Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk with dinosaurs? Well, stop wondering and start walking at Nash Dinosaur Tracks in the Connecticut River Valley. Located just a short drive from Verc Plymouth Car Rental in Massachusetts, Nash Dinosaur Track Quarry and Rock Shop is the place to be for prehistoric fun. Known as the region’s longest running and most productive dinosaur footprint quarry, Nash Dinosaur Tracks is a national treasure. The quarry was home to the first dinosaur track find in North America, and it continues to produce museum-quality finds to this day.

About the quarry

The Nash Dinosaur Quarry was discovered in 1939 by Carlton S. Nash. Since that time, archaeologists have unearthed thousands of dinosaur footprints at the site, many of which have been sold to museums and private collectors worldwide. Located just one mile from where the first dinosaur tracks in the valley were found, the quarry provides Plymouth car rental travelers with a unique vacation destination that the whole family can enjoy.

Types of tracks found in the valley

There are believed to be seven different and distinct types of footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Six of the tracks are believed to have been made by dinosaurs, while the seventh type was likely created by what is believed to have been an early ancestor of the crocodile. Paleontologists believe that the tracks are all from Jurassic era dinosaurs. The different types of tracks found the valley include Eubrontes, Gigandipus, Otozoum, Anchisauripus, Grallator, Anomoepus, and Batrachopus. These footprints can measure as large as 20 inches, in the case of the Eubrontes, and as small as one inch, in the case of the Batrachopus.

What you’ll see at the quarry

Plymouth car rental travelers will have plenty to see and do at Nash Dinosaur Tracks. When visitors aren’t exploring the large footprint quarry, they’re encouraged to slip into the onsite museum and learn more about the area’s local geology and history. The Nash Dinosaur Tracks Museum displays a variety of dinosaur tracks and dinosaur fossil materials all year round. Plymouth car rental travelers can also visit the onsite rock shop where visitors can purchase their very own dinosaur track, as well as a variety of other fossils and minerals.

History of the quarry

The Nash Dinosaur Quarry began in 1939 when Carlton Nash purchased a 1 ¾ acre plot of land in the Connecticut River Valley. Since then, the quarry has grown to become a fulltime operation, with hundreds of tracks being excavated every year. Sadly, Carlton Nash is no longer with us, but luckily, his son Kornell Richard Nash continues to run the family business, excavating and selling tracks to hundreds of collectors worldwide. Over the years, the Nash’s have sold tracks to a number of notable people including Dave Garoway, Laurel Hardy and John Cameron Swayze. Families like the Carnegies, Pattons and Maytags also own tracks excavated from the Nash Quarry.

Hours of operation and admission prices

Plymouth car rental travelers can stop by Nash Dinosaur Tracks Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4om and on Sunday’s from 12 noon to 4pm. The museum and shop are open during regular operating hours. Admission to the quarry, and the various other attractions on the site, is just $3 for adults and $2 for children. Plymouth car rental travelers will find Nash Dinosaur Tracks on Route 116 (Amherst Road) in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

To learn more about the Nash Dinosaur Track Quarry and Rock Shop, please call 413-467-9566. Plymouth car rental travelers can also log onto the official Nash Dinosaur Tracks website at www.nashdinosaurtracks.com for more information.