Bright Angel Fault Fossil Beds

Fossil finding may require you to get up close and personal with the rocks.

NPS

Quick Facts

Location:

Grand Canyon Village

Significance:

Fossil Site

Amenities

2 listed

Scenic View/Photo Spot, Tactile Exhibit

Thousands of feet of exposed rock layers at Grand Canyon provide a veritable playground for geologists to explore. Ancient examples of geologic processes that have shaped our planet over eons are visible here and help us understand similar, modern processes still occurring today.

The fossils contained within these rocks add another layer to the story and often provide the clues needed to understand the environments that shaped the landscape so long ago, but finding these tiny, ellusive fossils can be difficult in the face of the immensity of Grand Canyon.

Thankfully the Bright Angel Fault Fossil beds provide an easy solution. Located on the rim of the canyon, a short walk west of the first shuttle stop on the Hermit Road, access to the site is open to the public. 

This site tells the tale of a world far different than the one we see here today. With careful eyes, exposed fossilized remains of creatures from an ancient marine environment 270 million years ago, can unlock secrets and mysteries preserved within Grand Canyon's layers. What will your eyes discover at this one-of-a-kind place along the south rim?

Remember that the fossils we see and enjoy here today are the ones left to us by the visitors of yesterday and it's up to us to leave what we find for tomorrow's visitors and all those that come after. Feel free to explore and handle the rocks and fossils on your own or with a park ranger, but leave them for the next visitor.

Please do not mark, mar, or otherwise damage the site during your visit. Take only pictures and leave only footprints.

All fossils within Grand Canyon National Park are protected by federal law and should remain at the site no matter how small or numerous they may seem.

Watch your step and your head when exploring the site. The area is uneven with sudden drops and the branches from the scattered trees in the area are better seen than felt.  

*For a bonus challenge try to find where the Bright Angel Fault meets the rim when you are walking to or back from the fossil site along the rim trail. (Hint: It's betwen the fossil site and Village Route Shuttle Stop)

Ranger Programs

A Ranger Program called "Fossil Discovery Walk", which visits this site, may be offered in the spring, summer, and fall.

Check at visitor centers within the park or on the park website for availability.