Leander Dinosaur Tracks

Leander Dinosaur Tracks are a rite of passage for Central Texas rock hounds: a line of three-toed theropod prints (often linked to something in the Acrocanthosaurus size class) pressed into limestone in the South Fork San Gabriel River, roughly half a mile west of the US 183 bridge when you walk the riverbed.

This is not a state park. There are no gates, interpretive signs, or restrooms tied to the site itself. Park where access is clearly legal (many visitors use small pull-off style parking near Green Valley Dr and 183, or other public edges by the river; avoid blocking driveways or crossing private land). Descend to the river, then head upstream (west) until the bridge is well behind you; the main trackway sits on the south side of the channel in exposed bedrock. After rain, water can hide the prints or make rock slippery, so check the forecast and wear shoes you do not mind getting wet.

Please do not step inside the tracks or pry at the limestone. The whole point is that the next visitor gets the same goosebumps you did.

Bring water and sun protection; shade is thin in the channel. Watch for slick rock and sudden water after storms, and double-check that you are on public riverbed, not someone’s yard.