• Massive petrified redwood stumps

    Florissant Fossil Beds

    National Monument Colorado

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  • Exhibit Installation May 14 - 22

    New exhibits will be installed in the new visitor center May 14 - 22. Access to the park film and exhibits may be reduced. You may want to consider visiting after May 23 if you schedule permits. The park remains open every day from 9am - 5pm.

Introduction (Unit 1) - About Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was established in 1969 to preserve the 34-million-year-old fossils of the Florissant Formation and provide the public with a unique glimpse into the past. The Monument is located south of Florissant, Colorado, which is 35 miles west of Colorado Springs on US Highway 24.

The Monument is home to a diverse array of wildlife and plants, some of which are distant relatives of the organisms preserved in the Florissant lake shales.

Instructions:

1. Watch the movie below

2. Click at link on bottom to learn more about the Eocene.

 
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Map
 
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Video
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(NOTE: This video may take a few minutes to download and play. It will repeat once it reaches the end of the video.)

Eocene Florissant

Did You Know?

The Historic Hornbek Homestead

The Hornbek Homestead is located within the boundaries of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. It was built in 1878 and owned by Adeline Hornbek a rancher and single mother of four teenaged children.