113 Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Tracks Uncovered After Drought Dries Up Texas River

A severe drought that dried up a Texas river exposed dinosaur tracks from 113 million years ago.

CNN reports experts recently discovered the fossilized tracks in Dinosaur Valley State Park near Fort Worth, Texas. Scientists believe the tracks belong to the Acrocanthosaurus, a 15-foot tall creature that weighed about seven tons as an adult.

“Most tracks that have recently been uncovered and discovered at different parts of the river in the park belong to Acrocanthosaurus. This was a dinosaur that would stand, as an adult, about 15 feet tall and (weigh) close to seven tons,” park spokesperson Stephanie Salinas Garcia told CNN.

Dinosaur Valley State Park took to Facebook to share videos of their findings, which shows countless footprints uncovered. See those here.

In a conversation with CBS News, Garcia explained how the “excessive drought conditions” allowed for more tracks to be uncovered.

“Due to the excessive drought conditions this past summer, the river dried up completely in most locations, allowing for more tracks to be uncovered here in the park,” Garcia explained. “Under normal river conditions, these newer tracks are under water and are commonly filled in with sediment, making them buried and not as visible. Being able to find these discoveries and experience new dinosaur tracks is always an exciting time at the park.”

Aside from the Acrocanthosauraus, the park has come across tracks from the Sauroposeidon, a dinosaur that measured about 60 feet tall and weighed 44 tons as an adult.