. My daughter watched most it and we left near the end of the 25 minute video. Inside the museum section they have beautiful displays of the layers of rock formations and where the fossils/footprints were found. And the grand display, the ground floor of footprints that were dug up back in the 60s. Its amazing. SO many dinosaur tracks and they use lights above to help show you the walking paths of each set of prints. My daughter thought it was cool but my wife and I loved it way more. Outside we had lunch on the benches. It was a beautiful scenery. Then we did Geo Mining. We bought a small bag inside for our daughter to do it. She really liked this. I recommend that you do this with you children. Your going to get wet from the water they have flowing but its real cool. Then we did the Fossil Cast. In order to do this you will NEED to buy and bring Plaster Paris. You can get it from Home Depot. We didnt know this but luckily there was some leftover from another family and we were able to use theirs but this is the coolest activity that you can do. So get yourself a bag and come. The volunteers are super nice and helpful. They love what they are doing and they helped us with each step of the casting for the Fossil. My daughter loved the busyness of it. Then we did a nature walk. They have 3 trails (yellow, orange and blue). We did yellow and orange. They go across various terrains and the trails arent too long so your kids should be able to last through one or two of them. The flowers and smells are so awesome. Nature is a beautiful thing. Also when your done, take a walk into the butterfly garden. There was two butterflies in the garden and it was nice for my daughter. We spent probably 2-3 hours here. So ignore the other reviews that say its a quick 1hr and that's it. The experience is what you make of it. Its relatively cheap to do and super hands on. So do it! You wont be disappointed. read more

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This place was so so so fun. As soon as we entered we were greeted with a friendly staff. It was a warm and friendly feeling that made me feel sure that this was a family friendly environment. The cheap price also is unmatched for the experience. The vast amount of dinosaur facts and fossil facts that related to the area were we in was fascinating. It was so interesting how one of the most largest pieces of dinosaur history was right below our feet. The little game to find the fossils in the "sandbox" was also really fun. The dinosaurs themselves looked so epic! The sound and light effects also were really cool and made me feel immersed in the dino-world. The gift shop is also so cool, it's filled to the brim with so many dino products! I had to make sure I didn't make a dent in my wallet! This place is perfect for a family fun and educational experience!!! read more

Dinosaur State Park - ya ! - Hiking Near Me - Rocky Hill, Connecticut

This is a nice park if you're wanting to do a trail walk with the family. It doesn't have large interactive dinosaurs like I thought but there is a bug fossil inside the museum that was found in that area of CT which was cool. The inside of the museum is small and doesn't have much going on. Bring lunch if you plan on staying there for the day as there isn't places to eat here. It was nice to see the kids get to touch live reptiles which doesn't happen all the time but it was a scheduled event that occurred when we decided to visit this day. read more

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A small venue that offers a lot of educational info on discovery of real dinosaur track prints in that park and the process and research on preserving the site. And designating the site as a state park. They also have educational films throughout the operating hours. A hands on classroom is also available, and of course a gift shop. The trails could be better but it's really not much to see on the trails this time of year other than mud and skunk cabbage growing. read more

Lots of fun for the kids. got to see some cool animals And fossils. Grade for breaking up a long trip period

We had a great time here with our toddler - more so outside than inside. The inside is a bit small and outdated - it doesn't seem all to different than when I went there myself when I was a kid. They have an interactive room where kids can color and some other activities. But the outside grounds are great - we did a nice, enjoyable hike here. read more

Great for kids.. nice trails and activities. The basin with all the tracks are fascinating. A tip though..my toddler was disappointed cos she was expecting dinosaurs...she didn't want to see footprints any more, she wanted to see dinosaurs. Well, wish me luck with that one!! read more

FUN FACT: "The first scientifically verified dinosaur bones discovered in North America were uncovered during the 1818 excavation of a well in Connecticut." Now, that copy and paste job I just did MAY have been from Wikipedia, but that doesn't means it's not true. In fact, it is true and it totally blew my mind when I found it out at the Dinosaur State Park. Let's break it down with the things that are the most important. Cheap price Free parking Informative Free films Awesome gift shop The amount of facts, fossils, and information complied into this tiny museum was impressive. Everything is very interactive and hands out. The kid's will love it as well. Not only is the information great on the inside, but there is a huge walking trail on the property that is also informative and fun. If you go during a time where the weather is warm, grab everyone and go on a nice walking trail. It's worth it. read more

I had some time to kill before heading to the airport so I randomly stopped here. It just so happened that it was Dinosaur State Park Day meaning admission was free and there were many free activities going on (the activities were mainly all geared towards kids). The dinosaur footprints were pretty cool to see. I didn't spend more than 15 minutes inside the actual building. There were a couple of exhibits and boards to read. I enjoyed the nature trails. I walked all of them. It was cool and shaded. I got to see a few cool snakes! I'd definitely bring bug spray if I ever came back. The staff seemed less than thrilled to be there. I don't know if it was because of how busy it was considering it was free or if they always seem to hate their jobs. Nice state park if you have an hour to kill, but I'm not sure it's really worth paying the admission on a regular day. read more

