Dates:
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Site Leaders
Christina Brannigan
TRIP INFO
Type of Service
Environmental
Site Partner(s)
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Sallie Brooks
Departure Date
3/1/2025
Return Date
3/7/2025
Cost/Person
$950
Christina Brannigan
Sallie Brooks
Sallie Brooks is a 2nd year from Williamsburg, VA. She is also on a pre-med track and is double majoring in biochemistry and studio art because she loves making more work for herself. She loves to hike and impact the environment in a positive manner, and is very excited to do this on the trip. On grounds, she is in CHooSE (acapella), plays the cello, teaches Sunday School, beats Christina in pickleball, and rock-climbs (kinda ok) among other things.
Christina Brannigan is a 2nd year from Robbinsville, NJ, but now living in Williamsburg, VA . She is on a pre-med track, majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Anthropology. She feels that visiting Dinosaur Valley State Park is an exciting adventure and sees it as a chance to make a positive difference in the Texas environment. She’s also eager to explore the area alongside a fantastic group of people! Her hobbies around Grounds include climbing, reading on the Lawn, and listening to music. This is going to be a great trip!
Trip Logistics
Our trip will start on Sunday, March 1st for a flight out of Dulles to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. We will be using a rental car for transportation to and from the park, as well as any excursions. We will leave Glen Rose, TX on Saturday March 8th, returning to Charlottesville. We’ll be staying in a building on the grounds of the park with access to a kitchen and shower, but bringing our own sleeping bags. We’ll be able to make breakfast, pack lunches, and have group dinners both at home and around the local area!
Participant Requirements
Our shifts will start early at 9m (group meeting around 8:30) and work will be strenuous, but hard work is worthwhile when it has a direct influence for protecting our environment. For that reason, be down to get sweaty and dirty! Texas can get hot and we will be walking on dirt paths.
Service Activities
During the trip to Dinosaur Valley State Park, students will spend four mornings volunteering with park staff on conservation and maintenance projects from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Activities may include trail clearing, habitat restoration, and improving visitor areas near the Paluxy River’s famous dinosaur tracks. Each afternoon will feature a different learning experience- exploring Dinosaur World, taking a safari at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and even horseback riding through the park’s scenic terrain. Evenings will be devoted to reflection sessions, group dinners, and enjoying time outdoors together.
Recreational Activities
We plan to spend an afternoon driving through a Safari at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, where we will be able to feed the animals and learn more about them from an expert.
One evening, we will have a Deer Meadow Horseback Ride in the State Park, led by a tour guide, and it will last about an hour.
One of our last nights, we will be driving into Fort Worth for a nice dinner and some other fun activities to fill the night.
This activity list is adaptable- if you discover something too awesome to pass, we can negotiate.
Community/Area Background
The climate at Dinosaur Valley State Park, Texas, tends to be hot and dry through the summer with average highs in the 90’s °F, and much cooler during the fall and winter with lows dropping into the 30’s °F. Rainfall is modest, though May is typically the wettest month, and water levels in the river-bed tracks can rise after storms, affecting accessibility. Because of the heat and potentially rapid changes in river conditions, it’s important to bring plenty of water, sun protection, layered clothing for cooler evenings, and to check trail conditions and river levels before going out.