Welcome to the Dino Trail!
Countdown to Dino Trail Week!
Local Arts, Local History, Local Lizards (er . . . actually dinos are ancestors of birds!)
Thank you Audiences and Partners for a Great First Dino Trail Week in July, 2025 and Save the Date! Dino Trail Week 2 is coming up July 11 - July 19, 2026. See below for an idea of what to expect next summer and for any important Dino Events coming up in the Connecticut River Valley . . .
Dino Trail Week, co-presented by Piti Theatre with Dino Trail partners up and down the Valley, is a celebratory week of performances, films, talks, interactive exhibits and all ages activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts and related history. Why? Because this is where the first scientific study in the world of dinosaur footprints took place! You can learn more on Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association's award winning website "Impressions from a Lost World."
Dino Trail Week 2, Evolution Revolution: July 11 - 19, 2026
Saturday, 7/11: Dinosaur Footprints at Barton Cove: History and Geology
Barton Cove, Gill
Saturday, July 11, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. (Rain date, Saturday, July 18)
Join Sarah Doyle and a guest geologist/paleontologist at 1 p.m. for a leisurely walk around Barton Cove in Gill, MA, to learn about the role of this site in the 19th-century discovery of fossilized dinosaur footprints when the property was owned by Roswell Field, a local farmer and businessman who was an early discoverer of the tracks. Field claimed that he had seen more fossil "bird tracks" (the footprints hadn't been connected to dinosaurs yet), and in greater variety, than anyone else, including the top scientists of the day. Slabs of footprints from Fields' land were purchased by Harvard, Yale, and other sites of learning.
Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes, and bring water. Barton Cove has picnic tables, so you might want to bring a picnic for before or after the walk at this scenic river recreation area. The trails are not difficult but are rough in spots and covered in tree roots. Meet Sarah at the picnic tables at the Barton Cove Campground Day Use area on Barton Cove Road in Gill, MA. The walk is less than 1 mile long. For adults and children over 12 years old. All children under 18 years must be accompanied by an adult.
Sunday, 7/12: ART NATURALLY: Gel Printing Trace Fossils @ The Great Falls Discovery Center
10:30—12:30 p.m., Great Hall
Discover nature and pre-history through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. Create an art piece inspired by the valley’s fossilized dinosaur footprints using paint, paper, and gel, with instruction and techniques. For adults, teens and children ages 6 and up. All art materials provided. Arrive at 10:30 a.m. in the Great Hall for complete instructions.
Tuesday, 7/14 - Holyoke Dino Foot Print Site Guided Tour with Free Mesozoic Shuttle from Wistariahurst Museum
Dino Foot Print Site, Rt. 5, Holyoke, MA (directions)
Tuesday, 9:30 and 10:30 am (with shuttle from Wistariahurst Museum @ 9:15 & 10:15)
Did you know that dinosaur tracks are Massachusetts’ official state fossil?
That’s right—paleontologists believe these remarkable prints were left by some of the earliest known dinosaurs, ranging from small plant-eaters to large meat-eaters up to 20 feet long.
Join Beneski Museum of Natural History's Fred Venne for a special exploration of nearly 800 trace fossils and sedimentary structures preserved at this extraordinary Holyoke Dinosaur Footprints site.
Visitors will have the unique opportunity to walk through deep time, uncovering the stories recorded in stone from the Connecticut River Valley.
Explore Wistariahurst’s grounds and learn how Victorian elites displayed dinosaur tracks as garden art. Ride the Mesozoic Shuttle to see outdoor track sites along the Connecticut River. Shuttle Leaves at 9:15AM and again at 10:15AM.
Step into the past—and follow the tracks of dinosaurs.
Wednesday, 7/15: Dino Trail Day at the Beneski Museum of Natural History
10 am – 3 pm
Join us for a special Dino Trail Week event featuring a full day of family-friendly programming: morning session session with Piti Theatre's Story Wizards @ 11 am complemented by scavenger hunts and early afternoon guided tours. —all with an exciting dinosaur theme.
Discover the incredible story of the dinosaurs that once roamed the Connecticut River Valley through one of the world’s most renowned collections of locally discovered dinosaur footprints. Museum staff will guide visitors through interactive scavenger hunts, lead a dinosaur trackway exploration, and bring stories to life through engaging, hands-on experiences for all ages.
