Have a child who is fascinated by dinosaurs and the majesty they carried in their ancient bodies? Seeing a life-sized model or a computer-generated version is pretty cool, but finding actual evidence of their existence on the land? That can seem unreal to a child! But guess what? There is one place here in New Mexico where you can see that physical evidence with your own eyes.
Clayton Lake State Park is just that place! Established in 1955 as a community fishing area, the park’s 170 acres holds a large reservoir for recreation and a short trail to see dinosaur tracks.
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The park is located about 13 miles northwest of Clayton near the border shared with Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Google Maps
The trail to see the dinosaur tracks is a short trek and is located on a railed boardwalk, making this a perfect walk for the little ones.
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This is exactly the view they’ll get to see, so you can imagine the kind of joy that’ll spread over their faces when they realize dinosaurs left these footprints behind millions of years ago!
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More than 500 prints can be found here, dating to about 100 million years ago! The tracks were uncovered after a flood over 30 years ago removed a layer of silt, unveiling the tracks for the first time. These are considered to be some of the best-preserved dinosaur footprints in the country.
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On the boardwalk, you’ll get a chance to read information about the tracks and the variety of dinosaurs that created them. Sadly, there aren’t any T-rex tracks here!
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This is one great little trip you won’t want to miss!
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Clayton Lake State Park is located at 141 Clayton Lake Road, about 13 miles northwest of Clayton. You can find details about visiting the state park by checking out the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department website.
bruthanick/Flickr
Google Maps
LAB20/TripAdvisor
Images By Lane/Flickr
Laura M/TripAdvisor
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Want to explore more recent pieces of New Mexico’s history? Read These 7 New Mexico Hiking Trails Lead To Some Incredible Pieces Of History.
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