Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Located just 30 miles west of Colorado Springs, this National Monument provides stunning glimpses into the kinds of creatures that roamed the planet 30-million years ago. Amazingly detailed fossils of over 1,400 insects and 140 plants have been found in this mountain meadow, making it a popular museum supply center. Before being recognized as one of the nation's premier fossil-finding sites,...

A temperate rain forest, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was perfectly preserved by volcanic ash 34 million years ago. This little-known site is a haven for paleontologists. The visitor center offers a daily guided walk and ranger talks in the ampitheatre in summer, or you can follow the well-marked hiking trails and lose yourself in the Eocene epoch among the remnants of petrified...

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossils of insects and plants reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado.