A recent summer drought has led to the appearance of ancient artifacts that were previously hidden underwater around the world. In Texas, at Dinosaur Valley State Park near Fort Worth, dinosaur footprints dating back over 113 million years have become visible due to the shrinking of the Paluxy River. These tracks are typically covered by water and sediment, but severe drought conditions exposed them. According to park superintendent Jeff Davis, these tracks are one of the oldest discoveries revealed during that summer.

Jeff Davis highlighted that the Taylor site is particularly impressive this summer. The tracks found there are possibly the longest tracks made by a single dinosaur in North America and are from an Acrocanthosaurus. While it’s common for different tracks in the park to appear and disappear with changing weather, these particular tracks at the Taylor site had not been visible for at least 20 years. On the opposite side of the park, tracks from Sauroposeidon are also visible at the Denio site after being cleared during the drought. The drought conditions have also made many of these tracks more accessible.

The river that runs through the park is described as a “double-edged sword” because while it can hide the tracks, it also plays a role in their preservation. Davis explained that the river carries silt and sediment which are deposited on top of the tracks, and this preservation process is why they have survived for approximately 113 million years. For this reason, the park sometimes deliberately leaves some tracks covered to preserve them for the future. In other instances, park staff or volunteers carefully use minimal water, leaf blowers, and brooms to clear sediment without damaging the tracks. With many tracks currently highly visible, Davis stated that the park offers “world-class dinosaur tracks,” emphasizing that there are no better tracks known anywhere in the world in terms of the length of the trackways, quality of preservation, features, and detail.