Dinosaur State Park Trails (Dinosaur State Park)
Hike Type: Spaghetti Loop
Distance: 2.63 miles
Elevation: 227 feet
My Time: 1 hour, 6 minutes
Book Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Parking: Ample parking at Dinosaur State Park.
Hiking Challenges: N/A
Hiking Challenges: N/A
The Hike
Dinosaur State Park! Emma and I were looking for an activity to do before the wedding, and we saw we were less than 10 minutes away from Dinosaur State Park! Knowing literally nothing, we planned to get there in the morning, go for a hike along their trail system, and then check out their exhibit building on the way back.
We did this hike in segments: 1) the start to blue, 2) purple, 3) blue to the start, 4) red, 5) yellow to orange, 6) yellow, and 7) yellow to end.
#1: The Start to Blue
We started our hike along the red trail, traveling straight past the amphitheatre. The trail followed a wide, well-constructed boardwalk through some post-peak foliage wetlands with grey skies overhead. Naturally, we took turns running along like dinosaurs. The fall colors were wonderful!
This brought us to a junction: red turned left and blue turned right. We turned right onto blue, where the autumnal colors were back to greens and yellows. The trail was now a nice footpath through the woods, and I averaged kicking one rock ever three minutes.
#2: Purple
We turned to make a lollipop loop along the seemingly new, and less-frequently traveled purple trail next. The stem went slightly uphill (elevation!), and we took the loop counter-clockwise. This trail wiggled through some younger forest with occasional tree views to parking lots. The young forest was actually beautiful! We loved being the only ones in these woods. There was supposed to be a purple/white path somewhere, but we did not see it.
#3: Blue to Start
We turned back onto the Blue Trail after our lollipop loop and continued onward over many boardwalks - it was quite lovely! There was a small family ahead of us, which neither of us teachers really cared for, but we accepted it. The trail opened up to a small field so we got to pass the family. This brought us back to the main amphitheatre area, which was much busier now! We continued straight onto the un-traveled portion of the red trail.
#4: Red
This trail followed more boards, narrower than the other part of the Red Trail. It twisted and turned and was really beautiful!
#5: Yellow to Orange
We then turned left onto Yellow, and then left again onto Orange. Orange made a -o-o situation, so we stayed on the counter-clockwise side the whole time. We passed what might be an old rusted busted car, and had a nice ramble through different forests. The far reach of the Orange Trail was a little grown-in, which wasn't overly great.
#6: Yellow
The Yellow Trail was interesting! It followed old raods the whole time, with sometimes hints of old pavement. With literally no basis for knowing, we decided these paths used to belong to some rich person and their estate, and at some point were aquired by Dinosaur State Park and encorporated to their trail system. We noticed a near perfect circle on the map, so we checked it out, and it simply felt like a driveway or old garden of sorts.
#7: Yellow to End
Our return trip followed the yellow trail(s) back to red, and then we had a lovely walk along the wide boards again back to the main area. The inside exhibit was actually REALLY cool, and featured a sea of Dinosaur footprints along with some animals to check out. After our adventure, we went to Target, had a fat nap, and had a WONDERFUL time at the wedding!
Step-by-Step
- Start hike from parking lot towards the Ampitheatre.
- Descend along Amphitheatre, then continue straight onto red trail (do not turn left onto the red trail).
- At jct., turn right onto blue trail.
- At jct., turn left onto purple trail and hike lollipop loop counter-clockwise.
- Return and turn left onto blue trail.
- At terminus, continue straight onto red trail in front of amphitheatre (the segment you have not yet hiked).
- At jct., turn left onto yellow trail.
- At jct., turn left onto orange trail.
- Hike orange trail -o-o, counter clockwise.
- Return and turn left onto yellow trail.
- At jct., turn left to hike middle section of southern yellow trail.
- Follow the yellow trail clockwise and then follow trails back to the red trail.
- Retrace steps on red trail to complete hike.
Photo Album
