Then and Now - Cenozoic Fossil Parks

It's hard to imagine what our lands looked like long before they were national parks. Take a trip all the way back to the Cenozoic era with these photos. Use the arrow to slide back and forth between illustrations of what scientists believe things looked like then and photos of what they look like now.

Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming

Left image
52 million years ago,
Credit: mural by Robert Hynes

Right image
Today,
Credit: NPS Photo

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

Left image
44 million years ago,
Credit: Clarno mural by Larry Felder

Right image
Today,
Credit: Photo by Will Landon

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado

Left image
34 million years ago,
Credit: mural courtesy of NPS

Right image
Today,
Credit: NPS Photo

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

Left image
33 million years ago,
Credit: Bridge Creek Flora mural by Larry Felder

Right image
Today,
Credit: Photo by Will Landon

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

Left image
29 million years ago,
Credit: Turtle Cove mural by Roger Witter

Right image
Today,
Credit: Photo by Will Landon

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

Left image
15 million years ago,
Credit: Mascall mural by Roger Witter

Right image
Credit: Photo by Will Landon

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho

Left image
3.2 million years ago,
Credit: mural by Jay Matternes

Right image
Today,
Credit: NPS Photo

Waco Mammoth National Monument Texas

Left image
65 thousand years ago,
Credit: NPS photo

Right image
Today,
Credit: NPS Photo