6 Awe-Inspiring Places In The U.S. Where Dinosaurs Once Roamed

Black Mesa State Park & Nature Preserve is located on the western edge of Oklahoma in the town of Kenton. It’s home to the highest point in the state – Black Mesa – but also harbors an incredible collection of dinosaur footprints. The 47 prints are located on private land but are available for public viewing during daylight hours. Some of the tracks measure a full 16 inches wide. (Address: State Hwy. 325, Kenton, OK)

Head to Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum in Rocky Hill, Connecticut to see real fossilized dinosaur tracks. There are over 500 tracks here, which makes it the largest collection in North America. The footprints date back 200 million years and were likely made in the early Jurassic period. A special walkway leads across the tracks here, so visitors can examine them without damaging the footprints. (Address: 400 West St., Rocky Hill, CT)

The Moenkopi Dinosaur Tracks are located just off the highway near Tuba City in Arizona. These real dinosaur footprints are preserved in the flat sandstone of the desert and are 200 million years old. Admission to see the tracks is free and there are optional tours available. (Address: U.S. Hwy., 160, Tuba City, AZ)

Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park is located in central Nevada. It offers the state’s largest collection of Ichthyosaur fossils, which happens to be Nevada’s official state fossil. This ancient creature was actually a marine mammal somewhat similar to a whale or dolphin. The park is also home to a ghost town, if you feel like exploring the more recent past. (State Route 844, Austin, NV)

Washington is home to Orcas Island, a patch of land that stunned the state when dinosaur fossils were discovered there in 2015. The 42-centimeter-long bone fragment likely belonged to a therapod, which was a dinosaur similar to a T-Rex. Though you’re unlikely to stumble upon any major finds yourself, Orcas Island is a beautiful place to explore.

Kualoa Ranch is a lush paradise on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Though actual dinosaurs never strolled this land, the ranch was a major filming site for the classic action film, "Jurassic Park." Visitors can still see film sites like the fallen tree that Alan Grant and the children took shelter beneath and an Indominus Rex pen. (Address: 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy., Kaneohe, HI)