First off pros - seeing actual dinosaur tracks was very very cool. I feel our trip here was worth it just for that. The trails were pleasant, beautiful trees, peaceful. Cons - much of the inside exhibit is outdated. I don't feel like the cost of admission is justified. They do not offer an active duty military discount. read more

Dinosaur State Park - Hiking Near Me - Rocky Hill, Connecticut

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I have to say I like the park more than the interior museum. The museum has a gift shop and random dinosaur displays. There is even a room to watch films. To be clear, I am a fan of walking in flora and also hearing the insects and birds chirp. It is great to be in the fresh air and just surrounded by nature's beauty. It is a wonderful spot to take to probably do yoga and meditate, or even just to walk around with the family or friends. It is huge and has many trails to choose from. I would come back to the park portion. It is quiet and nice. read more

Dinosaur State Park - Hiking Near Me - Rocky Hill, Connecticut

A wonderful site with lots to learn for young and old, indoors and outdoors. If price is a problem, the Charter Oak pass or local library museum pass can provide a free hookup. Abundant flora and fauna. Educational for kids and adults alike. Very family-friendly and staff -- especially in the gift shop/lobby area -- are especially welcoming. read more

We had a very fun time at Dinosaur State park today. This is a small museum that can be walked through in mere minutes but they do a good job of doing activities here. While we were there they had an "animal show" where they showed off one of their resident lizards, taught the kids, and let them touch him. There was also an educational talk about the fossilized footprints in the main showroom. The kids were able to learn about what the landscape looked like and what life was like long ago. After all that, we were able to go into the activity room and look at different fossils and minerals close up and hands on. They did have some crafts to do but there was a day care also visiting today so the wait for the crafts was a bit too long for my kids. Unfortunately, while we were in the museum it started to rain, and it rained hard. We were, therefore, unable to experience the outdoor areas of Dinosaur State park. We will have to go back another day. We did like this museum, don't count on a day trip, but it's a great activity. Definitely worth the $16 that we spent on 2 adult and 2 child tickets. read more

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Some very big feet Dinosaur State Park has one of the largest collection of dinosaur tracks in the world. About 2,000 were originally found but most were reburied and about 500 or so placed under a neat looking geodesic dome where the exhibitions are located. The tracks are from the early Triassic period about 200 million years ago so they are not from the really huge later dinosaurs. Most of these guys were very bird like and a model of one of the largest, Dilophosaurus, is displayed. He's not a T-Rex but still pretty cool. Other displays and a great painting are also present. Of course the ubiquitous gift shop is present so you can lighten your wallet on dino stuff. The outside of the the park has a nice arboretum and about 2 miles of hiking trails. It's a pleasant and educational place but I have always had the feeling they could do something to make it a bit more interesting. read more

Fabulous place for kids and adults to hike and experience dinosaur tracks. You have videos, short talks and furthermore option to make cast of dinosaur prints.. Bulls-eye among the kids. Average time spent around 2 hours. read more

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I admittedly enjoy the outdoor park more than the actual museum. On our last visit, we took a jaunt along the trails surrounding Dinosaur State Park and had a nice time. The blue trail is probably your best bet but be aware that it can be a little hairy if you have little ones or grandparents with you. I would say its perfect for walking your dog but not very thrilling for hiking. The last time I was at the museum was when I was in Elementary School, and it's still great for little ones. But as a young adult, there's not much to do. Great for families and children but not that engaging for adults. read more

We had a great day at Dinosaur Park - we did our homework before going and brought some supplies with us to make an actual footprint stepping stone using a real dinosaur footprint - this was the best souvenir ever! There are some small trails around the park and the venue does offer a short movie - it is not a giant park - you can do it within a few hours or make more of it by bringing a picnic. read more

My son has been obsessed with Dinosaurs since he was 2 years old. The first time we visited Dinosaur State Park, I was expecting much more...I had grown up visiting the Peabody in New Haven, CT. But over the years, I have learned to truly appreciate the things that this park has to offer through my son's eyes (he's 4-1/2 now). Upon entering, the sidewalk has a timeline embedded in it and painted dinosaur tracks lead you to the exhibit center. You'll enter through the gift shop (surprise, surprise) before exploring the indoor exhibits. My son and I watched a movie during our last visit which explained that the exhibit center was simply built upon the dinosaur tracks that were discovered here...wow! I have to admit, the movie was a bit lame...looked homemade. Anyhow, there is a craft room with long tables, animals in tanks (bearded dragon, skink, etc.), toys & puzzles, animal skeletons, etc. When we're done with the exhibit center, we move outside to the casting area and check out what people have made (plaster castings of dino footprints). We've never participated in this project, it's messy and the circular castings appear to be at least 2 inches thick and 1 foot wide (heavy). I believe the entire process takes approx. 45 minutes. Kids can also participate in a "Mining for Gems and Fossils" activity at an extra cost. Then, we move onto the butterfly garden and trails. You could easily spend 1/2 hour walking through the trails...we always hear the frogs singing to each other. Just make sure you wear bug spray, it's quite swampy. Note: The footprint castings are open daily from May 1 to October 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is no fee to use this area but PARK GUESTS MUST BRING THEIR OWN MATERIALS. You'll need: - 10 pounds of Plaster-of-Paris (no substitutions) - 1/4 cup cooking oil - Five gallon bucket - Cloth rags and paper towels Under the age of 6 years: admitted free, kids ages 6-12: $2.00, adults: $6.00, parking is free. Many local libraries offer passes/discounts to this park also. read more

