Geology of the Hill Country and Paleontology of North Texas

〉 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.

Iguanodon

Parasaurolophus

〉 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.

Natural potholes in weathered limestone

Geology students on the limestone falls

〉 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.

Raging river waters of the falls

Geology students on the trail to the falls

〉 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.

Ground Sloth and Enteledont

Dimetrodon skeleton

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

Weathered Limestone with fossil clam cast

Fossil clams and oysters

〉 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!

〉 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.

〉 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.

Hoover Point Cambrian Glaucenite

Llano Bridge, northwest side of the dam

〉 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.

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

〉 Whisky Bridge Eocene Exposure on our first stop we will excavate and keep 41 million years old marine snails and clams. The Eocene was the last time the Earth had no polar glaciers. Sea level went as far inland as Wyoming leaving Texas a shallow ocean.

East face of the outcrop

Fossiliferous shale matrix

〉 Waco Mammoth National Monument is a national park were we will learn about “Ice Age” Texas and view Colombian Mammoth still in the ground.

〉 The Waco Pit is a seasonal stop that requires a special permit. It is also a research site and is not always available.

Possibly pyrirtized ammonite and snail fossils

〉 Dinosaur World we will tour through life size dinosaur models. They also have a very interesting gift shop.

Postosuchus

Saltosaurus

〉 Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen Rose, Texas we will see early Cretaceous dinosaur tracks in the Paluxey River. Waterproof boots are suggested! 

〉 Mineral Wells Fossil Park we will collect and keep upper Carboniferous (about 300 million year old) fossil sponges, crinoids and possibly trilobites.

Fossil sponges and Crinoids

〉 Palo Pinto road cut we will collect and keep upper Carboniferous period fossils of different species of brachiopods, clams and crinoids.

Fossil Sponges, Coral, Crinoids and Sea Urchins with spines and plates 

〉 Whiteside Museum in Seymour, Texas where we will see terrestrial life proceeding the dinosaurs. This is one of the top museums in Texas and does active excavations on a local ranch. Here we will see the fossil prep lab where the fossils are cleaned to be put on display.

Edaphosaurus model

Xenocanthus fossil spine

〉 Jacksboro Spillway collect and keep upper Carboniferous period (Finis Shale) fossils of different species of brachiopods, clams and crinoids.

Fossil Brachiopods

〉 Cretaceous Fossil Site in Fort Worth collect and keep fossil ammonite, snails, clams and sea urchin cast.

Fossil Snails and Sea Urchin

〉 Ladonia Fossil Park northeast of Dallas, Texas Cretaceous beds that hold bivalve, ammonite and possible mosasaur fossils.

Fossil Clam Imprint

〉 Perot Museum in Dallas, Texas to see how the Geology of Texas affects the Paleontology (Time Permitted).

• The entire trip has eight to ten stop depending on season and flooding.

• 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 keep marine invertebrate shells.

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

• Includes: Educator(s), driver, park fees, hotel and museum tickets provided.

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

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