• View of the Monument across the Snake River

    Hagerman Fossil Beds

    National Monument Idaho

Grasses

Crested Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass

NPS

The Monument is home to a variety of native grasses such as: wheatgrass, bluegrass, Indian ricegrass, and Great Basin wildrye to name a few.

Unfortunately, the grass family includes a large number of invasive weeds and the once plentiful native grasses are now being dominated by the non-native and highly invasive cheat grass (Bromus tectorum).

Most of the natural vegetation on nonpublic land has been replaced by agricultural crops. The numerous acres of irrigated farmlands now support a variety of grasses, grain crops, sugar beets, and potatoes.

 
Field of Cheatgrass
Highly invasive cheatgrass dominates this field.
NPS
 
Cheatgrass
Non-native and highly invasive cheatgrass.
NPS

Did You Know?

Fossilized turtle shell

An in situ specimen of Clemmys owyheensis (pond turtle) was found out in the Monument.  The field crew also found a jaw with several teeth from Thomomys gidleyi (pocket gopher) and a jaw from Trigonictis idahoensis (grison from the weasel family).