The Connecticut River Valley is where the study of dinosaurs began

>> NO DISCUSSION OF MASSACHUSETTS TOP NATURAL WONDERS IS COMPLETE WITHOUT ITS HIGHEST PEAK, MOUNT GREYLOC OR THE FAMOUS POTHOLES ALONG THE DEERFIEL RIVER. THEN THERE IS THE STATE’S HIGHEST WATERFALL, TUCKED AWAY IN THE TINY REMOTE TOWN OF MOUNT WASHINGTON NEAR THE NEW YORK-CONNECTICUT BORDER. SO BEAUTIFUL AND YET SO FAR. FORTUNATELY, WATERFALL CHASERS IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARE NOT DELAYED OUT OF T GAME IF THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE A DAY OF IT. HAD TO ROYALTON AND YOU WILL FIND A WATERFALL TRIFECTA. ABOUT AN HOUR NORTH OF WORCESTER , IT MIGHT BE KING OF THE CASCADES. THERE ARE A SERIES OF POWERF DROPS. DEEPER IN THE WOODS, THIS WATERFALL, WITH ITS DRAMATIC EFFECT PLUNGED INTO A DEEP GORGE. MOST REMOTE, SPIRIT FALLS. I LOVE TO GET OUTSIDE AND PLAY OUTSIDE. THE WATER SPEAKS, I SPEAK BACK TO IT. >> THE WATERFALLS ARE A FAVORITE OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB. >> YOU HAVE A LOT FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TRAVEL. THREE WATERFALLS THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. >> SHE WORKS ON THE NEW ENGLAND SCENIC TRAIL. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE TO GO UP TO ACADIA NATIONAL PARK IN MAINE TO GET BIG NATURE IN NEW ENGLAND. BUT IN MASSACHUSETTS, WE HAVE SO MANY HIDDEN GEMS. >> ALL THREE OF THESE WATERFALLS ARE PROPERTIES. >> I AM A LITTLE BIASED BECAUSE I WORK ON THE NATIONAL TRAIL. THIS IS THE TERMINUS OF THE TRAIL. I WILL SAY IT. >> OUR NEXT NATURAL WONDER CAN’T HELP BUT LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION. >> IT IS THE FIRST PLACE I EVER CAME TO SEE DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS. THESE ARE 200 MILLION YEARS OLD. AND YOU ARE HEARING TRAFFIC GO BY. THE COGNITIVE DISSONANCE IS PROFOUND. IT IS AN UNLIKELY SPOT FOR AN EARTHSHAKING DISCOVERY. THE DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS RESERVATION. SHE TELLS US THE WORD DINOSAUR DID NOT EVEN EXIST WHEN THESE TRACKS WERE DISCOVERED IN THE MID-1800S. >> THIS WAS INTERNATIONAL NEWS IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY RIGHT AWAY. CHARLES DARWIN KNEW ABOUT THESE. >> THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY, ONCE A SUBTROPICAL SWAMP, IS WHERE THE STUDY OF DINOSAURS ACTUALLY BEG THIS IS THE FINEST COLLECTION IN THE WORLD. >> I HAVE ALWAYS LOVES DINOSAURS. THEY WERE ALWAYS VERY INTRIGUING TO ME. >> SHE WAS SUCH A FAN THAT SHE QUIT HER JOB AS A FIRST GRADE TEACHER AND OPENED UP SHOP. >> THE SHOP IS DESIGNED TO HELP KIDS AND FAMILIES DISCOVER THE WORLD OF NATURAL HISTORY. THE ROCK FOSSIL AND DINOAUR SHOP IS A GOLD MINE OF MINERALS, CRYSTALS, AND DINOSAUR TRACKS. AS WELL AS INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES LIKE PANNING AND FOSSIL DIG >> HE IS OUR LOCAL HERO. MANY OF THE TRACKS IN THE PIONEER VALLEY ARE THOUGHT TO BE THAT OF THIS GUY. >> HE LOOKS SO CUTE. LOOKS LIKE HE IS SMILING. YOU WANT TO GO RIGHT UP TO I BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, THEY WERE FIERCE. THEY HAD RAZOR-SHARP TEETH AND THEY WERE FAST. THEY WERE NOT TO BE MESSED WITH. BUT IT DOES LOOK SUPER CUTE. >> MEANWHILE, BACK AT THESE QUARRIES, OUR PATIEN PATIENCE PAYS OFF. WE GET A LESSON IN JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS. WE ARE GOING AROUND AND COVERING THE SWEARWORDS AND EITHER TURNING THEM IN TO SOMETHING ELSE OR MAKING APPROPRIATE. >> THEY ARE A MOTHER-DAUGHTER TAGTEAM FROM BRAINTREE. THE CLEANUP WAS HER IDEA. THERE WERE A LOT OF SWEARWORDS. I COULDN’T TAKE FUN PICTURES. I THOUGHT, WHY NOT BLOCK OUT THE SWEARWORDS? >> THE QUARRY IS WELL WORTH VISITING, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT PACKING SPRAY PAINT OR CLIMBING THE STREET ART IS ALWAYS CHANGING. AND THERE ARE EASY TRAILS UP TO THE TOP, WITH GORGEOUS VIEWS OF THE CITY. OUT IN SOUTH DEERFIELD, THE ROCK, FOSSIL, AND DINOSAUR SHOP PLANS TO RE-OPEN SOON. IN THE MEANTIME YOU CAN VISIT THE TRUSTEES’ DINOSAUR FOOTPRINT RESERVATION. AFTER ALL, THE FOOTPRINTS AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE, THEY’RE RIGHT B THE SIDE OF ROUTE 5, WHERE THEY’VE BEEN FOR THE LAST 200 MILLION YEARS. FINALLY TONIGHT, AN EASY W

The Connecticut River Valley is where the study of dinosaurs began

You don’t have to leave the Commonwealth to see real dinosaur footprints tracing back 200 million years

Updated: 9:09 PM EDT Aug 31, 2020

Go with the flow at these waterfalls: The Royalston WaterfallsJacobs HillDoane’s FallDiscover Massachusetts dinosaurs at The Rock, Fossil, and Dinosaur Shop in South Deerfield and see dinosaur footprints in Holyoke.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Go with the flow at these waterfalls:

Discover Massachusetts dinosaurs at The Rock, Fossil, and Dinosaur Shop in South Deerfield and see dinosaur footprints in Holyoke.