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How do you feel about dinosaurs? Lukewarm? This is NOT the state park for you. Dinosaur state park is great for dinosaur lovers. They have the best geodesic dome-shaped exhibition center full of dinosaur tracks I have visited anywhere in Connecticut. I went expecting to HATE it because no other dinosaur place in Connecticut has been good enough, but dinosaur state park had tracks, info plaques, a dinosaur timeline, and a giftshop with dino-themed gifts AND arrowheads. I attended a reptile demonstration where I was able to TOUCH a blue tongued skink. Did you know they're from Australia? Neither did I! And if you do feel lukewarm about dinosaurs, there are plenty of walking trails with birds and frogs and other non-dinosaur creatures. Highly recommended for picnics or walks or just sitting and gazing. read more

3 stars, ill dig up a yelp for ya took the brood here on sunday for some family fun. nothing overwhelming, but certainly worth an hour or two of your day. the grounds are very well kept and the trails were also well maintained, but the actual dinosaur content? fishy... i guess some construction company stumbled across some fossils of a bunch of minor dinos walking across a pond, which donest sound too exciting, well because, its not! i saw the cut out, the actual depiction of the situation, the place where it was found, the place where the place was going to be if the first place wasnt too placey...anyway, the history the whole thing, for 6 bucks for adults, under 6 free. all my kids are under 6, so, this was a bargain, but next year, no thanks, not worth that in my opinion. they had some other peripheral things going on, crafts for the kids, you can dig for gems (extra$), some other things too, but as i was saying a couple of hours to see a 5 minute museum thing and a 40 minute trail walk was plenty. roar. read more

Conveniently located near the highway. Ample parking. Friendly staff, do not hesitate to ask them questions. Nature trails but no dogs allowed on trails. Nice exhibits inside and outside. Gift shop. Restrooms. Great place to take children, educational. Affordable admission prices. Bring a picnic lunch. It is worth the visit. read more

The museum is very small and you can finish walking through it in 10 minutes. The hiking and the outdoor trails were nice, and I would recommend this for an outdoor experience more than for a "dinosaur" or a "museum" experience. We took my brother in a wheelchair and on the red trail we were able to maneur ok, but coming on and off the wooden ramps were challenging because there was a 3" gap in between the ground and the ramps. The blue trail was definitely not handicap accessible at all. read more

What a great little park and museum! The workers there were so nice. They kindly explained everything and offered to play us whatever movies we wanted as it was a dead weekday. The dinosaur prints are impressive, and the collection of hands on minerals and fossils afterwards was really nice in the lab after. One cool thing is they have actual dinosaur tracks outside that you can bring your own plaster and make your own mold. I did not know this. The nature walk is very nice with prehistoric looking natural plants. Overall not a mega museum that you would want to spend all day at, but if you are heading up I91, why not? read more

Probably better for older kids...although my tween girl was not overly impressed, sorry to say. My preschooler liked pushing buttons in the exhibit center but was otherwise bored. We were in and out of here in under two hours. The outdoor trails are most likely nice in the Fall and any time other than a humid summer day. read more

Awesome state park! Fossil tracks were excavated here and a dome was built on top to protect them. Walk along the indoor boardwalk to examine the tracks and learn about the dinos that made them. Learn how fossils are made and see other interesting footprints from other dinos too. The interactive room seems like it would just be for kids, but it had a ton of cool plant/animal specimens from around the world. Go outside and enjoy a couple short trails nearby. The swamp boardwalk reminded me of one near my house and was a lot of fun on a quiet relaxing afternoon. A great stop for anyone that likes dinos. read more

$6 bought me a little over 2 hours of entertainment. What a deal! This is a much smaller museum, not a lot of bells and whistles, and that's ok! We walk through, see some real dinosaur tracks, press some buttons, flip some flaps (my daughter is too young to really learn, or care, but still had fun with the mechanics). There is a play room, where the kids play with puppets, look at fossils with a magnifying glass, color, play with the pit of mica, hit buttons to hear bird calls (did you know birds are considered surviving prehistoric creatures?!), look at a snake and a skink (which my daughter pronounced Skank...classic....) There were 2 free crafts, each took about 1 minute (perfect, as far as I'm concerned), press this clay into the fossil mold, and press some dinosaur tracks onto this strip of neon paper for a nice book mark. They played movies (One was 25 mins and educational...we got through about 90 seconds), and a 15 min. claymation video (which would have been better, but my daughter was all set with her previous experience). They brought out a snake....the lady spoke about the snake but it way too long and dry....we snuck out of that as well, and went to play in the gift shop area, which is treated almost like another exhibit. They have trails, which we didn't get to explore, but we will next time. Showed up at 2pm, place closes at 4pm....perfect excuse to leave.....Get in the car! read more