• 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.

Fossil Lab

Visitors enjoy the fossil lab.
Visitors learning about the Paleontology Program at Florissant Fossil Beds.
NPS Photo by Sheena Grabski
 
Volunteer Dr. Bob Carnein demonstrates splitting shale.

Volunteer Dr. Bob Carnein demonstrates how the Paleontology department splits shale to find delicate carbon impression fossils.

NPS Photo by Sheena Grabski

Visit our Shale Fossil Lab in the Yurt tent from 1:00 - 3:00pm daily.

Help a Ranger release a fossil imprisoned for 34 million years!

Free them so they can enrich our story of Ancient Florissant.

Take "Paleontology 101" and learn how our Paleontology department excavates the shale beds and how they split the shale to find wonderful fossils. Try to identify a new discovery and learn how we prepare each fossil to become part of our collection.

Did You Know?

Photo of burning piles in the snow near the boundary of Florissant Fossil Beds

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is actively involved in fire mitigation and conducts prescribed burns every winter.