Geology of the Texas Hill Country

For those looking to hike, learn and appreciate nature, this is the trip for you. We visit three state parks and some of my secret spots in the Texas Hill Country!

This trip is also great if you are looking to collect rock samples from road cuts.

〉 Dinosaur Adventure Park is a privately owned attraction that has the most accurate life size dinosaurs models in Texas. Although I do individual trips to this park, it is a great way to start a weekend excursion.

Ankylosaurs

Triceratops

Brachiosaurus

Iguanodon

Parasaurolophus

Click here for park website.

〉 McKinney Falls State Park is composed of lower or early Cretaceous limestone with a number of geologic features you never knew were there. We will learn the history of the site and appreciate the wildlife around it. We cannot collect anything from state or national parks except pictures and memories.

McKinney Falls State Park waterfall

Turtle in the river

Karst Limestone

Inoceramid clams in limestone matrix

Natural potholes in weathered limestone

Geology students on the limestone falls

Click here for park website.

〉 Lunch in Austin please inform us of any dietary restrictions or preferences.

〉 Pedernales Falls State Park has an amazing vista view of a disconformity with lower Cretaceous limestone sitting on top of a Carboniferous age limestone with a number of fossil crinoids visible during the hike.

Pedernalers Falls vista veiw

Crinoid column in limestone matrix

Cross section of crinoid column in the matrix

Limestone carved by the Pedernales River

Raging river waters of the falls

Geology students on the trail to the falls

Click here for park website.

〉 Texas Memorial Museum we will visit the Geological, Paleontology and Zoological specimen on the campus of University of Texas. Unless specifically requested this stop is a primary indoor option for sudden changes in weather.

Lifesize Pterosaur Quetzocoatalus

Life-size bronze statue of a saber tooth cat

Ground Sloth and Enteledont

Petrified Log

Cretaceous Fish

Dimetrodon skeleton

Click here for park website.

〉 Early Cretaceous Kerrville Fossil Exposure collect and keep fossil snails cast, clams cast and oysters shells from an roadside outcrop.

Fossil snail cast in limestone matrix

Geology students collecting from the outcrop

Weathered Limestone with fossil clam cast

Fossil pectin and sea urchins

Fossil snail internal cast

Fossil clams and oysters

Click here for a more detailed list of fossils from this site.

〉 Enchanted State Park an one billion year old Precambrian age massive pink granite dome rising above Central Texas. We will cover its origin with supporting evidence and yes we will climb it!

Click here for park website.

〉 Dinner in Fredricksburg please inform us of any dietary restrictions or preferences.

〉 Roadside exposure of the Llanite Blue Quartz Rhyolite we will stop north of the town of Llano to see and sample this rare rock type. This is a stop every geology student must see in Texas.

Jurassic James on igneous intrusion

〉 Rock formations of Central Texas we will stop at a local gypsum quarry, observe billion year old rocks under the Llano Bridge and tourist stop known as “The Slab”. Many of the road cuts are great for learning general Texas geology and collecting rock samples for educators and earth science enthusiast alike.

Geology students at The Slab

The “Granite” Slab

Llano Bridge dam

Geology students at The Slab

Hoover Point Cambrian Glaucenite

Llano Bridge, northwest side of the dam

〉 Ink’s Lake State Park time and or weather permitted this will be a short stop. Many Geology students journey here for assignments and to do research. The other reason for visiting is to introduce the area and campsites to guest (time permitted).

Click here for park website.

〉 Longhorn Cavern we often visit the entrance and surrounding area of the cavern (time permitted).

A special three hour tour can be provided by the park tour guides, but needs an additional cost and will reduce other stops.

Click here for park website.

〉 Leander Theropod (predatory dinosaur) tracks of a medium sized meat eating dinosaurs preserved in Cretaceous limestone-the last educational stop (time permitted).

Leander (possibly) Acrocanthosaurus tracks

〉 Blanco River Sauropod (long necked dinosaur) tracks are hidden away a few miles west of Blanco, Texas (time permitted).

Blanco (possibly) Sauroposeidon tracks

General Notes:

The entire trip has eight to ten stops depending on seasons.

Appropriate clothing should be worn during all hikes based on temperature and time of year.

Note: It is illegal to collect vertebrate fossils in Texas, we will only collect and keep the fossil sea shells depicted above.

To book a trip or inquire more details, email me at: jurassicjames65@gmail.com

Economy Trip Details:

Self-provided transportation, park fees, food and beverages.

Logistics: Jurassic James will issue you a schedule and meet your group at designated sites and time.

Deluxe Trip Details:

Including: Educator(s), driver, guides, Park fees, hotels and museum tickets provided.

Transportation provided in the form of a 12 to 15 passenger van.

Breakfast (provided by the hotel), Lunch and Dinner.

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Dinosaur Toy Inaccuracy- What’s Up With That??

by Jurassic James | Oct 10, 2018 | Uncategorized

Images by: Ms. Corey Green With the exception of our feathered friends, dinosaurs are all but gone today. So what are the ways to connect to these long lost creatures? Well as a child I had three options, museums, media and models. Going to the Houston Museum of...