Located in Somervell County, Texas, Dinosaur Valley State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 6.3 km (3.9 mi) WNW of Glen Rose.
Dinosaur Valley State Park is a 1,524.72-acre (617 ha) state park astride the Paluxy River in Somervell County, Texas, United States known for having 113 million-year-old well-preserved theropod and sauropod footprints across five main tracks throughout the park. The park, managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is also known for having two large models by Louis Paul Jonas of a Tyrannosaurus and a Brontosaurus, created for the 1964 New York World's Fair and donated by the Sinclair Oil Corporation after the world's fair closed.. In 2026, proposed construction of power infrastructure and data centers adjacent to the park resulted in public concerns as to their effects on the park's wildlife, tourism industry, watershed, nearby tracksites, as well as local residents' property rights, health, livelihoods, and resources.From the Wikipedia article “Dinosaur Valley State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dinosaur Valley State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:26 AM | 61° ENE | 8:42 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 118° ESE | 5:31 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 02m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:03 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 03m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Dinosaur Valley State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 5:00 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:11 AM – 6:11 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 4:56 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:21 PM – 4:41 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 3:17 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 1:16 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 11:11 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:11 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.08 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (55%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 85 | 91 | 91 | 101 | 104 | 110 | 114 | 113 | 108 | 100 | 92 | 86 |
| Low °F | 13 | 14 | 16 | 31 | 39 | 58 | 65 | 60 | 50 | 26 | 20 | 14 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Dinosaur Valley State Park, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Ghost Town
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dinosaur Valley State Park?
What time is golden hour at Dinosaur Valley State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dinosaur Valley State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dinosaur Valley State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dinosaur Valley State Park?
How far is Dinosaur Valley State Park from Glen Rose?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.