National Fossil Day

Date: October 12, 2010

Release date: Immediate

Contact(s):    Sarah Herve

Phone number:         928-524-6228 x 264

Date:                        09/28/2010      

Release Code: NPS

Petrified Forest National Park offers special tours on National Fossil Day

Petrified Forest National Park— Celebrate National Fossil Day at Petrified Forest National Park on October 13, 2010.

The park's paleontology staff will be conducting tours of the paleontology laboratory as well as a guided walk into a fossil rich area of the park known as the "Dying Grounds." The laboratory tours will focus on how fossils are collected, cleaned, and entered into the park museum collection for preservation and future study. Participants will be able to view the fossil bones of a variety of ancient animals that lived in the area during the time of the dinosaurs. The guided hike will briefly discuss the local geological history, as well as visit areas where fossil wood and bones can still be found. Participants will learn about the Late Triassic landscape and its inhabitants, as well as experience how fossils are discovered and collected.

The hike is considered moderately strenuous with a total distance over two miles. This hike is not recommended for young children under the age of 7 or for persons with medical conditions that preclude walking long distances and climbing up and down rock hills. Closed toe shoes and water to drink are required and a sack lunch is recommended. Please remember that collection of fossils from the park without a valid research permit is not allowed by law.

The first lab tour will take place from 9:30 to 10:30 am. The hike will start at 11:00 am and will last until 1:00 pm. A second tour of the paleontology laboratory will take place from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Come on out and enjoy National Fossil Day in your National Park.

For information call [phone], 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time; or write to the Superintendent, Petrified Forest National Park, P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest, AZ 86028; or e-mail the park Superintendent at e-mail us. Information can also be found at https://www.nps.gov/pefo including other news releases.