Whether you're a lifelong dinosaur enthusiast or simply looking for a fun and educational family outing, this is the perfect opportunity to experience science, storytelling, and discovery all in one place.
Come explore. Come discover. Come walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs.
Story Wizards is supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Wednesday, 7/15: Dino Wizards @ the Greenfield Public Library
@ 6 pm (Story Wizards with a Dino-Theme for Dino Trail Week)
What could be more fun than making up a brand new story? How about a new story about . . . dinosaurs. Piti Theatre's international touring show Story Wizards is returning by popular demand to the Greenfield Public Library as part of a Valley-wide DinoFest on July 12.
The plot? A Wizard Even Crankier than the Story Wizard has stolen the world's tales and he sets off to find them. Luckily he discovers a musical being named Laurella living in a giant mushroom who introduces him to - the audience! New stories are born from children's suggestions and onstage participation. Kids even get their own Calling Cards to prove they've become Story Wizards.
Thursday, 7/16: Evolution Revolution
@ Springfield Museums from 11 am - 3 pm: Hands on activities & preview the New Dino Exhibit
Thursday, 7/16: Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls
10 - 11 a.m., Great Falls Discovery Center
Easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for older adults, but open to all. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. This week’s topic is the geology of downtown Turners Falls in celebration of Dino Trail Week!
Friday, 7/17: Kidleidoscope Story Hour: Dinosaurs @ The Great Falls Discovery Center
Dinosaur Kidleidoscope Story Hour
10:30 a.m.—11:30 a.m., Great Hall
For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. Learn about giant creatures from the past that roamed the Connecticut River Valley. Program includes a story, activities, and crafts. Activities are indoors and outdoors, weather permitting. Siblings and friends welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.
Saturday, 7/18: Great Greenfield DinoFest
10 am - noon on the lawn in front of the 2nd Congregational Church on the Common
Join Piti Theatre, Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and Great Falls Discovery Center staff for Interactive exhibits, fossils and even a second chance to make up a dino story with Story Wizards: Dino Drama.
Plus, local children will join us in a dino parade wearing the masks they made during the first annual Dino Camp at the Greenfield Public Library and share the performance they made.
Sunday, 7/19: Dino Family Fun Day @ the Wistariahurst Museum, Holyoke
Dino week is finishing with a roar at Wistariahurst Museum! Visit the museum to celebrate DinoDay with outdoor and sensory friendly dino-themed activities for the whole family. Learn about the dinosaur tracks leading up to the museum, see the official Massachusetts state Dinosaur Podokesaurus Holyokensis, and dance with a dino!
Year-Round Activities
Get Your Dino On All Month (or Year!) Long . . .
Indoor StoryWalk®—Daring to Dig: Adventures of Women in American Paleontology @ The Great Falls DIscovery Center
July 11 - 19: Enjoy the story Daring to Dig by Beth Strickler. For young readers ages 8—12, and everyone who appreciates women in science. Includes the stories of Mary Anning, the unsung hero of fossil discovery, and of Mignon Talbot and the discovery of podokesaurus holyokensis. Meet at the welcome desk.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Story Walk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson. This StoryWalk® is provided by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Interpretive Services.
Dino Footprints in Holyoke
Hundreds of prehistoric tracks—the first dinosaur prints ever to be scientifically described—revealed in slabs of sandstone. Available for visit anytime at The Trustees Outdoor Site in Holyoke!
The Good Ole Days
Previous Dino Festivals and Media
"The Princes of Deerfield" continues our exploration of "Dexter's World", ie, who were Dexter Marsh's contemporaries in Franklin County in the 1800's?
Thank You to Our 2025 Sponsors and Funders
Thank You to Our Sponsors Over the Years!
Abide, Inc.
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Trolley Stop
Real Pickles
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Thank You Funders!
"Night at the Deerfield Museum" is part of the Exanding MA Stories Initiative of Mass Humanities funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council
"Night at the Deerfield Museum" video project is funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.
Special Thanks to the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and the Greenfield Business Association.
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