Prehistoric Grapevine - Dinosaurs & Fossils

After intense rains in the spring of 2015, fossilized tracks were uncovered by flood waters. Similar to tracks discovered in the 1980’s, 1990’s and early 2000’s, these tracks were important to preserve. The 2015 trackways were extremely rare and scientifically important. A team of students from SMU, a Research Affiliate at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, and staff from Grapevine Parks and Recreation took molds of these tracks for future scientific study and to begin a dialogue about how to best use these historically and regionally significant findings as educational tools for paleontologists, local school districts and dinosaur enthusiasts.

Many of the rocks surrounding Grapevine Lake are from the Late Cretaceous period. The rocks belong to a division known as the Woodbine Formation, where many famous fossils from the Dallas-Fort Worth area have been located. In 2015 and years following, Hadrosaur fossils were found belonging to a species called Protohadros, which was discovered in nearby Flower Mound, and most recently in Grapevine. A fossilized femur bone of a juvenile Protohadros is currently on display in Grapevine’s City Hall.