Hello dino track explorers! Thanks for joining us on our Dino Map Adventure. Join Marshall and Lindsay, the hosts of Tumble Science Podcast for Kids, as they explore the incredible dinosaur history right here in the Pioneer Valley in western Massachusetts. There is so much that scientists have discovered here — and so much left for YOU to discover along with us!
Download the Dino Map Adventure and the Dino Adventure Journal.
Start your dino track explorer journey!
Are you excited to get started on your dino track explorer journey? Hopefully so! Discovering the unique dinosaur story of the Pioneer Valley is an incredible experience. In these episodes, you’ll hear stories of the historical figures who found the fossils you’ll be examining, as well as learn about the dramatic forces that shaped the Earth and made the Pioneer Valley the perfect place to preserve dinosaur footprints.
There are seven stops on our Dino Map Adventure. If you’re going to visit them, listen to the audio for each stop before you go. It’ll help prepare you for what you’ll see once you arrive.
You can listen to these in any order you like, and visit them in any way you’d like, but it might be good to start with the how-to track first.
Stops on the Dino Map Adventure
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Join Marshall and Lindsay, hosts of the Tumble Science Podcast for Kids, on an unforgettable Dino Map Adventure through the Pioneer Valley. Explore hidden clues to the ancient past, visit the stomping grounds of the first dinosaur track hunters, and uncover the dramatic forces that shaped this fossil-rich region. -
Welcome to the Lily Pond Dinosaur Quarry, the motherlode of dinosaur tracks! A specimen of nearly every dinosaur track we know about from around the Pioneer Valley was found in this quarry, in Barton Cove. Take a hike and find the dinosaur tracks on the trail! -
Welcome to Greenfield’s Bank Row, the street where the first dinosaur tracks were discovered! At this stop, you’ll meet Dexter Marsh, a worker who split apart a slab of sidewalk stone to find an unusual footprint. Imagine yourself in Greenfield during the mid-1800s, as you hear about how this moment became part of history and “paved” the way for more dinosaur discovery in the Valley! -
At this stop, you’ll find rocks that hold the clues to what the area looked like millions of years ago. They help tell the story of the time when dinosaurs began to dominate the planet. Find the outcrop and start your rock exploration! -
Welcome to the Beneski Museum of Natural History, home to one of the greatest dinosaur track collections in the world! At this stop, you’ll find the collection of Edward Hitchcock, the first scientist ever to study dinosaur footprints. Learn about Hitchcock’s life and work, and join us on a fossil scavenger hunt. -
At this stop, you’ll hear two stories of dinosaur discovery that happened in South Hadley: The “real” first dino tracks and an incredibly rare fossil skeleton found by a Mount Holyoke professor. Stroll around the campus and take an audio trip back in time. -
The Dinosaur Footprints is the home to one of the largest track collections that can be seen by the public in their original location. While you’re there, try and find as many tracks as you can. These are real live dinosaur footprints that were first made 200 million years ago! -
Welcome to Chicopee Falls, home to an incredible bounty of underwater fossils! At this stop, you’ll hear from Paul Olsen, a paleontologist who shares his experience of examining one of Edward Hitchcock’s most unusual fossil finds, and diving for fossil fish in the falls. You’ll be inspired to search for your own revealing discoveries!
