Laws & Policies

 

Rules & Regulations

Park specific rules and regulations are found in the Superintendent's Compendium. These policies are in place to protect the visitors and the culutral and natural resources of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. Please do your part to protect this special place. Below is a selection of general regulations:

Visiting Hours

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument is open to the public year-round, from sunrise to sunset.

Motor Vehicles

The park is closed to motor vehicles except:

• On Alamo Road, Corn Creek Road, and North Decatur Boulevard. Alamo Road is closed 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunset throughout the year.
• Any administrative use as determined by the park Superintendent.
• Any use of the right of way corridors by authorized entities under permit (e.g. utilities, construction activities, etc.)

Bikes & E-Bikes

Bicycles and Class 1 electric bicycles (E-bikes) are allowed on existing roads, trails, and parking areas. Bicyclists should yield to both hikers and horses; Hikers should yield to horses.

Dogs

Dog waste must be disposed of by removing it from the park or disposing in provided waste containers. Leaving pets unattended in vehicles is prohibited, even if the windows are rolled down.

Horses & Pack Animals

Horses and pack animals (e.g. Mules) may be ridden only on existing roads, trails, or washes. The use of loose hay or grain containing viable seeds is prohibited at the park.

Drones (Uncrewed Aircraft Systems)

Launching, landing, or operating Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) also known as drones is prohibited, except for government research purposes and as approved in writing by the Superintendent.

Recreational Shooting

The use of firearms, including recreational shooting and target practice, is prohibited throughout the park.

Hunting

Hunting is not allowed within Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument; However, transporting lawfully taken and properly tagged wildlife through the park is permitted.

Camping

Camping is not permitted, including overnight use of recreational vehicles.

Fires

A fire may be ignited and maintained only by using fuel sources designed and commonly used for warmth or the preparation of food, such as charcoal briquettes or natural firewood. Lighting or maintaining a fire with other materials including, but not limited to, flammable liquids (e.g. lighter fluid, gasoline), garbage, fireworks, plastics, aerosol canisters, batteries, or other manufactured or synthetic materials, is prohibited.

Demonstrations

Demonstraitons of 25 people or less are permitted within the Aliante Loop Trailhead parking area. Demonstrations of more than 25 people are allowed in the Aliante Loop Trailhead parking area with an issued permit.

 

Superintendent's Compendium

The purpose of the Superintendent's Compendium is to provide the public and park employees with a document that lists the special designations, closures, public use limits, permit requirements and other restrictions imposed under the discretionary authority of the Superintendent. Learn more...

 

Enabling Legislation

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument was created as a national park in 2014 by House of Representatives bill H.R.3979. Section 3092 of the bill established the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument "consisting of approximately 22,650 acres of public land in Clark County, Nevada, in order to conserve, protect, interpret, and enhance the paleontological, scientific, educational, and recreational resources of such land." The bill was signed into law on December 19, 2024 as Public Law Number 113-291.

 

Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act

The Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) authorized the Bureau of Land Management to sell federal lands under its juristiction around the Las Vegas Valley and use the proceeds for:

• Environmentally Sensitive Land Acquisitions

• Capital Improvements

• Conservation Initiatives

• Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas

• Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan

• Eastern Nevada Landscape Restoration Project

• Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Wildfire Prevention

• Lake Tahoe Restoration Projects

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument has used SNPLMA funding for these types of projects including building critical post-and-cable boundary fences that help protect vulnerable cultural resources, plants, wildlife, and fossils from off-road vehicle damage.

 

Paleontological Resources Preservation Act

The primary legislation pertaining to fossils from National Park Service and other federal lands is the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act of 2009 (PRPA) (16 U.S.C. § 470aaa 1-11) which was enacted on March 30, 2009 within the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. PRPA directs the Department of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service) and the Department of the Interior (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Fish and Wildlife Service) to manage and protect paleontological resources on Federal land using scientific principles and expertise.

PRPA provides specific mandates for administering paleontological resource research and collecting permits. The law also includes provisions for both criminal and civil penalties associated with paleontological resource crimes on federal lands.