Ranger Guided Programs and Special Activities July 2017

Date: June 27, 2017
Contact: Jeff Wolin

Activities Planned at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in July

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is open year round. During the summer months through Labor Day weekend, the Monument is open every day of the week from 8:00 AM –6:00 PM.  Here are some of the activities taking place this July:

Summer Interpretive Program Schedule (June - August)
The Monument offers a variety of ranger guided programs that run throughout the summer. These include:

Daily, 11:00 AM, Ranger-Guided Hike Are you ready to meet the “Big Stump” Join a ranger for a 1 mile, 1.5 hour hike on the Petrified Forest Loop Trail. Meet behind the visitor center for an interpretive hike on the Petrified Forest Loop.

Daily, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Fossil Learning Lab (Yurt) Get “up-close and personal” with fossils! Join us for ranger-led demonstrations, and hands-on searches for fossils. Meet in the yurt located in the picnic area near the visitor center.

Every Wednesday, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Demonstration Excavation Site Meet geologist, Dr. Bob Carnein at the demonstration excavation site and see the fossil beds in situ and learn about how excavations are conducted. This site is located off the Petrified Forest Loop approximately 1 mile round trip from the visitor center

Saturday/Sunday, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Hornbek Homestead Tours, Travel back in time to the late 1870s and take a tour of Adeline Hornbek’s house. A ranger will be on site to provide a peak into the life of a homesteader.

Saturday/Sunday, 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Ranger Talk Join a ranger for a 20 – 30 minute presentation and get a basic orientation to the history and prehistory of the area. Meet in the amphitheater behind the visitor center.

Special Activities:
Saturday, July 1, Bird Hike, 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM.   Join local birder, Debbie Barnes, for a birding adventure. Be prepared to hike up to 3 miles. Meet at the visitor center. Bring binoculars, layered clothing, and water. Be prepared to hike on and off trail.

Sunday, July 16, Wildflower Walk, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.  Join Native Plant Society member Doris Drisgill, on a 1.5 hour hike.  Enjoy beautiful mountain flowers in serene setting of the Florissant valley.

Saturday, July 29, Hornbek Open House and Junior Ranger Day, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Take a tour of the 1878 Hornbek House and learn about life in the 1800s with park staff and local crafters. Kids and families can also take part in fun, hands on activities and earn a Junior Ranger Badge.

Friday, July 21, Night Sky Program, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Join park staff and members of the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society to gaze at the dark skies above Florissant Fossil Beds in search of planets, galaxies, nebulas, and more. Meet at the visitor center.